Skip to main content

Targeting Trophy Seatrout

Grow up, change habits and target trophy seatrout.

Seatrout respond well to topwater baits this time of year, especially early in the morning.


There's a point in a spotted seatrout's life when it reaches about 17 inches and like most teenagers, it gets an attitude. It goes from a fish that can be waterskied back to the boat on light tackle to one that will take drag.

Even more noticeable is its change in diet. From eating about 80 percent shrimp and 20 percent finfish, it does a total flipflop to 80 percent finfish and 20 percent shrimp. It's at that point in its life that a seatrout becomes mature. The numerous dark spots across a field of purple and black start to fade to brown, as the fish leaves the safety of the dense grass and begins hunting sandy potholes, oyster bars, mangrove shorelines and sand cuts. The fish is less concerned about comfort and safety, and more oriented toward finding its next meal.

To catch a trophy-size seatrout, what can we learn from this knowledge?



1. Feed them what they want. Live pinfish, pilchards, mullet and pigfish are major sources of protein for spawning-size trout. Topwater lures, swimming plugs and soft-plastics in larger sizes can be excellent producers, particularly during bait runs like the fall and spring pushes of mullet. Shrimp—though only 20 percent of their diet—are nevertheless important, particularly during the winter and spring

2. Right-size or even up-size your lures. Match the size of the forage in the area, whether that's a 10-inch mullet, a palmsized pinfish or a 3-inch pilchard. Trophy seatrout will eat surprisingly large baitfish, even cannibalizing members of their own species (occasionally you'll find one floating, after choking to death on a meal!). Don't be afraid to throw a 7- or 8-inch jerkbait, swimbait or topwater plug. Some days, the larger topwaters—such as the Heddon Super Spook, Yo-Zuri Pencil or Rapala X-Rap Walk 13—outproduce smaller baits.

3. Fish the edges. As juveniles, seatrout prefer dense mats of seagrass, where they may forage in relative security. Given that one of the greatest predators of juvenile seatrout is adult seatrout, most of the grassbed schools are made up of like-size individuals. In the dense grass, their dark backs and numerous spots help camouflage the youngsters. Larger trout lie on the sand or mud waiting for prey to move into the open. Look for them in sandy potholes, edges of sandbars and drop-offs, on oyster bars and shallow sandy bottom where mullet and other baitfish gather.

4. Methodically cover water. Seatrout are lunging/grasping predators, which means they dart short distances to grab their prey, catching them with their pronounced front teeth before turning the fish headfirst and swallowing it whole. They aren't likely to run far for a lure—not like jacks, blues and other strafing feeders. You'll have best luck making long, accurate casts. That holds whether you're prospecting a likely area or delivering a lure to a fish you've spotted.

5. Fish sunrise and sunset. From an early age, trout learn they're most effective at catching food in low light conditions. Adults retain that tendency. Fish when they are most actively feeding. Don't overlook night, either, as the fish feed heavily on the edges of dock lights or in the light of the moon. FS

First Published Florida Sportsman April 2013




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

Hyper-Versatile K-Craft Paddle & Powerskiff!

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

Cover Up With Sun-Protective Clothing

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

Inflation We Can Live With! Mustang Convertible PFD

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

Converting and Re-Arming Mustang Inflatable A/M PFD

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

YakAttack Rod Management Systems Set the Bar for Kayak Anglers

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

YakAttack Kayak Carts Will Get You There

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

YakAttack Tackle Storage Just Got WAY BETTER

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Videos

Take Gear and Tackle Storage to NEW HEIGHTS with Outdoor Crates

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Gear

‘Magnetic Tethered' Kayak Rods

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Gear

Plano Soft Sided Tackle Bags

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Gear

NuCanoe Unlimited U10

Hardy unveils the Averon series of premium-grade freshwater fly reels. Learn about counter-weighting options for Euro-ny...
Gear

What's New in Fly Reels: Hardy

Florida Sportsman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

Preview This Month's Issue

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Florida Sportsman App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Florida Sportsman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Florida Sportsman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Florida Sportsman stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use