Fish Identification Photos: Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus: The Spotted Seatrout has a silvery colored elongated body with the dorsal surface being darker gray tinged with blue. It has many black spots scattered above the lateral line that extend into the caudal and second dorsal fins. The fins are pale to yellowish.

The Spotted Seatrout has a concave head profile with a large oblique mouth that has a projecting lower jaw. The inside of the mouth is orange with a pair of canine teeth at the front.

The Spotted Seatrout reaches a maximum length of 3.3 feet and up to 17 pounds in weight. It is found in shallow, vegetated, brackish and marine waters within the first 30 feet of the water column with water temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees. It moves to deeper water to escape colder or warmer temperatures.

The Spotted Sea Trout is only found in waters of the Atlantic Ocean and ranges from Massachusetts to Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It consumes shrimp and small fishes and in turn is preyed upon by larger fishes and birds, especially osprey.

It might be confused with the Weakfish or Gray Seatrout, Cynoscion regalis (which lacks the black spots). The Spotted Seatrout is a major commercial and game fish in the states adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. To address the significant decline in the catch rates, in 1995 the State of Florida enacted major conservation programs which included the ban of gill netting by commercial fishermen and daily catch and size limits as well as seasonal bans placed on recreational fishermen.

The Spotted Seatrout is a member of the Sciaenidae family which includes the croakers or drums which are known in Mexico as corvina and berrugates.

Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus: Caught by Keith Horning, February 2007, at Cancun, Mexico, during an inshore fishing trip with guide Rodman Hunter. Photo courtesy of Keith Horning.