catalog Sciaenidae · predator

spotted weakfish

Cynoscion nebulosus

EstuarySea

Silvery weakfish with a blue-grey back, speckled with round black spots that reach the fins. It lives in estuaries, lagoons and seagrass of the Gulf of Mexico, and is a classic target for live bait and lures.

Also called: pescada-pintada, spotted seatrout, spotted weakfish, speckled trout

forecast for spotted weakfish where found

Scientific illustration of Spotted weakfish

common size: 30–55 cm
maximum: 100 cm
common weight: 0.2–1.7 kg
record/max.: 7.9 kg
depth: 0–15 m
ideal water: 18–28 °C

overview

who is the spotted weakfish

The spotted weakfish, called trucha de mar in Mexico, is one of the most important sport weakfishes of the Gulf of Mexico. It lives in estuaries, lagoons and shallow coastal waters, over sand bottoms and especially in seagrass beds, and also in salt marshes and high-salinity tide pools. It eats crustaceans and fish, matures at about 27 cm, reaches 100 cm and 7.9 kg and can live 18 years. Its range runs from New York to southern Florida and the whole Gulf of Mexico; in Latin America it is found on the Mexican coast and in Cuba. There is a recent record in the Guadalquivir estuary, Spain. FishBase treats it as an important table and sport fish throughout its range.

fun facts

Despite the name trucha de mar, it is not related to trout: it is a croaker of the family Sciaenidae.
It can live 18 years, according to FishBase, and matures at about 27 cm.
It has a recent record in the Guadalquivir estuary, Spain, outside the area described for the species.

how to recognize it

identification

Silvery body, dark grey back with bluish reflections and numerous round black spots on the upper half, extending to the second dorsal fin and the tail: the spots on the fins are the surest sign. Spiny dorsal fin darkened; the other fins are clear to yellowish. Large, oblique mouth, with the lower jaw protruding and a pair of large canine teeth at the tip of the upper jaw. No chin barbels. The soft part of the dorsal fin has no scales. The spots separate the species from most of the genus's weakfishes.

how spotted weakfish fishing looks

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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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Western Atlantic: from New York to southern Florida and the entire Gulf of Mexico. In Latin America it appears on the Mexican Gulf coast, especially in coastal lagoons, and in Cuba. There is a recent record in the Guadalquivir estuary (Spain).

Habitat: Estuaries, lagoons and shallow bays with seagrass over sand and mud bottoms; salt marshes and high-salinity tide pools.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Mar–Jun and Sep–Nov

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Present all year in the Gulf of Mexico; spring and fall tend to be the best months, with water between 18 and 28 °C. In strong cold, the school drops into deeper, warmer holes.

best time of day

Dawn and dusk. It does best at dawn and dusk, and at night near pier or marina lights. Scientific sources do not detail the timing; the indication comes from sport-fishing practice.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the spotted weakfish
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

A cold front knocks down activity and sends the fish to deep, warmer holes for a few days.

atmospheric pressure

Stable pressure helps; the drop before the front usually gives a short spike in activity.

moon

Moderate effect; spring tides increase the current that brings bait and shrimp into the channels.

rain

Light rain does not bother; runoff that drops the lagoon's salinity scatters the fish.

water level

Does not apply at sea; in a lagoon, the tide decides where the fish feeds.

noise

Skittish in shallow water: a boat with its engine running and footsteps in the shallows scare the school off.

wind

Strong wind muddies the water and makes casting hard; light to moderate wind, which ripples the water, helps.

tide

Fish the tidal current at channel mouths, grass edges and sandbars.

depth

From 0.5 to 3 m for most of the day; drops into deeper holes in cold weather and strong sun.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Mid-water casting Surface casting Natural bait with float Fly fishing

rod: 6'6" to 7'6", medium-fast action, 8 to 15 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 2500 to 3000
line: braided line 10 to 20 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 15 to 20 lb, 60 to 90 cm
hook: jig head 1/8 to 1/4 oz or circle hook 1/0 to 2/0 for live bait

lures

soft rubber artificial shrimp
paddle tail, 7 to 10 cm
topwater plug (walk-the-dog)
suspending plug, 8 to 10 cm

natural baits

live shrimp
small mullet
sardinha

accessories

popping cork
rubber-mesh landing net
polarized glasses
alicate

tip from an angler

The mouth is soft: set the hook firmly without overdoing it, and use the net so it does not tear. Work the grass edge and channel mouths with the tidal current.

what the law says

rules for the spotted 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.

Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day

5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fish

In recreational sport fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The spotted weakfish (trucha de mar) is not among the species with their own limit (billfish, sharks, giant pescada, tarpon, dorado, roosterfish and baya). Fish above the limit must be returned alive to the water, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Fishing from a boat requires a permit, and sport fishing is banned in closed zones and seasons.

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), signed Oct 14, 2013, items 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5, 4.10 and 4.11 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

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.

The mouth is soft and tears easily: use a rubber-mesh net, wet your hands and release it promptly. The largest specimens tend to be spawning females, which are worth releasing.

in the kitchen

FishBase indicates fresh use, steamed, grilled or baked. The flesh is delicate: bleed it, chill it quickly and eat it fresh.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00832, 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

The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on field experience from anglers and guides. They are not official data or measurements made for this species and may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the rule and link. The fishing depth range, the common size and the ideal water temperature range, when FishBase does not give a value, are editorial estimates based on the species' biology.

scientific FishBase: Cynoscion nebulosus (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 nebulosusNames by country and language. The name pescada-pintada was adopted for this entry from the English (spotted weakfish) and Spanish (trucha de mar).
official NOM-017-PESC-1994, Para regular las actividades de pesca deportivo-recreativa en las aguas de jurisdicción federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (modificação de 2013)Daily limit of 10 marine fish and 5 per species (item 4.9.1), return of the excess (4.9.5), closed seasons (4.10) and sales ban (4.11). Text checked in the DOF on Oct 13, 2026.