The author's big Speckled Trout caught wading in Galveston Bay
Speckled Trout
Cynoscion nebulosus
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Speckled Trout Description
Speckled or Spotted Trout, also known as Specks, are a feisty gamefish found in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Atlantic coast of the United States up to Maryland. Speckled Trout are related to Croakers and Drum and are not actually part of the trout family. They are an inshore fish that readily strikes lures and bait and frequently leaps out of the water when hooked. Small to mid-size eat a lot of crustaceans such as shrimp, and as they get larger they switch to a diet of more small fish.
During spawning season, the males make a loud drumming sound to attract females that can be heard from some distance. They sometimes make that sound when pulled out of the water as well. Speckled Trout are prolific spawners and typically live about 4-5 years although in rare cases they can live longer than 10 years. Typical trout caught average 1-3lbs, with anything over 6lbs being a really nice one. The world record is over 17lbs.
Speckled Trout have a couple of pointy teeth in the front of their mouth, but don't have sharp spines and are relatively easy to handle if you don't put your hand right in their mouth. They are not particularly robust fish and do not survive handling that well, so be gentle with them if you plan to release them.
Speckled Trout Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 4 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Speckled Trout are not particularly strong, although fish over 3lbs are capable of pulling some drag. They may jump during the fight, although they don't get very much air.
Speckled Trout Culinary Rating - High
Speckled Trout are very tasty and frequently eaten throughout the Gulf states. They have mild, flaky white meat that unfortunately can become a little mushy if overcooked. They do not freeze particularly well, so a long defrosting period is helpful in preserving the meat.
Speckled Trout Tackle
Speckled Trout can be hunted with light to medium weight spinning and baitcasting gear. 20-30lb braid with a 15-20lb leader is about right for Speck fishing. Click here for tackle recommendations.
Speckled Trout Techniques
The key to Speckled Trout fishing is to find cleaner water that is greenish in color. They are more sensitive to water clarity than Redfish, which are often found in the same areas. They often break the surface when chasing shrimp or other prey, so you can look for signs of activity on the surface such as feeding fish or bird diving. Absent obvious surface activity, targeting oyster reefs is a good way to go.
Another way to locate feeding Speckled Trout is to look for slicks on the surface. Slicks are created when Specks feed on bait, as the oils of the bait and some of the digestive fluids of the trout are released and float to the surface. This is visible, especially on calm days, to anglers. They also often have a distinctive smell, like a freshly cut watermelon. Trout are not the only fish that make slicks, but they usually indicate feeding predatory fish of some sort so it is worth making some casts in and around them. Remember that the fish may not be right under the slicks, as the slicks may drift away from the fish. In general, the slicks grow over time, so a very large one may be old and the fish may be farther away. Try to fish where you think the slick originated.
Speckled Trout Lures
A number of soft plastics work well for Speckled Trout. These are often fished on a lead jig head and bounced off of the bottom relatively quickly. Gulp Shrimp work particularly well, as do a number of other shrimp imitations and some paddle tail lures that imitate mullet or other baitfish. It often pays to experiment with a variety of colors until you find what they are hitting. You can also fish plastics under a popping cork, similar to what is described below in the bait section.
Trout will often hit topwater walking lures such as the Heddon Super Spook. This is a particularly good lure for bigger trout. Fish it with a walk-the-dog action with an occasional pause. Fish often hit on the pause. Other good lures are the Mirrolure Top Dog and Top Dog Jr. and the Rapala Skitterwalk. Trout often like bright colors like pink and chartreuse.
Below are some examples of popular soft plastic and topwater Speckled Trout lures.
This sums up what is fun about speckled trout fishing - getting in and wading, throwing topwaters, and catching nice fat fish like this one caught in Matagorda Bay, Texas
Big Speckled Trout love plastics
Big Speckled Trout also love topwaters
Speckled Trout Baits
Day in and day out, more Speckled Trout are caught on a live shrimp fished under a popping cork than anything else. You cast it out, give it a big pop, let it sit for 5 seconds, and repeat. You can experiment with leader lengths and speed of retrieve. Pretty much everything eats live shrimp, so in addition to Trout you might catch Redfish, Drum, Croaker, Catfish, and a host of other species.
Larger Speckled Trout are targeted with live baitfish such as croaker and mullet. These can be free-lined and drifted or cast to likely spots.
Where to get the big Speckled Trout
Louisiana and Texas have great fisheries for Speckled Trout. There are many good areas, but in Louisiana the Lake Calcasieu and Venice areas are good for bigger fish. In Texas, many people target them in the Matagorda and Laguna Madre areas.
Other Speckled Trout Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Speckled Trout. The guides below can help you learn more:
When you hear the word Matagorda, big Speckled Trout come to mind. If you want to hunt for them there, give these guys a call: http://www.captaintreyprye.com/
These guys can put you on the fish if you are in Venice Louisiana: www.reelshotfishing.com
On Lake Calcasieu, try these guys: www.cajunparadiselodge.com
If you are in the Galveston area, give Capt Ryan Battistoni a call. He can put you on some big fish: www.fishgalvestonbays.com
Day in and day out, more Speckled Trout are caught on a live shrimp fished under a popping cork than anything else. You cast it out, give it a big pop, let it sit for 5 seconds, and repeat. You can experiment with leader lengths and speed of retrieve. Pretty much everything eats live shrimp, so in addition to Trout you might catch Redfish, Drum, Croaker, Catfish, and a host of other species.
Larger Speckled Trout are targeted with live baitfish such as croaker and mullet. These can be free-lined and drifted or cast to likely spots.
Where to get the big Speckled Trout
Louisiana and Texas have great fisheries for Speckled Trout. There are many good areas, but in Louisiana the Lake Calcasieu and Venice areas are good for bigger fish. In Texas, many people target them in the Matagorda and Laguna Madre areas.
Other Speckled Trout Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Speckled Trout. The guides below can help you learn more:
When you hear the word Matagorda, big Speckled Trout come to mind. If you want to hunt for them there, give these guys a call: http://www.captaintreyprye.com/
These guys can put you on the fish if you are in Venice Louisiana: www.reelshotfishing.com
On Lake Calcasieu, try these guys: www.cajunparadiselodge.com
If you are in the Galveston area, give Capt Ryan Battistoni a call. He can put you on some big fish: www.fishgalvestonbays.com
A look inside a trout's mouth reveals some pointy teeth up in front.
A couple of nice trout caught on plastics in Matagorda Bay, Texas with Capt Trey Prye
Preparing to release a big Speckled Trout
Some healthy Speckled Trout caught in Venice, Louisiana
Two at a time near Cocodrie, Louisiana
A limit of school-size Speckled Trout caught in Galveston Bay, Texas on live croaker.