By RAY MARKHAM

Areas south of Fred Howard Park near Anclote Key will be off limits to anglers looking to keep one of the Suncoast’s favorite fish, the spotted seatrout, as of Nov. 1. The season will be closed for two months.

It is hardly the most glamorous species, but for consistency and availability, spotted seatrout are hard to beat. For the novice, they are easy to catch, and the advanced angler can target fish tipping the scales at more than 5 pounds.

Trout can grow to more than 10 pounds and live for a long time, but they are fragile, and their survival is compromised when they are handled excessively. When releasing trout, touching the fish should be avoided. Proper use of release tools to control the fish and remove hooks is important to their survival. Using circle hooks when using dead or live bait will also ensure that fish are not gut hooked, keeping mortality rates low.

The larger trout are more aggressive in their fighting, and they sometimes shy away from artificial lures and dead or live bait. With their paper-thin mouths, they also become much more difficult to land. The larger fish are nearly impossible to land by simply lifting the fish into the boat without tearing the hook free, so landing nets are advised for fish to be kept.

Trout are prolific breeders, and fish larger than 20 inches are exceptional fish, and while they are legal to take in season, they should be released alive to repopulate.

Ray Markham co-hosts “Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live,” Saturdays from 7-8 a.m. on 1040 AM, and may be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.