sand weakfish
Cynoscion arenarius
Sand seatrout of sandy beaches and the surf zone, from Florida to Mexico. It has a commercial fishery and is considered a sport fish.
Also called: corvina-de-areia, corvina de arena, corbina, sand weakfish
- maximum
- 64 cm
- record/max.
- 2.8 kg
who is the sand weakfish
The sand seatrout is a fish of the family Sciaenidae, with a silvery body, reaching 63.5 cm and up to 2.8 kg. It lives on sandy bottoms of shallow coastal waters and is relatively abundant in the surf zone. In summer it moves into estuaries, where it feeds and raises its young. It has a large mouth, with the lower jaw slightly protruding. It has a commercial fishery and is considered a sport fish. In Latin America it occurs only in Mexico.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the sand weakfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It can live up to 5 years.
identification
Silvery gray above, without obvious spots, and silvery below. There is a faint dark area at the base and along the axis of the pectoral fins. The mouth is large and oblique, and the upper jaw has a pair of large canine teeth at the tip. The pelvic and anal fins are pale to yellowish. The similar pescada-amarela-americana has small spots in wavy lines on the back, which set it apart.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It lives in the western Atlantic, from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico. In Latin America it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Sandy bottoms of shallow coastal waters, very abundant in the surf zone.
rules for the sand weakfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It is harmless, but the canine teeth of the upper jaw can hurt your hand, so handle it with care.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00955, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Cynoscion arenarius (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cynoscion arenariusNames by country and language.
