Speckled Trout Fishing Charters

Despite the name, a speckled trout is not a trout at all but a member of the drum family, the same group as the redfish. Floridians call it a seatrout or simply a trout. It feeds over seagrass beds, oyster bars and the edges of channels in shallow bays, often in water no deeper than your waist, and drops into deeper holes when the water turns cold. Most are a pound or two and they travel in groups, so where one bites there are usually more. Light spinning rods with a soft plastic, or a live shrimp under a popping cork, are the usual way to catch them, which makes speckled trout one of the best fish for children and first timers.

Three bay boats on Florida's Gulf coast

All three of our speckled trout boats fish the shallow bays of west Florida. All 4 Chuck Fishing Charters is Capt. Al Harrington's 26 foot bay boat out of Cape Coral, fishing Matlacha Pass and Pine Island Sound for trout, redfish, snook and sheepshead, with tackle, live bait and licences included. Floridaze Fishing Charters runs a 22 foot bay boat from Bokeelia at the north end of Pine Island, with an afternoon trip as well as morning departures. Deep Color Fishing is Capt. Hank's boat on Tampa Bay and Boca Ciega Bay, out of Madeira Beach and John's Pass, fishing light tackle for trout alongside snapper, snook and pompano.

Trout are rarely the only target on these trips. The same flats and mangrove edges hold snook, redfish and sheepshead, so a morning often mixes several species. Our page on flats fishing explains how the shallow water side of it works. Florida sets size and bag limits for speckled trout by region, so ask the captain what you may keep on your date.