Texans love speckled trout, especially the pursuit of true “gator” specimens, those mythical saltwater creatures measuring 30 inches — or more.
The speckled trout has and always will be the prime saltwater angling target in the Lone Star State from Sabine Lake on the Texas-Louisiana border all the way down to South Padre Island near the Mexican border. There certainly are other notable inshore species including redfish, black drum, flounder and sheepshead along that roughly 400-mile stretch of fishing territory. However, trophy “specks” have spawned a whole new class of fishing guide focused specifically on big trout tactics — almost all of them artificial lure-only fanatics — who focus on catch-and-release on anything at the end upper end of the slot limit and certainly anything over it.
The largest speckled trout caught in Texas waters truly was more like a dinosaur in terms of size, and it’s highly unlikely we may ever see anything like the 15.6-pound, 37 1/4-inch fish caught by Bud Rowland in the Lower Laguna Madre back in 2002. Of note, Rowland caught the fish on a fly rod in less than 2 feet of water! Also of note, that gargantuan fish eclipsed the previous state record held by Jim Wallace with a 13-pound, 11-ounce speck he landed in Baffin Bay in 1996.
While those fish truly are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and the overall speckled trout mark may never be topped, there are plenty of double-digit specimens that anglers snap pictures of and promptly release every year, typically during the winter months which are prime time for big trout.
There has been an increased emphasis in recent years on speckled trout conservation due in large part to increased fishing pressure up and down the entire Texas coast. As a result, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department altered the speckled trout bag limit regulations in September 2019 to enact a statewide five-fish framework.
Previously, the bag limit on specks was lowered from 10 fish a day to five across the Middle Coast and Lower Coast back in 2014. In 2007, the TPWD Commission had voted to lower the bag and possession limit in the Lower Laguna Madre below Marker 21 in the Landcut to five fish as a result of a “downward trend in spawning-age specks,” something that ran counter to the increasing populations on the rest of the coast as a whole.
The current speckled trout fishery in Texas is under a slot limit, with fish between 15 and 25 inches being legal to keep. It should be noted that anglers also may keep one trout over 25 inches per day, which counts as part of the daily bag.
Most anglers, especially if they’re paying a guide to put them on fish, will keep a full legal allotment of fish — and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. If I’m personally targeting a saltwater species to eat, my all-time favorite is redfish, which have thick, tough scales tailor-made for a great halfshell cook on the grill.
The flesh of speckled trout is different than that of redfish, black drum and even flounder, with a flaky texture that’s more prone to fall apart in some recipes. Many anglers dip their trout fillets in cornmeal or flour and fry them up, which can be quite delicious with the accompanying red sauce and squeeze of lemon, especially if you’re eating fish you caught that day.
While specks are ideal for frying, their meat is also perfect for ceviche, a tasty treat originating in coastal regions of Central America and South America. Making ceviche is a simple process with a base of just two ingredients: fresh fish and lime juice. Marinating the fish in the tangy juice helps break down the proteins, essentially cooking it, sans heat. The size of the pieces of fish you’re using will ultimately determine how long they need to “cook.”
The prime aspect of making ceviche is you can construct its profile to your own liking. Whatever you add is what the flavor of the fish will take on whether it’s zesty, sweet, spicy or all them. In this case, a fresh homemade pico de gallo (tomato, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime and salt) brings a tangy spice to each bite of protein, and depending on how hungry you are, the dish can serve as an appetizer or even a full meal.
Quick and easy ceviche is ideal for use in numerous South Texas dishes including in tacos, on tostadas and especially used in the same vein as traditional shrimp cocktail with whatever additional toppings and spices you may prefer.
You simply can’t go wrong when fresh fish is involved, especially when you’ve done the procuring with your own time and talent!
Speckled trout ceviche recipe
Ingredient List
4 speckled trout fillets, skin off
8 limes (if you want to pare down or add up, use 2 limes per fillet to have enough juice)
4 tomatoes on the vine or Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 onion (white or red) diced
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 pinch cumin (comino in our household!)
1 pinch garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fillet speckled trout and dice up fillets into quarter-inch pieces, which will “cook” quicker when introduced into the lime juice.
- Place diced trout pieces into a shallow dish or bowl. Cut limes in half and use handheld juicer to extract juice, enough to cover trout pieces.
- Place dish or bowl with trout and lime juice into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Stir tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl and place into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Remove trout ceviche mixture from fridge and place into small bowels. Mix in or top with pico de gallo and serve with crackers.
