Trout fishing in Florida: speckled trout charters
Sight fish for spotted seatrout on Florida’s grass flats and lagoons with local inshore captains.
In Florida, trout fishing means spotted seatrout: a beautiful, hard-hitting inshore fish found on grass flats from the Panhandle to the Indian River Lagoon. Here’s when and how to catch them and where to book.
What is trout fishing in Florida?
Trout fishing in Florida means fishing for spotted seatrout, also called speckled trout: a saltwater inshore fish caught on grass flats, lagoons and oyster bars all around the state. They bite year-round, eat live shrimp and lures, and are perfect for beginners and families. Big “gator” trout are a trophy in Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon.
Cynoscion nebulosusMeet the spotted seatrout
Also called: Speckled trout, specks, trout, gator trout (big ones)
- Typical size
- 14–20 in and 1–4 lb; gator trout over 5 lb
- World record
- 17 lb 7 oz (IGFA all-tackle, Fort Pierce, Florida, 1995)
- Where it lives
- Grass flats, lagoons, oyster bars, channels and deeper holes in winter
- How to spot it
- Silver-gray with black spots on the back and tail, yellow mouth and two prominent canine teeth
- What it eats
- Shrimp, pilchards, pinfish, mullet and small crabs
- Can you keep it?
- Within the slot and bag limits for your region (FWC seatrout rules)
Trout have soft mouths, so a steady, gentle fight lands more fish than a hard hookset.
Speckled trout vs redfish
Florida’s two favorite flats fish:
| Speckled trout | Redfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Grass flats, potholes, channels | Shallow flats, oyster bars, mangroves |
| Typical size | 1–4 lb | 3–8 lb slot reds |
| Best bait | Shrimp under a popping cork | Shrimp, cut mullet, crabs |
| Fight | Head shakes, soft mouth | Strong runs |
| Eating | Mild, flaky | Mild, firm |
Trout fishing charters
Inshore trips where speckled trout are a main target:
How to catch speckled trout
Tips from our inshore captains:
Find the grass
Trout live on grass flats in 2–6 ft of water. Look for sandy potholes and edges where bait gathers.
Popping cork
A live shrimp under a popping cork is the classic way to catch a limit. Pop the cork every few seconds to call fish in.
Lures
Soft plastic jigs, topwater plugs at dawn and suspending twitchbaits catch the biggest trout.
Go gentle
Trout have soft mouths; keep steady pressure and use a landing net.
Rules
Slot sizes and bag limits differ by region: FWC seatrout rules.
Bring
Sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, a hat and drinks. Tackle, bait and the license are included.
Best places to go trout fishing in Florida
Pick a town (lowest inshore trip price on its page, or call to book):
Nature Coast & Big Bend
Tampa Bay & Southwest
Fish you catch on a trout trip
Trout share the flats with:
Seasons, size and bag limits apply: see the FWC saltwater fishing regulations.
Trout fishing by season
Winter Dec–Feb
- Deep holes, canals and rivers
- Slow-moving jigs
- Big gator trout
Spring Mar–May
- Back on the flats
- Topwater mornings
- Prime time
Summer Jun–Aug
- Early and late in the day
- Deeper grass edges
- Night bites
Fall Sep–Nov
- Flats fire up again
- Mullet run
- Prime time
What guests say about our inshore trips
5.011 reviews
Capt Brad was great for both of our fishing trips. He took great care to make my husbands birthday fishing experience amazing and taught me how to use a bait caster. His boat was immaculate and most importantly, he put us on fish.
Ashley Eubanks · April 2026 · Google
Enjoyed the adventure
I opted to fish Rodman Reservoir during the drawdown. Captain Chris was very accomodating and a pleasure to spend 6 hours with. His boat and equipment are set up for fishing this type of lake. The weather was ideal for fishing; mostly cloudy, the west wind, warming temperatures. The water…
MIEKE D · March 2020
Enjoyed the adventure
I opted to fish Rodman Reservoir during the drawdown. Captain Chris was very accomodating and a pleasure to spend 6 hours with. His boat and equipment are setup for fishing this type of lake. The weather was ideal for fishing; mostly cloudy, west wind, warming temperatures. The water temperature…
MIEKE D · March 2020
Enjoyed the adventure
I opted to fish Rodman Reservoir during the drawdown. Captain Chris was very accomodating and a pleasure to spend 6 hours with. His boat and equipment are setup for fishing this type of lake. The weather was ideal for fishing; mostly cloudy, west wind, warming temperatures. The water temperature…
MIEKE D · March 2020 · TripAdvisor
Great trip
Fished with Captain Chris for largemouth bass. He is a really good dude and knew right where to put us on the fish. I would recommend him to anyone looking to get ahold of some big fish!
