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Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Fish Species > Spotted Seatrout
Two large, recurvate canine teeth in the front of the upper jaw stand out noticeably on the spotted seatrout.
There are round black spots on the back and upper flanks and on the tail and second dorsal fin.
The spotted seatrout occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean from New York to the Gulf of Mexico, from Virginia southward, particularly off the coasts of North Carolina and Texas. An inshore, schooling species, it usually inhabits the shallow areas of bays and estuaries. They range as far north as Long Island in late spring. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:
This bottom dwelling, predatory fish feeds at any level. It may be taken by chumming from a drifting or anchored boat, by trolling, jigging, surfcasting or fly-fishing. Shrimp is the most popular and effective bait. Whenever shrimp are abundant, spotted seatrout feed on them almost exclusively. It may be caught in salt or brackish water and shows preference for shallow waters of estuaries. They rate highly as a food fish, but tend to spoil rapidly so should be eaten soon after capture. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:
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