Galveston fishing report 2-18-15

Galveston Fishing Charter Company

832-917-FISH(3474)

www.galvestonfishingchartercompany.com

www.galvestondeepseafishing.com

Often we mention both sand trout and Gulf trout in the Reel Report, and to newcomers at coastal fishing, this can be confusing. Even more confusing is trying to identify which of the two fish you catch. Hopefully, some pointers in this article will help you identify the two species.

For starters, the two terms are used interchangeably, as most fishermen have a difficult time distinguishing between sand trout and Gulf trout. There is an easy and obvious distinction between the two pan fish and their game fish cousin, the speckled trout. Speckled trout display prominent spots or specks on their bodies.

For years, I was among that group and would label the trout caught in the Gulf as Gulf trout and those landed in the bays as sand trout. While both fish are widespread, Gulf trout do favor the Gulf waters.

The best way to identify the two pan fish is to closely examine the fins. On the Gulf trout, the spine and ray areas on the back connect while they are separated on sand trout. Gulf trout have eight or nine soft rays on the anal fin while the sand trout has 11. The Gulf trout is noted as the heavier of the two species. When looking at the State of Texas Fish Records, the record Gulf trout weighed 6.91 pounds and the sand trout 6.25 pounds. 

My experience, based on the fish I have caught, has been that the sand trout have been overall larger than Gulf trout. Again, that has been my personal experience.

Other distinguishing factors include a more rounded tail for the Gulf trout while the sand trout has a square tail. A couple of canine teeth in the front of the top jaw of the Gulf trout also set it apart, and the mouths of the large females are yellowish-orange and the sides are bright silver.