(aka Speckled Trout, Specks)
You never forget your first one. I certainly didn’t when a client pulled that trophy spotted seatrout aboard my boat. The fat-bellied gator pushed eight pounds, and hit a rubber shrimp imitation fished on a light jighead among the grass flats just north of Ewell, the tiny Smith Island fishing village. It wasn’t the fish’s slivery flanks and gorgeous rounded spots, which give this drum its moniker, that initially caught my eye; it was the two teeth protruding from its upper jaw, almost the size of a tiny cat’s fangs, or so it seemed.
Within the past decade, more Chesapeake anglers are going after them, as they discover the joys of shallow water fishing. Several years back an increasing number of fishermen felt Maryland’s regulations weren’t adequate to protect specks. Led by the fishing conservation group Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Maryland, the sport fishing community worked with the state’s Department of Natural Resources to reduce the recreational limit from 10 to four fish. Virginia, which has a larger population of spotted seatrout, allows for five fish per person per day at a minimum size of 14 inches, though only one fish can be greater than 24 inches.
And perhaps more importantly, Maryland capped a previously unlimited commercial catch—one with no size minimum, gear restrictions, or season limits—to a 125-pound daily harvest. It is highly probable that, since speckled trout like many drums are a schooling species, they’re fairly easy to net, making them prone to being locally “fished-out.” CCA MD also saw an opportunity to celebrate specks while also bringing more angler awareness to the redfish fishery. So they started the “Huk Red-Trout Tournament” that runs each September out of Crisfield, MD, attracting hundreds of people and boosting the local economy.
Captain Walt of Light Tackle Charters probably sees more speckled trout than any other Maryland guide, save perhaps Kevin Josenhans (See Top Hook page 70). He thinks while changing the daily limit definitely helped, he’d like to see perhaps a two-fish per person creel with a bump in the minimum size to 16 inches, with only one fish over 20 inches allowed.
“I think it would help specks if (we) left the biggest spawning fish in the water. I always encourage my clients to take no more than two fish per person. None have ever complained about that, and many are happy to release all specks,” he said. He says he’d like to see industrialized menhaden operations cease in the Chesapeake altogether, because he thinks spotted seatrout would get bigger and healthier if more menhaden were available. Captain Walt adds that Virginia should consider allowing a limited recreational summer striper season. Why? Maybe more people would be inclined to release all specks caught.
Captain Walt helps the Virginia Institute of Marine Science with its spotted seatrout genetics study by taking a very small sample of its dorsal fin and recording the fish’s length, location caught, health, lure or bait, and whether it was released or kept. VIMS is trying to determine if the strains of specks in North Carolina are the same as the strains in Maryland, and even dialing it down more to see if Eastern Shore specks are different (or the same) as those caught on the Bay’s lower western shore.
According to Captain Chris Newsome, another top guide who fishes out of Gloucester, VA, on the western side, there are two key aspects to consider when it comes to a highly-prized sportfish such as speckled trout—increasing carrying capacity and conservative management.
He points out that, sadly, much of the Bay’s key shallow water habitat—oyster reefs and eel grass—have declined significantly, especially oysters. His suggestion is not just to build more three-dimensional oyster reefs, but to also place them in shallow water where these reefs will provide the most benefit as nursery habitat for a variety of marine life, including speckled trout. Captain Newsome and many others also support increasing the frequency of the North Carolina stock assessment. More data available to managers usually means a more effective plan for species such as speckled trout.
“Managers are often left to make assumptions off old data since specks are short-lived and prone to variable natural mortality due to extreme cold periods,” Newsome adds. “With a species such as speckled trout, managers need to take a conservative management approach. This means managing much closer to theoretical carrying capacity than maximum sustainable yield.”
Captain Newsome voices the concerns of many when he says those who wantonly poach should face stiffer penalties, and managers should look at reducing or ending wasteful practices like haul seining and shallow water gill netting.
After many conversations with sport fishermen and fishery experts, it’s clear to me spotted seatrout are held in such high regard that we should be doing everything possible to enhance this special fish’s abundance.
Spotted Seatrout
Family ties: Drum family, cousin to spot, croakers, black and red drums, and kingfish.
Appearance: Silvery belly, dark, grayish-green back, iridescent sides; black, roundish spots scattered across its back and dorsal fin to its tail. Two canine teeth in upper jaw.
Where they live: Shallow, grass flats and sandy bottom; also around structures. Most common in the lower Bay, but range as far north as Annapolis.
What they eat: Small fish (minnows, anchovies), crabs, peanut bunker (juvenile).
How they live: Females spawn nine to 60 times, releasing three to 20 million eggs during a single season. Form schools at six to eight weeks, mature at two to four years old, lifespan 15-18 years.
World record: 17 pounds, 7 ounces.
Maryland record: 16 lbs., 6 oz.
