Weakfish

Species Information

Scientific Name:	Cynoscion regalis
Common Names:	squeteague, weakfish, gray trout, grey trout
Environment:	Inshore, Surf
Ideal Temp:	64-82°F (18-28°C)

About Weakfish

The weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae.

A large, slender, marine fish, it is found along the east coast of North America. The head and back of this fish are dark brown in color with a greenish tinge. The sides have a faint silvery hue with dusky specks, and the belly is white. 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 (3 feet) in length and 9 kg (20 pounds) in weight. It is found along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida, where it is fished both commercially and recreationally. Weakfish are also known by the American Indian name "Squeteague".

In the mid-Atlantic states, the fish is sometimes referred to by the name sea trout, though it is not related to the fishes properly called trout, which are in the family Salmonidae.

The weakfish is the state fish of Delaware.

Weakfish Fishing

World Record:	8.96 kg (19 lb 12 oz) Staten Island, New York, USA
# Fish Caught:	2521890 documented in database.
Earliest Record:	1/1/1847 12:00:00 AM and located at 32.72344, -79.85539.
Latest Record:	5/10/2024 2:39:24 PM and located at 41.07352, -71.93953.
Common Techniques:	Bottom Fishing, Casting, Fly, Jigging
Popular Lure Types:	Bottom Rig, Flies, Jigs, Plugs, Soft Plastics, Spoons, Topwater
Fishing Spots:	1439 Weakfish fishing spots.

Latest Weakfish Fishing Reports and Spots

Fri May 10 – Sag Harbor Scup Express - 5/10/2024 2:39:24 PM

Capt Dave reports really good fishing on the Viking Starlite. It was a good steady bite the whole trip. We had Porgies up to 2 lbs with very few (View)

Good Start and Good End - 4/20/2024 4:43:00 PM

 I wrapped my week up yesterday fishing with Glenn and Patti Langford. We met up at Old Town Bait and made our way over to the outside of Tyger (View)

Wind Made It A Challenge - 4/12/2024 8:26:00 PM

 I wrapped my week up today fishing with Bob Kossman and Larry Westfall before they head north forthe summer. This was a a Share-A-Trip - conta (View)

Dara's Super Duper - 4/1/2024 4:31:00 PM

 Back at it today fishing south early this morning. I had met William and Dara Blalock out at Goffinsville as the sun came up and we made a qui (View)

Sat Dec 2 – Block Island Jumbo Porgies & Knothead Sea Bass - 12/2/2023 4:24:12 PM

Capt JR reports a very good trip on the Viking Starship. We saw even more improvement on the Porgy front with double headers coming over the rai (View)

Weakfish Made It A Slam - 11/20/2023 6:02:00 PM

 Thanksgiving week and back to fishing!  I met Joey and Tanya Vasquez up at the Old Town Bait and Tackle boat ramp early on a tide that still h (View)

October 19 Fishing Report - 10/19/2023 12:54:52 PM

Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 68 degrees inshore in Little River and clarity has improved.    With some beautiful we (View)

A Different Kind of Grande Slam - 7/8/2023 5:58:00 PM

 I fished with the Sleeth brothers this morning Brad and Jared meeting them out at the Goffinsville Park boat ramp early. We had a tide that wa (View)

Ralph Pickering 1929-2023 - 6/11/2023 8:42:00 PM

Sea run brown trout on the fly rod!  It is with sadness that I report the passing of my father Ralph Pickering at the age of 93.  I know many o (View)

Stripers Spreading Out; Other Fish Arrive - 4/24/2021 9:20:00 PM

  I caught this schoolie along with many more today in a backwater location. The bucktail jig was a hot lure today. The stripers are really spr (View)