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How
to fish for Spotted Seatrout
The Spotted Seatrout is a bottom dwelling inshore species that inhabits shallow bays, canals, estuaries, and coastal beaches. The Seatrout is typically found near shore over sandy and grassy bottoms. Seatrout prefer to inhabit waters around docks, pilings, rock piles, and other underwater structures. Seatrout need water in the 58 F to 81 F temperature as colder water is lethal. Seatrout feed primarily on shrimp but when shrimp are not abundant they feed on small fish such as mullet, menhaden, and silversides. Seatrout occur in the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, ranging from Massachusetts to the Yucatan peninsula.
Flyfishing, light tackle, wading, drift fishing, or bottom fishing are all successful methods of fishing for Seatrout . Many flies and artificial baits work well, such as sardine, mullet and shrimp imitations. The Seatrouts mouth is soft and is easily torn by hooks.
Fly fishing on the flats has become a very popular method for Seatrout. A 5 to 7 weight fly rod with either a click-drag or disc drag (preferred) fly reel spooled with W/F floating line is fine for Spotted Seatrout. On the end of your mainline attach a tapered twelve pound leader. Flies that consistently produce Seatrout are a green and white Clouser, Bubble Head, Crease Fly, Enrico Puglisi Mutton Snapper, Enrico Puglisi Pinfish, Enrico Puglisi Mullet, Hell's Bay Hopper, Rattle Mullet, Capt. Tarr's Sexy Slider, Clouser Minnow, Kwan, Deceiver, and a Seaducer. Seatrout can strike hard but do not make long runs.
For those who like to use a spinning combo for Spotted Seatrout a 6 to 8 pound rod and reel combo spooled with a 200 yds of 8 lb test. Tie on a popping cork about three feet above a 2/0 claw-style hook. Bait up with a live shrimp or fresh finger-sized mullet strip. As your boat drifts along, periodically "pop" the cork gently to attract sea trout to your bait.
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