Russell Tolen · January 2020
Go fish with Cat. Nick Pasquarello!
My buddy Mike and I wanted a chance to catch a trophy largemouth as well as our first peacock bass. Capt. Nick wasted no time in putting us on both. We had a great time, caught lots of fish and enjoyed Cat. Nick's company. On my next visit, I will use Capt. Nick Pasquarello again!
FarAway58566891706 · May 2019
Go fish with Cat. Nick Pasquarello!
My buddy Mike and I wanted a chance to catch a trophy largemouth as well as our first peacock bass. Capt. Nick wasted no time in putting us on both. We had a great time, caught lots of fish, and enjoyed Cat. Nick's company. On my next visit, I will use Capt. Nick Pasquarello again!
FarAway58 · May 2019
Bass Fishing
Our trip was Great. We had a very good time and landed some very nice fish. Captain Chris Davy was an awesome guide and Capt. Ken Walker was a life saver. These guys are awesome.
byekeys · February 2019
Loved fishing
I have to say, this was one of the most professional organizations I have experienced. Booking was easy and customer support answered all my questions. Even when I remembered them and called back hours later! :) What was recommended was an afternoon trip with Capt Brad. I chose the 6 hour trip…
Tim S · January 2019
Best Birthday Gift Ever !!!
I booked this trip for my Dad's Birthday he loves to fish but rarely catches anything. We went with Capt Brad Kayholm and he delivered an awesome trip he was on time ,very friendly ,knowledgeable and put us on the fish !!! I would definitely recommend booking a trip with him!!!
flhomesbyrich · October 2018
Best Birthday Gift Ever !!!
I booked this trip for my Dad's Birthday he loves to fish but rarely catches anything. We went with Capt Brad Kayholm and he delivered an awesome trip he was on time ,very friendly ,knowledgeable and put us on the fish !!! I would definitely recommend booking a trip with him!!!
flhomesbyrich · October 2018 · TripAdvisor
Book a trout fishing charter
Pick a town and date, or let us match you with a captain.
Not sure where to go? Call or text and we’ll help.
Saltwater license covered by the captain on saltwater trips. Free cancellation up to 72 hours before. Full refund or free reschedule if the captain cancels for weather. Questions? Call (407) 392-4593, 9 am – 6 pm.
Trout fishing FAQ
What is trout fishing in Florida?
In Florida, “trout” almost always means spotted seatrout (speckled trout), a saltwater inshore fish caught on grass flats, in lagoons and around oyster bars. Florida has no wild freshwater trout like rainbow or brown trout.
When is the best time to catch speckled trout in Florida?
Trout bite all year. Spring and fall are best on the flats; in winter they gather in deeper holes, canals and rivers, and in summer they feed early and late in the day.
What is the best bait for speckled trout?
Live shrimp under a popping cork is the classic. Pilchards and pinfish catch bigger trout, and soft plastic jigs, topwater plugs and suspending twitchbaits all work.
Where is the best trout fishing in Florida?
Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River Lagoon (famous for big “gator” trout), the Nature Coast at Homosassa and Crystal River, the Big Bend and Panhandle grass flats, and Tampa Bay.
How big do speckled trout get?
Most are 14–20 inches and 1–4 lb. Trout over 5 lb are called “gator trout”. The world record, 17 lb 7 oz, was caught near Fort Pierce, Florida.
What are the speckled trout rules in Florida?
FWC sets a slot size and bag limits that differ by region. Check the FWC spotted seatrout rules before keeping fish.
How much is a trout fishing charter?
Trout trips are inshore charters. On iOutdoors, inshore trips start from $450 at Hernando Beach and $500 in Mosquito Lagoon, Daytona Beach and Homosassa, priced per boat.