Species profile
Grey Trout
Cynoscion regalis
At a glance
Grey Trout (Cynoscion regalis) is an IUCN Endangered bony-fish species regulated in 9 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 1 (Virginia); the most generous is 100 (Florida).
Across 9 jurisdictions with stated minimum sizes, the average minimum is 14.1 in (≈ 1 ft 2 in).
Confirmed by 348 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with North Carolina, New York, and South Carolina the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Weakfish can grow up to 3 feet long and reach 19 pounds, though most run 1–4 pounds.
- Named 'weakfish' because their thin mouth tissue tears easily, often letting fish escape.
- Males produce a loud drumming sound with their swim bladder during spawning.
- Range spans the Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia to Florida.
- Can live up to 17 years, making them one of the longer-lived inshore species.
Where Grey Trout are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Grey Trout
Background
The weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Grey Trout article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.