| Tautog, also know as Blackfish, are extremely | | | | leader does, and it is the sinker that often gets |
| tough fighters and very sneaky fish that can be | | | | hung up with this rig, since it hangs down below |
| difficult to catch. However, they are great on | | | | the hook. This way you usually only lose sinkers. |
| the dinner table. We will go over some useful | | | | Bait |
| information about how to catch these fish. | | | | We use crabs for bait. It is easy for us to catch |
| Anchor Retrieval SystemA good anchor system | | | | them at the dock and is doesn't matter what kind |
| uses two ropes, one attached to the front of the | | | | they are (except for spider crabs, we don't use |
| anchor, and the usual anchor rope attached to the | | | | them). Most of the time we remove the legs, |
| back of the anchor. The rope attached to the | | | | claws, and cut the crab in half, then remove the |
| front should have a small buoy on it. When | | | | upper shell before placing it on the hook. If it is a |
| you drop the anchor make sure the ropes don't | | | | very large crab we will cut the halves in half and |
| wrap each other, as this will defeat the purpose | | | | use quarters |
| of the second rope. When it comes time to pull | | | | FishingLet your baited rig down to the bottom. It |
| the anchor up, motor up carefully to the buoy, | | | | is necessary to keep the line tight so you may |
| bringing in the other rope as you approach, then | | | | feel the hit, otherwise the bait can be lost with no |
| grap the buoy and pull the anchor in the rest of | | | | clue to the fact that there was a bite. If the |
| the way using the buoy rope. This pulls the | | | | boat is swinging back and forth, do not let the rig |
| anchor from the front, pulling it right out o the | | | | drag across the bottom, this will hang it up for |
| bottom and any rocks it may have been stuck | | | | sure. Always lift it off the bottom and let it back |
| under. | | | | down as the boat moves. Banging the sinker |
| Boat Handling | | | | on the bottom will make noise which can bring the |
| It is necessary to anchor the boat over the | | | | tautog in to investigate. |
| rocky structure that Tautog prefer. This can | | | | The Bite |
| sometimes be very difficult, if you don't get over | | | | With Tautog, you will often feel the tap-tap-taps |
| the structure you wont be catching any fish. | | | | and will want to instantly try to set the hook. |
| Once you get the boat anchored, remember that | | | | This does not usually work, you need to wait until |
| an area can be fished out, so it is necessary to | | | | you feel the taps become tugs, then try setting |
| let out anchor line as you fish to cover new | | | | the hook. If the fish is hooked, get him away |
| ground. Make sure that you are anchored so | | | | from the bottom as quickly as you can so he |
| that letting out line wll still place you over | | | | can't get hung up in the rocks. Remember not |
| structure. | | | | to lift the head out of the water as you try to |
| RiggingTautog like to hide among rock piles and it | | | | net the fish, this is a good way to lose him. |
| isn't unusual to lose a lot of rigs when fishing for | | | | When to FishIn the fall when the tautog bite is |
| them. We use a very simple rig which helps | | | | really on you can catch a lot of fish, and they can |
| reduce the loss of tackle to a minimum. A | | | | be pretty easy to hook. During the spring and |
| simple monofilament leader with a loop is tied onto | | | | summer, they are not so aggressive and tautog |
| the line and then a hook with a leader is tied to | | | | fishing can be somewhat frustrating. Late |
| this length of mono leader, with the hook able to | | | | October and early November are usually the best |
| hang down to the level of the loop. Then we tie | | | | times to fish for them. Time of day is not |
| a small loop with 12lb test mono, these are used | | | | usually an issue, far more important is tide, which |
| to attach the sinker to the leader loop. This | | | | needs to be running for the bite to be on. Slack |
| lighter sinker loop will break before the main | | | | tide in not usually very good. |