🎣 Spotted Seatrout · Fishing gear
Texas Speckled Trout Gear Guide and 2026-27 Seatrout Limits
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Speckled trout are a favorite of Texas wade fishermen and a staple of bay fishing from Sabine Lake to the Lower Laguna Madre. Trout limits have tightened in recent years, so check the current rules.
Spotted seatrout limits (2026-27)
- Daily bag: 3. Length: 15-inch minimum, 20-inch maximum.
- Each license year you may keep one trout over 28 inches with a Spotted Seatrout Tag and one more with a Bonus Spotted Seatrout Tag, in addition to the daily bag.
- Possession limit is double the daily bag.
- A Saltwater Fishing Endorsement is required.
Source: TPWD Seatrout Bag & Length Limits, valid Sept. 1, 2026 – Aug. 31, 2027.
The gear checklist
1. A light, sensitive rod
Trout bites can be subtle, so a 6'6"–7'6" medium-light to medium fast-action rod helps you feel soft-plastic strikes.
2. Soft plastics and jigheads
Paddle-tail and twitch-bait plastics on 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigheads are the everyday trout lure. Match weight to depth and wind.
3. Topwater plugs
Walk-the-dog topwaters are well known for drawing strikes from big trout at dawn and dusk.
4. Popping cork with live shrimp
A popping cork rig with live shrimp is a reliable way to catch trout over shell and grass.
5. Wading boots and stingray protection
Shuffle your feet and consider stingray guards for longer wades. Hard-soled boots protect against shell.
6. Stringer or floating fish box
Wading anglers often use a long stringer or a floating fish box. Keep it well behind you, since sharks are attracted to stringers.
7. Release tools
With a tight slot, many trout are released. Wet your hands, use a de-hooker and get them back quickly.
TPWD seatrout limits · Solunar fishing times
Regulation details checked against the TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual on October 23, 2026. Regulations can change mid-year. Confirm at tpwd.texas.gov before you go.
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