UTER
Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Cynoscion arenarius
How to catch Sand seatrout
Sand seatrout feed in 58–88°F water and bite best at 66–82°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 8 waters; in October they are at their peak in The Lower Texas Coast.
8 pts · trophy at 16"Feeds 58–88°FBest 66–82°FIn season nowChannel edgePass / inletBridgeGrass flat
About
The spotted seatrout's plain cousin, in the deeper channels and passes of the Gulf bays, in schools that fill a cooler. The silver seatrout is its smaller Atlantic-side twin.
How to fish it
Drift the channels and the deeper holes with a shrimp-tipped jig on the bottom; when you find one there are fifty.
What it eats
live shrimpsmall jigscut bait
Live bait for it
Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.What to fish it with
the sizes that fish itLeader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
Hook#1–4/0
Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
Braid10–30 lb
The rule
not confirmed hereNo size limit; a bag limit applies — confirm at MyFWC.
The current rule →Where it is, month by month
PPeakSSpawningAArriving·AroundLLeaving
Gulf of Mexico