Weakfish
Cynoscion regalis
Weakfish have a sleek body with small, dark spots on the back and yellow fins. (Freshwater and Marine Image Bank/University of Washington)
The weakfish is a sleek, iridescent fish that visits the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters in spring and summer.
Appearance:
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Sleek body
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Dark, olive green back with iridescent blue, copper or green on the sides
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Small, dark spots on the back that form irregular diagonal lines
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Silvery-white belly
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Yellow fins
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Deep notch in the dorsal fin
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Squared tail fin
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Two large canine teeth in the upper jaw
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Grows to 12-18 inches, but can be as long as 3 feet
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Weighs anywhere from 6-18 pounds
Habitat:
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Most often found in shallow, sandy-bottom areas
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Lives in schools
Range:
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Visits the Chesapeake Bay during spring and summer when the coastal weakfish population migrates northward
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Most common in the southern portion of the Bay
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Leaves the Bay in autumn to migrate southward
Feeding:
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Preys upon small schooling fish such as anchovies and menhaden
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Will also eat crabs, shrimp, mollusks and large zooplankton
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Once a weakfish sees its prey, it will slowly move toward it, then quickly lunge at it with open jaws
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Weakfish are the top carnivore in the Bay’s eelgrass beds
Predators:
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Other predatory fish such as bluefish and striped bass
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Sea lampreys
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Sharks such as dusky sharks
Voice:
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Makes a drumming or purring sound
Weakfish courtesy of Sciaenid Acoustics Research Team, East Carolina University
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Spawns from April-August near the shores of the Bay’s mouth
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Females produce more eggs as they get larger
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Larvae spend the late summer drifting through the lower Bay, eventually reaching their nursery areas in low-salinity rivers
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Once they have grown to about 4.7 inches long, young begin to swim toward saltier waters. They leaving the Bay by early winter.
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Reaches maturity at 1-2 years old
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Can live for 17 years, but most do not live past 9-12 years
Other Facts:
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The state fish of Delaware
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The name “weakfish” comes from the fish’s fragile mouth, which tears easily when hooked by anglers
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The Chesapeake Bay is an important spawning area for weakfish
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A member of the drum family, which includes spot, red drum, black drum, spotted seatrout and Atlantic croaker. All drums are able to make a loud drumming or croaking sound by vibrating their swim bladder using special muscles.
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The 19-pound Chesapeake Bay record weakfish was caught in 1983 near the Bay Bridge-Tunnel
Sources and Additional Information:
