Salt-Water Trout (Spotted Weakfish)

There is not a more abundant species in local or nearby waters than the Spotted Weakfish-Salt Water Trout, Sea Trout or Spotted Trout as they are more properly and familiarly known hereabouts. However, they should not be confused with Common Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), a more prevalent species in northern waters, and at times is taken on the sand bottom of the ocean or on the "banks" or reefs in the ocean adjacent to our shores.

Spotted Trout feed on minnows, shrimp, small crabs, menhaden or mullet and are distributed throughout the length of the Atlantic seaboard, and provide much pleasure and sport for local fishermen for they are taken in large numbers at various seasons of the year at many localities-surf, inlet, river, cuts, lagoons, off bridges, etc. They are also called Sea Trout, Silver Trout, Southern Sea Trout, Spotted Sea Trout, Trout.

These fish take both under-water and top-water artificial baits, both bait casting and trolling. Most popular live bait is shrimp, but they also take small fish such as menhaden, mullet and redpoints (ballyhoo).