Species guide · Texas
Spotted seatrout fishing in Texas
Cynoscion nebulosus, an inshore species also called speckled trout, specks and specs. Listed for the Western Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 1 more week.
Right now it scores best in Galveston Bay at 56, one of 9 Texas bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Western Gulf
Shoulder season, about 1 more week- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Peak season
- Nov: Peak season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Mar to May, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.
Research notes, Western Gulf region
Year-round residents. Texas trophy fish come in late winter and spring on wade flats; summer numbers are good at jetties, barrier island surf and under lights. Louisiana marsh lakes and bayous fill with trout in fall. Cold snaps push fish into deep channels and bayous.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 9
Texas bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's spotted seatrout score this hour.
Best window today 5-11 PM (63) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 7 PM (67) · 97 named spots
Best window today 5-10 PM (61) · Best day Tue, Sep 29 at 7 PM (66) · 61 named spots
Best window today 5-11 PM (61) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 6 PM (65) · 54 named spots
Best window today 5-11 PM (61) · Best day Sun, Sep 27 at 6 PM (65) · 51 named spots
Best window today 5-11 PM (58) · Best day Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM (65) · 37 named spots
Best window today 6-11 AM (56) · Best day Sun, Oct 4 at 6 PM (67) · 8 named spots
Best window today 6-11 PM (56) · Best day Sat, Oct 3 at 7 PM (63) · 14 named spots
Best window today 8-11 AM (56) · Best day Sun, Oct 4 at 7 PM (64) · 2 named spots
Best window today 7-11 AM (48) · Best day Sun, Oct 4 at 8 PM (60) · 5 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 50°F to 86°F, best between 62°F and 78°F.
- Water depth
- 1 to 20 ft of water.
- Structure
- Grass, flat, channel, oyster, marsh, jetty and pier, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers incoming tide and outgoing tide, with moderate current.Georgia DNR biologists find trout along the grass line over oyster beds on higher tides and waiting at creek runoffs on the falling tide. Virginia fishermen report the best fishing at dusk drifting grass beds on a flood tide. Slack water is usually slow.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
- Pressure
- Tends to feed as pressure falls ahead of weather.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 2 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
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.
- Methods
- popping cork, drifting, wade fishing, topwater, jigging, fly fishing
- Lures
- soft plastic paddle tail, soft plastic shrimp, curly tail grub on jighead, walk-the-dog topwater, suspending twitchbait, spoon, baitfish fly
- Bait
- live shrimp, mud minnow, finger mullet, pinfish, pigfish, croaker
Regulations
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Synced with TPWD Sep 21, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.
3 per day · 6 in possession · Slot 15 to 20 in, total length. Release seatrout over 20 inches, except one fish over 28 inches per license year with the Spotted Seatrout Tag, plus one more with a Bonus Spotted Seatrout Tag.
Season: No closed season on file
Tagged seatrout over 28 inches do not count toward the daily bag or possession limit. Attach the tag right away, or report a digital tag in the Texas Hunt & Fish app. The possession limit is double the daily bag and does not count fish stored at your residence. While fishing, you may not hold more than the daily bag.
TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual, Seatrout Bag & Length Limits · verified Sep 13, 2026