It's a Fishing Day

Species

Spotted Seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus · family Sciaenidae

Live · updated

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

Matagorda Beach

Matagorda Co., TX
62/100

Gulfport Beach

Harrison Co., MS
62/100

Pass Christian Beach

Harrison Co., MS
62/100

Grand Isle State Park

Jefferson Co., LA
62/100

St. Simons Island Beach

Glynn Co., GA
62/100

Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)

Terrebonne Co., LA
62/100

Delacroix (St. Bernard)

St. Bernard Co., LA
57/100

Boca Chica Beach

Cameron Co., TX
54/100

Sea Rim State Park

Jefferson Co., TX
52/100

South Padre Island Beach

Cameron Co., TX
45/100

Tampa Bay

Hillsborough Co., FL
42/100

Solomons Island Fishing Pier

Calvert Co., MD
39/100

Point Lookout State Park

St. Mary's Co., MD
39/100

Flag Ponds Nature Park

Calvert Co., MD
39/100

Breezy Point Beach

Calvert Co., MD
39/100

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

Calvert Co., MD
39/100

Kings Landing Park

Calvert Co., MD
39/100

Elms Beach Park

St. Mary's Co., MD
39/100

Myrtle Point Park

St. Mary's Co., MD
39/100

Greenwell State Park

St. Mary's Co., MD
39/100

Roaring Point Waterfront Park

Wicomico Co., MD
39/100

Tyaskin Wharf

Wicomico Co., MD
39/100

Cove Road Beach

Wicomico Co., MD
39/100

Belle Isle State Park

Lancaster Co., VA
39/100

Smith Point Beach

Northumberland Co., VA
39/100

Mustang Island State Park

Nueces Co., TX
39/100

Padre Island National Seashore

Kleberg Co., TX
39/100

Biloxi Beach

Harrison Co., MS
37/100

Cape Henlopen State Park

Sussex Co., DE
35/100

Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing

Sussex Co., DE
35/100

Slaughter Beach

Sussex Co., DE
35/100

Fenwick Island State Park

Sussex Co., DE
35/100

Folly Beach

Charleston Co., SC

East Beach (Galveston)

Galveston Co., TX

Galveston Seawall

Galveston Co., TX

Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)

Galveston Co., TX

Surfside Beach (TX)

Brazoria Co., TX

Port Aransas Beach

Nueces Co., TX

Pirates Beach

Galveston Co., TX

Calcasieu Lake (Big Lake)

Cameron Co., LA

Galveston Bay

Galveston Co., TX

Kiptopeke State Park

Northampton Co., VA

Cape Charles Town Pier

Northampton Co., VA

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA

First Landing State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA

Buckroe Beach

Hampton Co., VA

Ocean View Beach

Norfolk Co., VA

Hilton Pier Park

Newport News Co., VA

Anderson Park

Newport News Co., VA

Sandbridge Beach

Virginia Beach Co., VA

False Cape State Park

Virginia Beach Co., VA

Wrightsville Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Carolina Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Kure Beach

New Hanover Co., NC · harvest closed

Surf City Beach

Pender Co., NC · harvest closed

North Topsail Beach

Onslow Co., NC · harvest closed

Holden Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed

Oak Island Beach

Brunswick Co., NC · harvest closed

Atlantic Beach (NC)

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Emerald Isle Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Indian Beach

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

St. Augustine Beach

St. Johns Co., FL

New Smyrna Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Cocoa Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Cape Canaveral Beach

Brevard Co., FL

Bay St. Louis Beach

Hancock Co., MS

Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)

St. Tammany Co., LA

Mosquito Lagoon (Titusville)

Volusia Co., FL

Port Aransas (Mustang Island)

Nueces Co., TX

Sandy Point State Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Romancoke Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Matapeake Pier

Queen Anne's Co., MD

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier

Calvert Co., MD

Assateague Island — MD Surf

Worcester Co., MD

Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty

Worcester Co., MD

Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access

Accomack Co., VA

Assateague State Park

Worcester Co., MD

Assateague Island National Seashore

Worcester Co., MD

Martinak State Park

Caroline Co., MD

Public Landing Beach

Worcester Co., MD

Assawoman State Wildlife Area

Worcester Co., MD

Deal Island Wildlife Management Area

Somerset Co., MD

Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)

Dorchester Co., MD

Snow Hill Farm Park

St. Mary's Co., MD

Nags Head Beach

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Dare Co., NC · harvest closed

Ocracoke Beach

Hyde Co., NC · harvest closed

Cape Lookout National Seashore

Carteret Co., NC · harvest closed

Myrtle Beach

Horry Co., SC

North Myrtle Beach

Horry Co., SC

Pawleys Island

Georgetown Co., SC

Garden City Beach

Horry Co., SC

Surfside Beach (SC)

Horry Co., SC

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Brevard Co., FL

Sebastian Inlet

Brevard Co., FL

Mobile Bay

Mobile Co., AL

Sanibel Island Beach

Lee Co., FL

Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)

Lee Co., FL

Naples Beach

Collier Co., FL

Marco Island Beach

Collier Co., FL

Boca Grande (Charlotte Harbor)

Lee Co., FL

Indian River Inlet

Sussex Co., DE

Lewes Canal

Sussex Co., DE

Delaware Seashore State Park

Sussex Co., DE

Pensacola Beach

Escambia Co., FL

Navarre Beach

Santa Rosa Co., FL

Clearwater Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

St. Pete Beach

Pinellas Co., FL

Tybee Island Beach

Chatham Co., GA

Venice (Plaquemines)

Plaquemines Co., LA

Everglades (Flamingo)

Monroe Co., FL

Jacksonville Beach

Duval Co., FL

Daytona Beach

Volusia Co., FL

Mayo Beach Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Beverly Triton Nature Park

Anne Arundel Co., MD

Lake Worth Beach

Palm Beach Co., FL

Deerfield Beach

Broward Co., FL

Pompano Beach

Broward Co., FL

Haulover Beach Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Miami-Dade Co., FL

Panama City Beach

Bay Co., FL

Orange Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Charleston Harbor

Charleston Co., SC

St. George Island

Franklin Co., FL

Destin Beach

Okaloosa Co., FL

Hilton Head Island

Beaufort Co., SC

Gulf Shores Public Beach

Baldwin Co., AL

Dauphin Island Public Beach

Mobile Co., AL

Mexico Beach

Bay Co., FL

Regulations by jurisdiction

Maryland (tidal)

Stale: last verified 96 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 96 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 96 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 96 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 96 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 96 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 59 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 59 days ago.

atlantic

Min size
14"
Creel
10

14" minimum, 10/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

FL

Stale: last verified 59 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 59 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 59 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 59 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 59 days ago.

gulf

Min size
15"
Creel
15

15" minimum, 15/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

LA

Stale: last verified 59 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 59 days ago.

atlantic

Min size
14"
Creel
15

14" minimum, 15/person/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR, DE DNREC, VA DWR/VMRC

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