Want to increase your seatrout catch count when each day ends? Often, the best bait for speckled trout is actually a lure. Saltwater trout lures are as varied as the locations speckled trout are caught across the southeastern United States. The best lures for sea trout are not set in stone, but anglers can at least start by adding these dependable sea trout lures to their arsenal.
Made of hard and soft plastic or wood, topwater plugs mimic mullet, needlefish and other forage fish. Worked with short twitches of the rod tip, “walk-the-dog” side-to-side movement triggers explosive surface strikes. To maximize action tie to the leader with a loop knot. Use in low light conditions or a light chop in depths less than 8 feet.
Also made from hard and soft plastic or wood, suspending twitch baits sink slowly to mid-depths. Crafted to mimic pinfish, pilchards, mullet and other forage fish, work these lures slowly, with tan occasional twitch to create a wounded-bait impression. Effective in cooler weather lure on lethargic fish.
Soft plastics, slow sinking or neutrally buoyant, jerkbaits excel in depths less than 6 feet. Rigged weedless with worm hooks or through the nose with a light-wire circle hook, jerk baits dart and sink like a wounded needlefish or lizardfish. A loop knot connection imparts best action with short, quick twitches of the rod tip.
Shrimp lures remain the mainstay in the sea trout angler’s arsenal. In fact, it might be the best plastic bait for speckled trout. Designed to slowly sink through the water, shrimp lures should be twitched lightly. Often rigged underneath a clacker-style or popping cork.
Soft plastic tails in combination with a lead jig head mimics shrimp or small baitfish. With a quick darting action, trout typically strike as the tout falls. Available in a variety of colors and styles, including paddle tails and shrimp tails.
Bucktail or nylon jigs have fooled untold numbers of trout. Available in different head shapes, weights and colors, jigs should be as light as possible to sink slowly without snagging on the bottom. A loop knot allows an enticing fluttering action. Work jigs moderately-fast, with short twitches to make them dart.
Weedless spoons excel over seagrass beds and oyster bars. The fluttering action mimics crabs or distressed baitfish. Tie spoons on with a swivel to reduce line twist, and retrieve slowly and steadily so the lure wobbles just off the bottom.
Soft-plastic minnow look-alikes, shad tails should be rigged with a jig head and worked with an erratic retrieve through the mid-depths. Available in many sizes, shapes and color combinations, shad tails are inexpensive yet deadly on seatrout.
Surface plugs that pop, spit and splash draw trout, particularly during low light in calm to light chop. Chuggers simulate wounded baitfish and are best rigged with a loop knot or swivel/split ring for unhindered action. Some of the best MirrOlures for speckled trout might be their chug-style topwater lures.
Still a classic, surface stick baits with propellers are still fooling trout years after their creation. The props spin and create a wake and noise, signaling feeding activity. Steady, quick retrieve with brief pauses triggers strikes.
