U.S. [ad. obs. Du. weekvisch, -vis, f. week soft + visch fish. Cf. G. weichfisch, a gadoid fish.] A marine sciænoid food-fish of the genus Cynoscion, esp. C. regalis, the squeteague or sea-trout of the Atlantic. Other varieties are the spotted weakfish, C. nebulosus, and the white or bastard weakfish, C. nothus.
The Dutch name (in the form weekvis) occurs in a poem in praise of ‘New Netherland’ by Jacob Steendam (1661), cited in Goode, American Fishes (1888), 110.
c. 1838. Encycl. Metrop. (1845), XXIV. 365/2. It is known to the Anglo-Americans by the name of Weakfish, because considered by some as a debilitating food, and by others from it pulling but slightly on the line with which it is caught.
1844. Amer. Jrnl. Sci., XLVII. 61. Otolithus regalis, Cuv., Weak Fish, Yellow-fin.
1873. T. Gill, Catal. Fishes E. Coast N. Amer., 26. Cynoscion regalis … Squeteague or squit … weak-fish (New York).
Hence Weakfishing, fishing for weakfish.
1883. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 125. Much the same rig as is used in weakfishing.
