Before a fishing trip, anglers should be sure to check regulations on bag, possession and size limits. Regulations are based on current information about the fish population and may change often. Spotted seatrout are opportunistic carnivores whose feeding habits vary with size. Small trout feed primarily on small crustaceans. Medium-size trout feed on shrimp and small fish.
Large fish feed almost exclusively on other fish such as mullet, pinfish, pigfish and menhaden.
This preference for large fish makes large trout difficult to catch. Large trout do not feed often and few anglers like to use 12-inch live mullet for bait. Spotted seatrout are generally nonmigratory with little inter-bay movement, and most movement seems to be in response to water temperature and spawning. They are most common in the shallow bays during spring and summer. As water temperatures decline during fall, fish move into deeper bay waters and the Gulf of Mexico.