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Speckled Trout
Cynoscion nebulosus
"AKA Spotted Sea Trout, Specks and Yellow-Mouth "

Description:   The speckled trout is easy to recognize because they have spots on their bodies. The spots are more in number when they are young and they also have two large canine teeth on the front of the upper jaw. The lower jaw is larger than the upper jaw and has an enlarged inner row of closely set teeth. The tongue, palantines or vomer are without teeth. The inside of the mouth is yellow and their bodies are elongated. Their backs are dark gray or green with a silvery-white iridescent belly. Their spotted fins and tails have black margins along them. The spotted soft dorsal fin has no scales and is continuous or slightly separate. There are one to ten rows of small scales at the dorsal and anal fin bases. The lateral line extends onto the tail. Their back is slightly elevated, the head is long with a snout that is pointed and it's mouth is elongated. The dorsal side has bluish reflections. White the fins are pale to light yellow in color the dorsal fin is dusky in color. There are no barbels. The younger fish have a broad, dark lateral band.

Similar Fish:    Weakfish. Being a member of the croaker family, the speckled trout is first cousin to the red and black drum, sand sea trout and the Atlantic croaker.

Where Found:   The Speckled trout is a coastal saltwater species of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, ranging from Massachusetts to the Yucatan peninsula. They tend to live near or in the same bay system their whole life (there have been rare exceptions). This spotted sea trout are found from deep inland estuaries with high salinity, out to 30 feet of water offshore with lower salinity. They swim near beds of sea grass in shallow bays and estuaries during the spring and summer seeking food. As the water temperatures begin to cool they will move into the deeper bays and the Gulf of Mexico. As the waters begin to warm they return to the shallows of the bays. Because sea trout are schooling fish when you find one you will usually find others.

When the rainfall is low the speckled trout will move into deeper waters and bayous when the fall weather begins to cool.

Size:    The average size is anywhere from a pound to four pounds. The average length for males is 19 inches long, while the females average 25 inches in length.

USA Record:   19 lbs. 2 oz by angler William E. Thomas 5/20/1989 in the Atlantic Ocean.

IGFA World Record: 17 lb 7 oz - Ft. Pierce, Florida, USA

Bait used:    The live baits include yellow tail, pinfish, mojara and mullet. If you are using artificial bait the popping lies and loud surface lures have a real good chance of attracting the big trout. Medium sized shrimp stay longer on the hook.

Tactics to catch:    While it depends on the angler, some actually prefer fishing at night under lights that are quite bright as trout tend to feed at night. May is when the trout are fat with roe. Where birds (feeding gulls) are diving on small fish or shrimp the speckled trout are usually feasting also. To catch large trout use large bait. They are lazy feeders and will even attack a smaller trout being pulled in by the angler.

If you are a winter angler you will find the smaller sea trout in the coastal marshes. If you are a summer angler you will be at the the larger bays and beaches seeking the larger speckled trout. As the fish grow larger in size (becoming less vulnerable to predators) they will go into the deeper waters.

When releasing the sea trout be careful to handle it as little as possible and it is best to use a de-hooking device to release them. Remember to wet your hands before handling the fish because their slime coat is their protection against germs.

Look for sandy depressions where the water is warmed by the sun on colder days. When the sea grass is rotten the mullet and crabs will be there and the speckled trout won't be far behind.

The larger trout are found lurking around points, sandbars, oyster beds and depressions. The are likely to be near drop-offs close to deep water where they can seek safety.  The large lone speckled trout will hang around docks, bridges, rock piles, fallen trees and jetties. It is difficult to see a trout on the flats before he sees you and often wading is more successful than boat fishing.

When using a spin or fly tackle cast beyond the sandy openings and slowly retrieve by twitching pausing and repeat. This will best simulate the action of live prey. When removing the cork and a small weight replaces the sinker you have what is commonly known as a "free shrimping" rig. This device is particularly effective when drifting from a boat on fishing where the tide is strong, allowing the bait to drift freely in the water. When the fish are feeding on or near the bottom, a conventional bottom rig is most useful.

The artificial bait is classified as jigs (single or in pairs with or without the help of a cork), silver spoons (various sizes with a bucktail and hook trailing 12 to 18 inches behind the spoon) and fishlike hot pink, root beer or dark red and white colored lures.

Did you know that trout will get excited when feeding and actually throw-up partially digested food that is oily and rises to the surface. This partially digested yuck has a smell of new cut grass or watermelon. Anglers will realize their opportunity when they smell the trout!

Seatrout ambush their prey by making short lunges and grabbing with their front canine teeth prior to swallowing it whole.

Climate   (water temperature range):    65°F to 80°F

Spawning habits:   The Speckled trout reaches sexual maturity when they are one to two years old. The large females (sows) commonly live to be nine or ten years old.   the female will spawn several times during the season (May to September) releasing as many as 100,000 to one million eggs in lagoons, estuaries of coastal bays between dusk and dawn. The shallow grassy areas will provide cover for the eggs and larvae from predators.

The male speckled trout gather in huge numbers from hundreds to thousands and each male vibrates his air bladder creating a croaking sound. When the group makes a collected sound like that of drums or a great roar it attracts the adult females that are ready to spawn. This ritual takes place in good tidal flowing current such as channels or passes. The saline of 17-35 parts per thousand (ocean water is 45 parts per thousand) at a start temperature of approximately 68°F. Peak spawning takes place when the water temperature is between 77°F and 86°F. The water will be as shallow as six feet or as deep as 165 feet when the spawning begins at sunset and is usually over by midnight on or near a full moon. Interestingly enough the female may spawn ever week or two during April through September.

Table food?    Trout have an excellent texture and flavor. Clean and ice your fish immediately upon catching and you will have quality tasting fish when cooked. Remember the spaghetti worms are actually larval stages of tapeworms that only reach maturity in shark and are harmless and will die in the tummy of man if accidentally eaten in this stage.

Consumption Concerns:    Consumption advisory due to PCBs and mercury

Feeding habits:    Newly hatched spotted seatrout feed mainly on copepods. The small sea trout eat shrimp whereas the large speckled trout prefer small fish.

Remarks:    Some of the speckled trout will have worms dug into the flesh along the backbone. The worms at this stage in the sea trout is easily removed and although disgusting to look at, are actually non-harmful to humans. It is these worms that will grow in the belly of the predator and are commonly known as "tape worms".

Other parasites affecting the speckled seatrout include copepods, isopods, flatworms andprotozoans.

Due to commercial over-fishing and the destruction of sea grass, the Spotted sea trout the states of Texas and Alabama have regulated fishing of this species to recreational anglers only.

Male speckled trout have less than half the life span of the female which is 12 years and weigh less than the five pounds.

References:
http://www.txfishing.net
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us
http://ezinearticles.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.thejump.net
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu

Speckled Trout Cynoscion nebulosus "AKA Spotted Sea Trout, Specks and Yellow-Mouth "

Speckled Trout
Cynoscion nebulosus
"AKA Spotted Sea Trout, Specks and Yellow-Mouth "