WEAKFISH

also called Sea Trout (genus Cynoscion), any member of a group of fishes in the croaker family, Sciaenidae (order Perciformes). A half dozen species inhabit the coastal regions of North America. The weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) is a marine sport fish but is usually less than 60 cm (2 feet) long. Much larger specimens have been caught on occasion. The term weakfish refers to their delicate mouths, which are easily torn by fishhooks. Weakfish are also caught commercially along the Middle Atlantic coastal states and are considered to be the most economically important species in the croaker family. The spotted sea trout (C. nebulosus), found along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of Florida, is slightly smaller than the weakfish. Although the sea trouts are similar to the true trouts (order Salmoniformes) in appearance, the two groups are not related.