squeteague
Cynoscion regalis
American weakfish from the east coast of the United States, which enters estuaries in summer. In Latin America only Mexico is recorded. It is a sport and food fish, and it is threatened worldwide.
Also called: pescada-amarela-americana, corvinata real, squeteague
- maximum
- 98 cm
- record/max.
- 8.9 kg
- depth
- 10–26 m
who is the squeteague
The American weakfish is a fish of the family Sciaenidae, with a silvery body and greenish back. It reaches 98 cm and up to 8.9 kg. It lives in shallow coastal waters, on sand and sandy mud, from 10 to 26 m. In summer, it enters estuaries to feed and breed. It mainly eats crustaceans and fish, and leaves the estuaries in autumn when the water cools. It is a sport fish and is consumed fresh and frozen. It is threatened with extinction in the global assessment.
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 squeteague; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It stops feeding when the water reaches 7.9 °C and dies when it reaches 3.3 °C.
- There are records that it spends the winter in estuaries.
identification
The back is grayish green and the belly silvery, with small spots on the back forming wavy and dotted lines. The pelvic and anal fins are yellowish, and the inside of the gill cover is dark, visible from the outside. It has a pair of large canine teeth at the tip of the upper jaw and a protruding lower jaw. It may be confused with the Gulf silver seatrout, which has an almost spotless back.
Loading the next 7 days…
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
Occurs in the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia, Canada, to northern Florida, United States. In Latin America, only Mexico is listed among the countries of occurrence, outside this main range. It has been introduced into Europe.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, on sand and sandy mud, from 10 to 26 m, and estuaries in summer.
rules for the squeteague
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.
Not dangerous to handle, but the canine teeth of the upper jaw can cut the hand, so hold it carefully. Since the species is threatened worldwide, release the ones you will not keep.
in the kitchen
It is eaten fresh and frozen, and can be steamed, fried, grilled or baked.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00776, b = 3.06; 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 regalis (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 regalisNames by country and language.
