The gray trout, Cynoscion regalis, is a saltwater fish in the drum family and is also commonly called weakfish.
The head and back of this fish is dark brown in color with a greenish tinge. The sides have a faint silvery hue with dusky specks, and the belly is white.
The origin of its name is based on the weakness of the mouth muscles, which often cause a hook to tear free, allowing the fish to escape. The weakfish grows to 1 m (3 feet) in length and 8.7 kg (19 pounds 2 ounces) in weight. It is found along the eastern coast of North America from Nova Scotia, Canada to northern Florida, where it is fished both commercially and recreationally.
In the mid-Atlantic states, the fish is sometimes referred to by the name sea trout or gray trout, though it is not related to fresh water trout, which are in the family Salmonidae.
Gray trout are often found on small ledges and hard bottom areas within a mile of shore during the summer and fall months. Jigging for them is a popular technique as they are bottom dwellers.
