The Seatrout bite in our lagoon systems is hot right now. I know it may not be your favorite targeted species and they aren’t big by any means but if you are looking to break up the monotony of winter fishing or you’re in a fishing slump and you just need to get your line tight, then look no further. We’ve been catching between 30 – 50 Speckled Seatrout on each trip using various artificial lures in both the Indian and Banana River Lagoons. The key is to fish deeper water like channels, canals and pockets or coves next to shallow water and structure of some kind. It also helps to fish the wind protected side of the area. Small Paddle tails (any brand), Lil’Johns, various Ned rigs, Berkley Gulp shrimp and other small shrimp imitation soft plastics have been working well. We’ve even used Senko Bass worms cut in half. All of these were rigged on a 1/4 oz jighead. Make a long cast over your targeted area and let it fall to the bottom. You’ll then hop the lure off of the bottom. We like to double twitch the lure and then pause for a second and then repeat. Use a slow retrieve. Most bites come on the fall so watch your line between twitches. When you do find the trout, stay and work that area thoroughly, as the Trout this time of year will congregate. We caught Trout anywhere from 12 – 19 inches. This is a great opportunity to take your kids, friends or family fishing especially if they aren’t as experienced as you are. They’ll have a good time catching multiple fish! Don’t forget to wet your hands before handling the trout, to protect their slime coat and always follow FWC regulations. Good luck and tight lines!