Species
Spotted Seatrout
Cynoscion nebulosus · family Sciaenidae
Live · updated
Popularly called "speckled trout" or "specks." Summer-fall target in the lower Bay grass beds and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Topwater walkers at dawn and soft plastics on jigheads are standard.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 60–85°F (ideal 72°F)
- Tide
- incoming
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–15 ft
- Active months
- May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Best spotted seatrout conditions today
Indian River Inlet
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing
Delaware Seashore State Park
Fenwick Island State Park
Sandy Point State Park
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier
Romancoke Pier
Matapeake Pier
Mayo Beach Park
Beverly Triton Nature Park
Martinak State Park
South Padre Island Beach
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Assateague State Park
Public Landing Beach
Assawoman State Wildlife Area
Padre Island National Seashore
Boca Chica Beach
Assateague Island — MD Surf
Assateague Island National Seashore
Cape Henlopen State Park
Slaughter Beach
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Bay St. Louis Beach
Everglades (Flamingo)
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Clearwater Beach
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Tyaskin Wharf
Cove Road Beach
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
Elms Beach Park
Snow Hill Farm Park
New Smyrna Beach
Venice (Plaquemines)
St. Simons Island Beach
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Boca Grande (Charlotte Harbor)
Lewes Canal
St. Pete Beach
Solomons Island Fishing Pier
Flag Ponds Nature Park
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum
Myrtle Point Park
Greenwell State Park
Wrightsville Beach
Carolina Beach
Kure Beach
Surf City Beach
North Topsail Beach
Holden Beach
Oak Island Beach
Atlantic Beach (NC)
Emerald Isle Beach
Indian Beach
Pawleys Island
Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier
Breezy Point Beach
Kings Landing Park
Nags Head Beach
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Ocracoke Beach
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Surfside Beach (SC)
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Pensacola Beach
Port Aransas Beach
Port Aransas (Mustang Island)
Sebastian Inlet
Tampa Bay
Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach
Belle Isle State Park
Smith Point Beach
Mustang Island State Park
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Delacroix (St. Bernard)
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
Grand Isle State Park
Lake Worth Beach
Ocean View Beach
Hilton Pier Park
Anderson Park
Point Lookout State Park
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)
Sandbridge Beach
False Cape State Park
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Mosquito Lagoon (Titusville)
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
First Landing State Park
Buckroe Beach
Mexico Beach
Mobile Bay
St. Augustine Beach
Navarre Beach
Panama City Beach
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Galveston Bay
Jacksonville Beach
Hilton Head Island
St. George Island
Daytona Beach
Folly Beach
Destin Beach
Tybee Island Beach
Charleston Harbor
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 4
Chesapeake Bay: 14-inch minimum, 4 per day. Thermal-stress winter die-offs can trigger emergency closures; check MDDNR before mid-winter trips.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 4
Atlantic coast and coastal bays: 14-inch minimum, 4 per day.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Delaware (tidal)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal delaware
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 0
Delaware Bay and tidal tributaries: 12-inch minimum, no daily creel limit. Noticeably looser than MD (14-inch, 4/day). Thermal die-offs and ASMFC addenda can change the regulation — re-verify annually.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 0
Delaware Atlantic coast and Inland Bays: 12-inch minimum, no daily creel limit.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Virginia tidal waters: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day, with no more than 1 fish over 24 inches. CLOSED April 1–June 30, 2026 for the spawning run (new VMRC regulation effective March 31, 2026 — 4VAC20-280). Differs significantly from MD (no seasonal closure, 4/day, no "big fish" limit) and DE (12-inch min, no creel). Re-verify before April trips — the spring closure was added in response to stock concerns.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Virginia Atlantic coast: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day, no more than 1 fish over 24 inches. CLOSED April 1–June 30, 2026 (same spring closure as tidal Bay). 4VAC20-280.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NC
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 4
Harvest is currently CLOSED in NC following cold-stun events. Normal limits when open are a 14" minimum and 4 fish/day — confirm the current DMF proclamation before keeping any.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
SC
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 10
14" minimum, 10/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
FL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 15"
- Max size
- 19"
- Creel
- 3
15–19" slot (one fish over 19" per vessel allowed); bag is 2–5/day depending on FWC management zone, with seasonal closures in some zones. Confirm your zone.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Max size
- 19"
- Creel
- 3
15–19" slot (one fish over 19" per vessel allowed); bag is 2–5/day depending on FWC management zone, with seasonal closures in some zones. Confirm your zone.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TX
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Max size
- 20"
- Creel
- 3
15–20" slot, 3/person/day. One trout over 28" per year with a Spotted Seatrout Tag.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Max size
- 22"
- Creel
- 6
15–22" slot, 6/person/day (one over 22" allowed).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 15
15" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
LA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 13"
- Max size
- 20"
- Creel
- 15
13–20" slot, 15/person/day (two over-slot allowed).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 15
14" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29