Southern Adventures with Sea Trout

2016 is a year of big changes bringing new adventures. Our home in Vermont sold in December, and my wife and I have been traveling around down South. Sadly, there's no ice fishing for me this year.

Nonetheless, we're escaping the cold and enjoying the Florida panhandle's "Forgotten Coast," an area rich with biodiversity. A major industry here? Fish, shrimp, and oysters. We love it.

The Forgotten Coast on Google Maps

Although winter means the fishing is typically slow, I did manage to catch some nice Spotted Sea Trout from shore in Alligator Bay.

View of Alligator Bay from Marina

Funny that they call them Sea Trout as their skeletal bone structure and dorsal (top) fin are really more like Weakfish than freshwater trout.

Sea Trout vs. Weakfish

Also, they have sharp front teeth. so be careful removing the hook.

Anyway, by drifting live shrimp on a lightweight rod, I found these fish put up a pretty decent fight! The legal limit here is 5 trout/day with a 15" minimum length, and allowing one over 20". I kept a couple of them (16" and 17"), and threw back shorter ones like this one.

Hooked Spotted Sea Trout before release.

I also caught a Ladyfish. Ladyfish are jumpers and fight pretty hard for their size. The Ladyfish ended up in a soup stock.

Sea Trout on top. Ladyfish on bottom.

Preparing Sea Trout is easy.  I gutted and then stuffed them with sliced lemons, baked them at 375 degrees wrapped in foil and sprinkled salt, pepper, and red chili powder. I bake a lot of fish this way because it keeps them really juicy.

Sea Trout ready for the oven. 

Sea Trout ready to eat.

The Sea Trout were excellent. I bet they'd be great grilled or fried.

Stay tuned for Redfish!