Where to Fish for Spotted Seatrout Today — US

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

Sort Open harvest only

False Cape State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA · harvest closed

Carolina Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Holden Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed

Oak Island Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed

St. Augustine Beach

St. Johns Co., FL

Assateague Island — MD Surf

Worcester Co., MD

Assateague State Park

Worcester Co., MD

Assateague Island National Seashore

Worcester Co., MD

Public Landing Beach

Worcester Co., MD

Deal Island Wildlife Management Area

Somerset Co., MD

North Myrtle Beach

Garden City Beach

Pensacola Beach

Escambia Co., FL

Navarre Beach

Santa Rosa Co., FL

Destin Beach

Okaloosa Co., FL

Mexico Beach

St. George Island

Franklin Co., FL

Gulf Shores Public Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Orange Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Dauphin Island Public Beach

Venice (Plaquemines)

Plaquemines Co., LA

Kiptopeke State Park

Northampton Co., VA · harvest closed

Cape Charles Town Pier

Northampton Co., VA · harvest closed

Kure Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Sea Rim State Park

Jefferson Co., TX

Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)

Cameron Co., LA

Biloxi Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Gulfport Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Pass Christian Beach

Harrison Co., MS

Grand Isle State Park

Jefferson Co., LA

Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)

Terrebonne Co., LA

Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing

Fenwick Island State Park

Myrtle Beach

Folly Beach

Charleston Co., SC

Sandbridge Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA · harvest closed

Matagorda Beach

Matagorda Co., TX

Mobile Bay

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA · harvest closed

Anderson Park

Newport News Co., VA · harvest closed

Bay St. Louis Beach

Hancock Co., MS

Wrightsville Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Surf City Beach

Pender Co., NC · harvest closed

Emerald Isle Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Indian Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access

Accomack Co., VA · harvest closed

Roaring Point Waterfront Park

Wicomico Co., MD

Tybee Island Beach

Chatham Co., GA

Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)

St. Tammany Co., LA

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Solomons Island Fishing Pier

Calvert Co., MD

Point Lookout State Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Myrtle Point Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Nags Head Beach

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed

Atlantic Beach (NC)

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Surfside Beach (TX)

Brazoria Co., TX

Pirates Beach

Galveston Co., TX

Padre Island National Seashore

Kleberg Co., TX

Delaware Seashore State Park

Panama City Beach

East Beach (Galveston)

Galveston Co., TX

First Landing State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA · harvest closed

Buckroe Beach

Hampton Co., VA · harvest closed

Ocean View Beach

Norfolk Co., VA · harvest closed

Hilton Pier Park

Newport News Co., VA · harvest closed

Daytona Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Cocoa Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Cape Canaveral Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Mosquito Lagoon (Titusville)

Volusia Co., FL

North Topsail Beach

Onslow Co., NC · harvest closed

Sandy Point State Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty

Worcester Co., MD

Assawoman State Wildlife Area

Worcester Co., MD

Elms Beach Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)

Dorchester Co., MD

Pawleys Island

Georgetown Co., SC

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Brevard Co., FL

St. Pete Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

Charleston Harbor

Charleston Co., SC

Sebastian Inlet

Brevard Co., FL

Tampa Bay

Hillsborough Co., FL

Mustang Island State Park

South Padre Island Beach

Cameron Co., TX

Delacroix (St. Bernard)

St. Bernard Co., LA

Haulover Beach Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

Jacksonville Beach

New Smyrna Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Naples Beach

Collier Co., FL

Marco Island Beach

Collier Co., FL

Tyaskin Wharf

Wicomico Co., MD

Cove Road Beach

Wicomico Co., MD

Hilton Head Island

Beaufort Co., SC

Galveston Seawall

Galveston Co., TX

Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)

Galveston Co., TX

Galveston Bay

Galveston Co., TX

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed

Ocracoke Beach

Hyde Co., NC · harvest closed

Port Aransas Beach

Port Aransas (Mustang Island)

Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Romancoke Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Matapeake Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Flag Ponds Nature Park

Calvert Co., MD

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier

Calvert Co., MD

Breezy Point Beach

Calvert Co., MD

Mayo Beach Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Beverly Triton Nature Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

Calvert Co., MD

Martinak State Park

Caroline Co., MD

Kings Landing Park

Calvert Co., MD

Greenwell State Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Snow Hill Farm Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

St. Simons Island Beach

Sanibel Island Beach

Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)

Boca Grande (Charlotte Harbor)

Everglades (Flamingo)

Cape Henlopen State Park

Indian River Inlet

Lewes Canal

Slaughter Beach

Boca Chica Beach

Cameron Co., TX

Lake Worth Beach

Palm Beach Co., FL

Belle Isle State Park

Lancaster Co., VA · harvest closed

Smith Point Beach

Northumberland Co., VA · harvest closed

Deerfield Beach

Broward Co., FL

Pompano Beach

Broward Co., FL

Clearwater Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

Regulations by jurisdiction

Maryland (tidal)

Stale: last verified 51 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 51 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 51 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 51 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 51 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 51 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 14 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 14 days ago.

atlantic

Min size: 14"
Creel: 10

14" minimum, 10/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

FL

Stale: last verified 14 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 14 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 14 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 14 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 14 days ago.

gulf

Min size: 15"
Creel: 15

15" minimum, 15/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

LA

Stale: last verified 14 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 14 days ago.

atlantic

Min size: 14"
Creel: 15

14" minimum, 15/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29