Spotted seatrout are a member of the drum family. May. In the fall when the water temperatures drop, they leave the Bay for warmer waters off the coast of North Carolina. The fish spawn from April to September at the mouth of the Bay. Spawning takes place at night and the fish constantly jump and mill around. A croaking sound is made by the males during spawning and can be heard one to two hours before sunset.
Female fish produce an average of five to six hundred thousand eggs.
Male spotted seatrout mature at 2 years of age, while females mature at 3. Females at maturity are usually larger than the males. Spotted seatrout can live up to 10 years and weigh up to 16 pounds. The spotted seatrout is a voracious predator that feeds on a number of animals during the morning hours. They like to eat shrimp, crabs and fish such as menhaden, Atlantic croaker, spot, anchovies and silversides.