How long does a speckled trout have to be

Speckled trout tend to live in or near the same bay system all their lives. In , Louisiana researchers tagged over 2, specks. Of the 30 returns that they got, 20 came from the tag and release site. Texas research results were similar. The longest distance traveled by any tagged speckled trout before recovery was miles. Of trout tagged in the Texas Gulf surf, 12 were recovered in the Gulf and 2 in Texas bays. Other states show similar research results. Multiple studies in Florida showed that speckled trout seldom move over 30 miles and that most fish never left the estuary, although one fish tagged in the Apalachicola, Florida area was recovered miles away near Grand Isle, Louisiana.

Spotted seatrout do move seasonally within a bay system, however. During the pre-spawning period of February to early April, speckled trout are scattered throughout the system. By spawning season, May to September, almost all the fish large enough to spawn are concentrated in the higher salinity waters of the lower bays. In October, with the onset of cool fronts, spotted seatrout retreat inland into lower salinity estuaries, where they typically remain well into January or February.

During spawning season, males form drumming aggregations which can number in the hundreds or even thousands of fish. Sarasota Bay through Gordon Pass in Collier County: Spotted seatrout harvest has resumed with a six-fish recreational vessel limit. Commercial harvesters are also held to the recreational three-fish bag and six-fish vessel limits. Spotted Seatrout Management Regions. State and federal waters off Florida Western Panhandle: Escambia County through t he portions of Gulf County west of longitude 85 degrees, Central East: Palm Beach through Volusia counties.

Northeast: Flagler through Nassau counties. Speckled trout spawn from April through October and are prolific producers. These regulatory adjustments are intended to help the species rebound in a region hit particularly hard by the freeze. TPWD estimated 3. Most of the fish killed by the freeze, 91 percent, are considered bait fish; silver perch, anchovies, mullet, hardheads, etc. The speckled trout mortalities are part of the remainder, an estimated thousand recreationally important fish that includes black and red drum, sand trout, sheepshead and gray snapper.

The Lower Coast suffered the most. By contrast, Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake had less than one percent each and Matagorda had two percent. See the list of weigh stations. Apply for a release citation online. Persons engaged in recreational fishing in North Carolina coastal waters are required to possess a Coastal Recreational Fishing License in accordance with G.

Current Proclamations. Recreational Size and Bag Limits. Download the Fish Rules mobile app. How can we make this page better for you? Spotted Seatrout.