Virginia record: 16 lbs.
by Capt. Chris D. Dollar
Monday, September 12, 2016 - 10:12
(aka Speckled Trout, Specks)
You never forget your first one. I certainly didn’t when a client pulled that trophy spotted seatrout aboard my boat. The fat-bellied gator pushed eight pounds, and hit a rubber shrimp imitation fished on a light jighead among the grass flats just north of Ewell, the tiny Smith Island fishing village. It wasn’t the fish’s slivery flanks and gorgeous rounded spots, which give this drum its moniker, that initially caught my eye; it was the two teeth protruding from its upper jaw, almost the size of a tiny cat’s fangs, or so it seemed.
Within the past decade, more Chesapeake anglers are going after them, as they discover the joys of shallow water fishing. Several years back an increasing number of fishermen felt Maryland’s regulations weren’t adequate to protect specks. Led by the fishing conservation group Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Maryland, the sport fishing community worked with the state’s Department of Natural Resources to reduce the recreational limit from 10 to four fish. Virginia, which has a larger population of spotted seatrout, allows for five fish per person per day at a minimum size of 14 inches, though only one fish can be greater than 24 inches.
And perhaps more importantly, Maryland capped a previously unlimited commercial catch—one with no size minimum, gear restrictions, or season limits—to a 125-pound daily harvest. It is highly probable that, since speckled trout like many drums are a schooling species, they’re fairly easy to net, making them prone to being locally “fished-out.” CCA MD also saw an opportunity to celebrate specks while also bringing more angler awareness to the redfish fishery. So they started the “Huk Red-Trout Tournament” that runs each September out of Crisfield, MD, attracting hundreds of people and boosting the local economy.
Captain Walt of Light Tackle Charters probably sees more speckled trout than any other Maryland guide, save perhaps Kevin Josenhans (See Top Hook page 70). He thinks while changing the daily limit definitely helped, he’d like to see perhaps a two-fish per person creel with a bump in the minimum size to 16 inches, with only one fish over 20 inches allowed.
“I think it would help specks if (we) left the biggest spawning fish in the water. I always encourage my clients to take no more than two fish per person. None have ever complained about that, and many are happy to release all specks,” he said. He says he’d like to see industrialized menhaden operations cease in the Chesapeake altogether, because he thinks spotted seatrout would get bigger and healthier if more menhaden were available. Captain Walt adds that Virginia should consider allowing a limited recreational summer striper season. Why? Maybe more people would be inclined to release all specks caught.
Captain Walt helps the Virginia Institute of Marine Science with its spotted seatrout genetics study by taking a very small sample of its dorsal fin and recording the fish’s length, location caught, health, lure or bait, and whether it was released or kept. VIMS is trying to determine if the strains of specks in North Carolina are the same as the strains in Maryland, and even dialing it down more to see if Eastern Shore specks are different (or the same) as those caught on the Bay’s lower western shore.
According to Captain Chris Newsome, another top guide who fishes out of Gloucester, VA, on the western side, there are two key aspects to consider when it comes to a highly-prized sportfish such as speckled trout—increasing carrying capacity and conservative management.
He points out that, sadly, much of the Bay’s key shallow water habitat—oyster reefs and eel grass—have declined significantly, especially oysters. His suggestion is not just to build more three-dimensional oyster reefs, but to also place them in shallow water where these reefs will provide the most benefit as nursery habitat for a variety of marine life, including speckled trout. Captain Newsome and many others also support increasing the frequency of the North Carolina stock assessment. More data available to managers usually means a more effective plan for species such as speckled trout.
“Managers are often left to make assumptions off old data since specks are short-lived and prone to variable natural mortality due to extreme cold periods,” Newsome adds. “With a species such as speckled trout, managers need to take a conservative management approach. This means managing much closer to theoretical carrying capacity than maximum sustainable yield.”
Captain Newsome voices the concerns of many when he says those who wantonly poach should face stiffer penalties, and managers should look at reducing or ending wasteful practices like haul seining and shallow water gill netting.
After many conversations with sport fishermen and fishery experts, it’s clear to me spotted seatrout are held in such high regard that we should be doing everything possible to enhance this special fish’s abundance.
Spotted Seatrout
Family ties: Drum family, cousin to spot, croakers, black and red drums, and kingfish.
Appearance: Silvery belly, dark, grayish-green back, iridescent sides; black, roundish spots scattered across its back and dorsal fin to its tail. Two canine teeth in upper jaw.
Where they live: Shallow, grass flats and sandy bottom; also around structures. Most common in the lower Bay, but range as far north as Annapolis.
What they eat: Small fish (minnows, anchovies), crabs, peanut bunker (juvenile).
How they live: Females spawn nine to 60 times, releasing three to 20 million eggs during a single season. Form schools at six to eight weeks, mature at two to four years old, lifespan 15-18 years.
World record: 17 pounds, 7 ounces.
Maryland record: 16 lbs., 6 oz.
Virginia record: 16 lbs.
by Capt. Chris D. Dollar