Weakfish: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Delaware, Maryland and Virginia ocean coast.

Fishing region

Season in Delmarva

JFMAMJJASOND

DNREC: uncommon, usually 10 to 15 in, adults mostly within 10 miles of shore. Ocean City sea trout were strong in the 1970s and early 1980s but have been rare in recent decades (FishTalk). (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Virginia Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Outer Banks	JFMAMJJASOND
Southern NC	JFMAMJJASOND
Charleston	JFMAMJJASOND
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Coastal bays and nearshore water within ten miles of shore; once common at the Ocean City south jetty, rare there now.

Mid-water, around piers and inlets.

What to look for

Bait under lights, swirls at the edge of the light.

What to throw

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Metal casting jig (diamond, Hopkins or Stingsilver style)1 to 2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Fast steady retrieve for mackerel; let it sink and rip it up for blues; jig near bottom for weakfish.

Swimming minnow plug (Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow style)3/4 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in. Steady medium retrieve with occasional twitches and pauses.

Bait

Shrimp, Cut bait. Light bottom rig or float.

Leader

20 lb fluorocarbon.

Common mistakes

Pulling hooks: very soft mouth

Landing

Gentle, steady pressure.

Handling

Canine teeth

Use pliers.

Keep or release

Check state rules; limits are tight.

Recipes for weakfish

Typical: 10 to 15 in. Large: unknown. Delaware record 19 lb 2 oz (1989).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the DE and MD and VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Delaware DNREC Fish and Wildlife before you keep a fish.

Sources

DNREC Delaware Fish and Shellfish Facts: Weakfish (Official source)
FishTalk Magazine: fishing the Ocean City, MD inlet hotspots (Angler knowledge)
ASMFC: Weakfish (Official source)
FishBase species summary: Cynoscion regalis (weakfish) (Official source)
Gregg Holshouser Grand Strand fishing reports, 2019-2020 (mirror) (Angler knowledge)
SCDNR Saltwater Fishing Trends (pier operator forecasts) (Angler knowledge)

All the fish of Delmarva

Weakfish