W - December 19, 2020

WEAKFISH

Scientific Name:

Cynoscion regalis

Salt/Fresh:

Salt

Also Known As:

Squeteague; Common Weakfish; Common Sea Trout; Gray Trout; Summer Trout; Tiderunner; WEAKFISH

Rating:

Countries:

Other Countries

Description:

A large, slender, marine fish, it is found along the east coast of North America. The origin of its name is based on the weakness of the mouth muscles, which often cause a hook to tear free, allowing the fish to escape. The Weakfish grows to 1 m in length and 9 kg in weight.

How To Identify:

The Weakfish has a greenish grey body on the top and silvery below. It has a back with small spots forming undulating dotted lines. It’s pelvic fins and anal fin is yellow. Inside of it’s gill is dark and visible externally. The Wealfish has a large mouth, oblique, lower jaw projecting. The upper jaw has a pair of large canine-like teeth at the tip. It’s chin doesn’t have barbels or pores but it’s snout has only 1 marginal pore. It also has a soft portion of dorsal fin covered with small scales up to 1/2 of fin height.

How To Catch:

Sandworms from a drifting boat is perhaps the most popular and effective way to catch a Weakfish. A three way swivel with a sinker and a 3 to 4 ft leader is also used successfully. Another technique is chumming from an anchored boat with a grass shrimp and jigging with lead headed jigs works as well.

Where Found:

Internationally

Weakfish are an Atlantic coast fish, possibly found in the extreme southeastern Gulf. It is found along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida.

WEAKFISH

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