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Landing Monster Spotted Seatrout

Your best chance for landing a monster-sized spotted seatrout is fishing with big baits early in the morning on a slick, calm day. Fish top-water lures early in the morning, and then switch to grubs, spinners and soft plastics later in the day.

Fish 12-pound-test line with 2 or 3 feet of 30-pound-test leader attached to the main line, because big spotted seatrout have sharp teeth that may cut weaker line. During the summer months, monster spotted seatrout trout and red drum will hold in 2 to 3 feet of water and will spook much-more easily than if they're holding in deeper water. By using your trolling motor sparingly, you'll have more success. If you make too much noise, you can kill the bite for other big trout holding in that same region.

To land a big spotted seatrout, remember these fish have soft tissues inside their mouths. Don't set the hook too hard. Play the fish on a relatively-light drag. When a big fish makes a run, it easily can pull on the drag without tearing the hooks out of its mouth. You need a light drag and a rod with a relatively-light tip that will yield to the fish and keep the hook set tightly in its mouth without tearing the hook out of the fish's mouth. Don't try to rush the trout to the net.

If you try and get a big trout to the net too quickly, the fish may hit the net or dive under the boat and get free.