# Speckled Trout vs. Weakfish



## SmoothLures

I've seen the photos but I'm still confused. A few years ago me and my dad caught a bunch of one of these on filleted finger mullet off a pier. They had the 2 fang teeth, and a olive green back with black spots. Also a pretty thin mouth, but I think both of these species do? 
The limit is 14" for specks and 12 for weakfish so it's pretty important, I've caught one since then and it was 12 so I just let him go since I thought it was a trout. 

I thought the weakfish were mostly silver, but I see them catching silver ones with black spots on TV and calling them speckled trouts.


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## Newsjeff

Look at the tail.


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## SmoothLures

What am I looking for with the tail?


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## Newsjeff

The best way for ME to tell is by looking at the tail. 

Specks have spots on their tails. 

Grays don't.

And I still get em mixed up.


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## rattler

specks have spots...greys don't...specks also have a brite yellow mouth...


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## eaglesfanguy

Specks are a pretty greys are cute..
Specks have less spots.. there normally pretty spheres on there backs and tails alot more color then a grey. Greys are usually white to silver with spots resembling freckles..
here is a speck example 
http://www.thejump.net/fishlist/speckled-trout.htm
here is a grey example
http://www.ultimatefishingsite.net/types_of_fish/graytrout.html


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## SmoothLures

rattler said:


> specks have spots...greys don't...specks also have a brite yellow mouth...


Then I guess they were trout. Thanks. 
:fishing:


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## eaglesfanguy

But as a safe rule if you cant tell the difference.. keep each fish at the logest size limit.. then your just stuck with figureing out the bag limits..

i dont have a problem telling the difference.. but i know lots who do.. youll be able to tell once you catch a few of each.. get a guide book or search the net for pictures.. youll find alot of pics of each fish and train yourself to tell the difference..


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## SmoothLures

Yeah I think I'm gonna print a few pictures and see if they have different numbers of spines in their fins that can ID them or something like that. Thanks for the help guys.


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## Digger

The spots on a Speckled Trout are larger and fewer of them.
A Grey Trout has more and much finer spots. 

Also the Speck is firmer than the Grey. I SC you should have more Specks than Grey's.

Oh Grey Trout are Weakfish. The reason for the name Weakfish is the mouth tears easily.


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## RoryGoggin

One of the early ways I learned to tell the difference was: Speckled trout have specks on their dorsal fin and tail, Gray Trout don't.


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## Fishman

Speckled trout have spots dots or whatever you want to call them pretty much all over the bodies. But have one or two fangs in their mouth not really sure what the difference is (although I was one told that one was male and one was female but found out latter that was not true)



rattler said:


> specks have spots...greys don't...specks also have a brite yellow mouth...


So do greys but in a different pattern and not quite as distinctive



SmoothLures said:


> Then I guess they were trout. Thanks.
> :fishing:


They are both trout and all are part of the drum family.


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## Drumdum

*The best way to tell them apart is to fry em up...*

The specks will be semi firm and tasty,the greys will be mushy and taste like dodo,imo....


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## Fishman

Drumdum said:


> The specks will be semi firm and tasty,the greys will be mushy and taste like dodo,imo....


You got that right specs are Um UM good.


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## rattler

Drumdum said:


> The specks will be semi firm and tasty,the greys will be mushy and taste like dodo,imo....


LOL...


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## Newsjeff

Drumdum said:


> The specks will be semi firm and tasty,the greys will be mushy and taste like dodo,imo....


Well, I ain't a dodo eater so I can't compair like Kenny. 

But gray trout taste umm, umm, good to me.


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## eaglesfanguy

I agree news i think Grays taste better.. Specks are definately more fim meated .
Grays dont freeze well either.. but specks do.. 
Guess its just personal prefference..


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## Ryan Y

one versus they other. it's really not that hard I dont think.

http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/drumspot.html

http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/drumweak.html


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## Lip Ripper

specks have kinda of a ring around their spots. greys just have freckles.


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## Drumdum

Newsjeff said:


> Well, I ain't a dodo eater so I can't compair like Kenny.
> 
> But gray trout taste umm, umm, good to me.


 Actually I've smelled it before,and listened to it enough through some ,I even know what it sounds like,so I just estimate what it would taste like... So,grey trout fit that description for me....


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## Jesse Lockowitz

Drumdum said:


> Actually I've smelled it before,and listened to it enough through some ,I even know what it sounds like,so I just estimate what it would taste like... So,grey trout fit that description for me....



LOL!



Jesse


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## sand flea

So in the search for images, I googled "grey trout vs. speckled trout." The first thread looked good.

Unfortunately, it was this thread. It's a hell of a thing when you go for a search to explain something on P&S...and you're brought back to the thread you're trying to explain.

So I took this as a hint and went looking in P&S's photo gallery. This a spec:









This is a grey trout/weakfish/weakie









Given your location, you probably caught a speckled trout.


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## SmoothLures

Yep, they were speckled trout then. Thanks for the help guys.


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## Lipyourown

Specs taste better, both fight about the same.


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## Smashed

Some people call me crazy, but specks have a distinct smell to them. They smell kind of like watermelons or fresh-cut grass, and it is very pleasant. If specks are in big schools, you can actually smell them in the water.

Weakfish just have a plain fishy smell- nothing to pleasant about it.


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## Danman

I wouldn't call you crazy your just smashed!


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## Wild Dave

You can see some nice pictures of sea run speckled trout on my web site www.waterfowlingpei.com or posted in Stripers 24/7 New England and Nova Scotia 30/4/08 & 5/5/08.


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## Smashed

Wild Dave said:


> You can see some nice pictures of sea run speckled trout on my web site www.waterfowlingpei.com or posted in Stripers 24/7 New England and Nova Scotia 30/4/08 & 5/5/08.


Heh, those are a whole other type of speckled trout. (Technically, those are the REAL speckled trout- speckled seatrout aren't in the trout family at all!)


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