SPOTTED SEATROUT CHARTERS

Spotted Seatrout aka Speckled Trout, Specs, or Summer Trout

While you never know which of the names above someone will refer to this fish as, one thing is certain, you can’t mistake a Spotted Seatrout bite. Any angler's heart will skip a beat when a hungry Spec smacks a grub so hard and fast that it almost feels electric!

Not only are these fish an exceptional main course at the dinner table, but they are one of the most exciting fish to catch here in Georgetown. They run in large schools and when the tide and bait align they can all be sent into a feeding frenzy at once. These are the days when it feels like you get a hit with every cast.

Georgetown Spotted Seatrout Fishing

Georgetown is a special place for Spotted Seatrout because you can catch them year round. While large “Gator” trout can be caught all year, the high catch numbers ranging in the 20 inch range and up usually happen in the Spring and Fall. However don’t be surprised to catch a 20” plus trout in the heat of July and August!

Speckled trout offer an excellent target species for anyone who is interested in improving their ability to catch fish on artificial baits. They are excellent for zeroing in on a specific retrieval speed to entice a bite. Practicing different twitch cadences while reeling in can also be part of getting Specs to hit a bait. Finally, trout can be targeted with topwater baits. A proper “walk the dog” technique can result in a heart stopping blow-up where a trout can launch a topwater bait a foot or more off the water surface.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

Spotted Seatrout and Weakfish are very similar fish. The easiest way to distinguish between the two are by their spots. Be sure to know the difference as these two species have different bag limits.

Spotted Seatrout

Weak Fish

Notice the “spots” on the Spotted Seatrout aka Speckled Trout and Spec. Compare the spots to the Weak Fish’s faint color changes in their scales.

SEASONAL TROUT FISHING

Winter Trout Fishing

“If you find the bait, you’ll find the fish” is a good rule of thumb to follow during the winter. Diving Terns and Gulls are great indicators of bait and shrimp schools. This works year-round. If you actually see several small schools of mullet or shrimp flow past you in the tide, you're probably in a good run. Once you locate bait, focus on current breaks (structures, eddies, etc.) where the trout can hide from the strong current and ambush passing bait.

Spring Trout Fishing

As the water begins to warm and bait moves back into the shallows, so do the trout. Trout schools can be found on sand flats and shallow water chasing bait in the Spring.

Focusing on shell banks and creek mouths can be very productive this time of year. Gator Trout are usually in deeper water waiting for bait to pass.

Summer Trout Fishing

Early morning is your best bet to catch trout in the heat of the Summer. Getting out before the sun rises and working oyster beds, sandbars, and grass lines as the tide begins to fall, is a good plan.

Fishing a live bottom in deeper water is another great option in the summer heat. While this technique works well throughout the day, it works best during slower tidal flows.

Fall Trout Fishing

Fall fishing is hot for everything in Georgetown. Focusing on an area where the cooler offshore water is pouring into the bay or inlet is a good bet, during the beginning of fall when the water is still warm. As the water begins to cool, the trout continue to move further up the creeks and rivers. The top half of the tide is preferred, but trout can be caught during anytime of the tide in the Fall. Working the edges and bringing the bait toward the boat in the same direction the bait would naturally move is a good technique.