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Spotted seatroutRetention openBar · Florida
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
28.32°N · 80.55°W · Bar · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm
Species here · tap to switch
- Best of all
- King mackerel75
- Gray snapper74
- Atlantic croaker72
- Atlantic tarpon70
- Gray triggerfish70
- Summer flounder70
- Crevalle jack69
- Red snapper69
- Black sea bass68
- Red grouper68
- Common snook66
- Red drum65
- Spanish mackerel65
- Spot64
- Black drum63
- Greater amberjack63
- Sheepshead61
- Florida pompano60
- Little tunny59
- Southern flounder59
- Cobia57
- Weakfish54
- Spotted seatrout53
- Mahi-mahi52
- Wahoo51
- Bluefish35
- Sailfish35
- Yellowfin tuna35
- Gag grouper20
Best score today · 8 PM · Spotted seatrout
- Now
- 533 PM EDT
- Best window
- 3 PM-12 AMEbb tide
- Tide now
- Flooding2.5 ft ▲
Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine
Notify me when Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef scores 75+
Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.
14-day forecast
Best days to fish
24-hour conditions · rolling from now
Conditions · 3 PM · now
Tide & current
NOAA CO-OPS + Open-Meteo Marine
78Tide: FloodingCurrent: 0.2 knWind & pressure
ECMWF
64Wind: 7 kt NEPressure: SteadyWater temp & sky
NDBC + Open-Meteo Marine
61Water temp: 83°F, warmLight: OvercastSolunar: Between periodsSeas: 0.9 ftSeason & habitat · Spotted seatrout
Species seasonality
56Season: PeakHabitat: Poor fitDepth: Out of rangeRegulations: Retention open
Current regulations
What you can keep here today
Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)
Spotted seatrout
Retention open- Daily limit
- 2 per day
- Possession
- Not published
- Size
- Slot 15 to 19 in, total length. May not possess fish larger than 19 inches total length.
- Season
- No closed season on file
- Annual quota
- Not published
- Changes
- Closed from Nov 1
- Other
- Must stay whole until landed ashore. For-hire captain and crew may not keep a bag limit. Hook and line or cast net only. No multiple hooks with natural bait. No snatching. Open January 1 through October 31. Closed November 1 through December 31. Regional rules apply in inland, state and adjacent federal waters. New regional rules took effect April 1, 2026.
From FWC Recreational Regulations: Spotted Seatrout, read Sep 13
Other species here
- Atlantic croaker Retention open (50 per day)
- Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
- Bluefish Retention open (3 per day)
- Bonefish Catch & release (No retention)
- Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
- Crevalle jack Retention open
- Florida pompano Retention open (6 per day)
- Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
- Gray snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
- Gray triggerfish Retention open (10 per day)
- Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
- King mackerel Retention open (2 per day)
- Mahi-mahi Retention open (5 per day)
- Permit Retention open (2 per day)
- Red drum Catch & release (No retention)
- Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined))
- Red snapper Check regulations
- Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
- Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
- Snook Retention open (1 per day)
- Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
- Spot Retention open (50 per day)
- Summer flounder Retention open (5 per day)
- Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
- Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Source: FWC · synced today
Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed
When Spotted seatrout is best here
Peak season for Spotted seatrout · 9 more weeks at peak
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Off
- This week
Spot profile
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
- Depth
- 40-45 ftFlat bottom
- Structure
- Reef · Outer · ExposedReef · flat bottom
- Season
- Peak seasonSpotted seatrout
NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.
About this spot
Fishing Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef
Walter L Hudson, Junior Artificial Reef is a bar in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth is 40-45 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads reef, outer water and exposed.
Waterlands scores 29 species here; the best right now are king mackerel, gray snapper and Atlantic croaker. It is peak season now for king mackerel, gray snapper, Atlantic croaker and Atlantic tarpon, and shoulder season for gray triggerfish, red snapper, black sea bass and red grouper. King mackerel peak in May and from September through October. Gray snapper peak from June through September. Atlantic croaker peak from August through October.
Tackle & technique
- Spotted seatrout
- Trout hold over grass beds and sandy potholes in 2 to 8 feet of water most of the year and slide into channels, deep creek bends and canals during cold snaps. A live shrimp under a slip or popping cork, a paddle tail on a light jighead, or a topwater walked at first light covers most situations. Keep the drag light because their mouths tear easily.
- King mackerel
- Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
- Gray snapper
- Mangrove snapper hold tight to mangrove roots, bridge pilings, jetties and reef ledges, from a few feet deep inshore to 150 feet offshore. Chum to pull them out of cover, then freeline or lightly weight a live shrimp or pilchard on fluorocarbon leader, since they shy away from heavy line in clear water. The bite improves at dusk and after dark.
Nearby spots
Other spots within an easy run
- Shortys Pocket78
Bay · 4.1 mi
Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season- Atlantic croaker 78
- Spot 76
- Crevalle jack 75
7 kt NEH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ftL 12:26 AM · 1.0 ft
- Sprig Point76
Cape · 4.7 mi
Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season- Atlantic tarpon 76
- Red drum 75
- Common snook 74
7 kt NEH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ftL 12:26 AM · 1.0 ft
- Shortys Banks74
Bar · 4.6 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 74
- Atlantic croaker 72
- King mackerel 70
7 kt NEH 6:09 PM · 4.1 ftL 12:26 AM · 1.0 ft
- Shell Point74
Cape · 5.0 mi
Top: Common snookPeak season- Common snook 74
- Atlantic croaker 72
- King mackerel 70
7 kt NEH 6:12 PM · 4.0 ftL 12:25 AM · 0.9 ft
Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with FWC before you keep a fish.
