Spotted Seatrout (also known as Speckled Trout, Speck, Spotted Weakfish) in North Carolina. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit, slot rule — verified against the NCDMF guide, 2026.
In North Carolina, the minimum legal size for Spotted Seatrout is 14 in and the daily bag limit is 3. A slot limit applies: 14" min to 20" max TL slot, with 1 of the 3-fish daily bag allowed to be greater than 26" TL. There is no closed season in NC.
14" min to 20" max TL slot, with 1 of the 3-fish daily bag allowed to be greater than 26" TL
No closed season
Statewide. STATE coastal and joint waters (internal + 0-3 mi). No federal regulations. Mandatory harvest reporting (effective Dec 1, 2025): kept spotted seatrout must be reported at deq.nc.gov/report-my-fish.
These limits are pulled from the NCDMF recreational size and bag limits. Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
North Carolina requires a Coastal Recreational Fishing License (CRFL) for anyone aged 16 or older fishing coastal or joint waters — there is no general shoreline exemption. NC fishing licences.
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.
Fishare tracks your home spots and pings you when the next 3-hour peak window opens. Log catches and blanks to teach the model your local patterns. Free forever for everyone who joins now.
Open Fishare