weakfish
Cynoscion squamipinnis
Croaker of the coastal waters and estuaries of the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru. It appears as bycatch in fishing.
Also called: pescada-escamosa, corvina aguada, corvina rayada, scalyfin corvina
- maximum
- 64 cm
- depth
- 1–30 m
who is the weakfish
Fish of the family Sciaenidae, with an elongated body, reaching 64 cm. Common size 40 cm. It lives in coastal waters, along beaches and in estuaries, from 1 to 30 m deep, between the bottom and the water above it, from the Gulf of California to Peru. It eats fish, shrimp and other crustaceans. It appears as bycatch in fishing. Besides Mexico, it occurs in Colombia, Central America, Ecuador and Peru.
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 weakfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, fusiform body, typical of croakers, with a large mouth and canine teeth at the tip of the upper jaw, common in the genus Cynoscion. The Portuguese name refers to the scales that cover the fins. It lives along the coast and in estuaries, from 1 to 30 m. It reaches 64 cm, far less than the queen weakfish (Cynoscion albus), at 130 cm.
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
Eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Peru, in coastal waters and estuaries of Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Habitat: Beaches and estuaries, from 1 to 30 m.
rules for the 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.
Harmless to people. It is accidental catch, so release it quickly and carefully if it comes up in a net.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00776, b = 3.05; 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 squamipinnis (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 squamipinnisNames by country and language.
