Speckled Trout

Season

Peak months: Oct, Nov.

SCDNR estuarine resident spawning April to September. Local: scattered on piers in fall; fall trout gather in holes near piers. (Our inference)

Where to find them

Inlets, jetties, the holes near piers; uncommon on the open beach.

Holes, inlet edges and around piers.

What to look for

Shrimp skipping, small bait in calm, clean water around structure.

What to throw

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Topwater popper or walk-the-dog plug1 to 2 oz, 4 to 6 in. Popper: sharp pops with pauses. Walker: rhythmic side-to-side twitches.

Swimming minnow plug (Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow style)3/4 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in. Steady medium retrieve with occasional twitches and pauses.

Bait

Live shrimp under a popping or slip cork, Finger mullet. Popping cork, 24 to 36 in of 20 lb fluorocarbon.

Leader

20 to 25 lb fluorocarbon, 24 to 36 in.

Common mistakes

• Horsing the fish; soft mouth tears
• Fishing the open surf instead of the inlet

Landing

Soft mouth: steady pressure, slide it up, do not lift.

Handling and safety

• Two canine teeth in the upper jaw

Hold behind the head; unhook with pliers.

Keep or release

14 in minimum, 10 per person per day. SCDNR asks for voluntary release after cold kills.

Recipes for speckled trout

Typical: About 14 in, 1.3 lb. Large: 4 lb and up. SC record 11 lb 13 oz (1976).

South Carolina limits

• Minimum: 14 in TL
• Maximum: none
• Bag: 10 per person per day
• Season: Open year-round
• Rod and reel and gig only; gigging closed Dec 1 to Feb 28
• Gamefish: cannot be sold
• Circle hook required with natural bait at 4/0 and up

Last checked 2026-10-07. A summary, not legal advice; the official rules win. SC DNR fishing regulations.

Sources

• SCDNR species profile: spotted seatrout (Official source)
• Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
• NC Sea Grant Coastwatch: surf fishing species notes (2008) (Official source)
• SCDNR 2018: cold stun and spotted seatrout (Official source)
• SC finfish size and catch limits 2026-2027 (eRegulations, linked from SCDNR), last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)
• SC saltwater general information: license, circle hooks, gamefish, Horry pier buffer, last updated Aug 11, 2026 (Official source)

All the fish of Myrtle Beach