Louisiana’s speckled trout limit is 15 fish per angler per day, with each fish measuring at least 13 inches in total length and no more than two of the 15 exceeding 20 inches. The rules apply statewide, year-round, and require both a Basic Fishing License and a Saltwater License.
Daily Bag Limit
Every recreational angler can keep 15 speckled trout per day.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations The limit is per person, not per boat. Three anglers fishing together can bring in up to 45 fish total, but no one on board can claim more than 15.
The 15-fish limit is the same everywhere in Louisiana. A separate, lower limit that once applied in Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes has been eliminated.2Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2024 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations
Size Requirements
Speckled trout must measure at least 13 inches in total length to keep. Total length is measured from the tip of the snout to the farthest edge of the tail fin with the tail pinched closed.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations Anything shorter goes back.
There is also a 20-inch maximum. Of your 15 fish, no more than two can be over 20 inches; the rest must fall between 13 and 20.3Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Recreational Saltwater Finfish LDWF agents regularly check catches at boat launches and popular fishing spots, and a fish that comes up even a half-inch short can draw a citation. Carry a reliable measuring board rather than guessing.
Possession Limits
Possession rules split between water and land. While you are actively fishing or on a boat, you cannot have more than the daily bag limit of 15 fish. Once you’re on land, you can possess up to a two-day bag limit of 30 fish at your camp, vehicle, or home.3Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Recreational Saltwater Finfish You cannot stockpile a second day’s worth on the boat and keep fishing.
A separate allowance applies south of U.S. Highway 90. With a valid license and a landing receipt from a public boat launch south of that highway showing you were on the water or at a remote water-access-only camp for two or more days, you can possess up to three times the daily limit, or 45 fish. Those fish have to be kept whole or whole-gutted in separate bags labeled with the date caught, species, number of fish, and the angler’s name and license number.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations Even under that rule, you still cannot have more than 15 fish while actively fishing.
Season and Where the Rules Apply
Speckled trout season is open year-round in Louisiana state waters.4LDWF Licensing. Common Coastal Species There is no closure to plan around.
State waters extend three marine leagues, roughly nine nautical miles, into the Gulf.5Louisiana Legislature. Louisiana State Waters Boundary Beyond that line, federal waters begin, and there is currently no federal bag or size limit for speckled trout.6NOAA Fisheries. Fishing Regulations and Seasonal Closures in the Gulf of America Louisiana can still regulate its own registered vessels for species with no federal rule, so in practice the state limits travel with a Louisiana-registered boat wherever it fishes.
License Requirements and Fees
Speckled trout are a saltwater species, so you need two licenses: a Basic Fishing License and a Saltwater License. The Basic Fishing License is $17 for residents and $68 for non-residents. The Saltwater License adds $15 for residents and $60 for non-residents.7Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. License and Permit Fee List The total comes to $32 for residents and $128 for non-residents. Both licenses run 365 days from the purchase date rather than by calendar year.
Short trips have cheaper options. A five-day non-resident Basic Fishing License is $30, and a five-day non-resident Saltwater License is also $30, bringing a quick trip to $60. Non-residents born in Louisiana can buy a ten-day license at the resident rate of $17 per license.7Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. License and Permit Fee List
Fishing from a licensed charter boat changes the mix. Passengers do not need their own Saltwater License and can buy a three-day Charter Passenger Saltwater License for $20 instead. You still need the Basic Fishing License.7Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. License and Permit Fee List
Who Doesn’t Need a License
Anglers under 18 can fish without a license.8Louisiana Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes RS 56-3000 Active-duty military members with a military ID, along with their spouses and dependents, can buy Louisiana licenses at the resident rate regardless of where they live. Residents born before June 1, 1940 qualify for a free Senior Hunting/Fishing License; those born between June 1, 1940 and May 31, 1962 pay $5.7Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. License and Permit Fee List
Federal Registration
A current Louisiana Saltwater License satisfies the federal Marine Recreational Information Program. You do not need to separately register with NOAA’s National Saltwater Angler Registry.9NOAA Fisheries. Frequent Questions – National Saltwater Angler Registry
Penalties for Violations
Going over the bag limit, keeping an undersized fish, or fishing without a license is generally a class three violation. Penalties climb with each offense:
- First offense: a fine of $250 to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
- Second offense: a fine of $500 to $800, 60 to 90 days in jail, and forfeiture of anything seized in connection with the violation.
- Third and subsequent offenses: a fine of $750 to $1,000, 90 to 120 days in jail, and forfeiture of seized items.10Justia. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56 RS 56-33 – Class Three Violation
More serious wildlife offenses fall under class four, which starts at $400 to $950 and up to 120 days in jail for a first offense and reaches $1,000 to $5,000 with 180 days to two years for third and subsequent offenses, with forfeiture of seized equipment in every case.11Justia. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56 RS 56-34 – Class Four Violation
On a second or later conviction of the same provision, the court can also revoke the license under which the violation occurred and bar issuance of a replacement for that same period.10Justia. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56 RS 56-33 – Class Three Violation Louisiana also assigns civil restitution values to illegally taken fish, so replacement costs can stack on top of the criminal fine.
Taking Your Catch Out of State
The moment speckled trout cross a state line, federal law joins the state rules. The Lacey Act makes it illegal to transport fish taken in violation of any state law, so being over the bag limit, keeping an undersized fish, or fishing without a license turns a state citation into a possible federal offense once you drive the cooler home.12NOAA Fisheries. More Laws The transport does not have to be commercial; moving fish across state lines for personal use is enough.13Congress.gov. Criminal Lacey Act Offenses – An Overview of Selected Issues Falsifying a label or record for fish moving between states is itself a Lacey Act offense, even if the fish were legally caught.