The alarm on my phone woke me up at 4 am. The concept is simple. This will take all the blood out of the meat and give you a better tasting fish. All slack line should be taken in as soon as the bait stops sinking. When tautog fishing… One strange thing though: The title says “Catch big fall blackfish” but later in the article it reads “April weather can be tricky, so prepare for the worst and hope for the best!” What’s up with that? A little over the top splicing the line when you could use a number of knots that won’t cost you a dime and are faster to tie – Just saying… Otherwise a good article. Apr 14, 2020 - Tautog Fishing Jigs and Rigs, Tautog fishing pictures, RI Tautog fishing has two seasons Spring and Fall Season tautog fishing can be great in RI. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; Pieces of bloodworm on a bottom rig is the most popular way to fish for them. Rig your sinker at the end of the monofilament using a surgeon's loop knot, and then use a dropper loop about 7 to 8 inches above to attach a separate 2-foot strand of mono with a 4/0 hook. Nice work! The second reason it works well is I use fluorocarbon with it. One surfcaster even used bloodworm on a kingfish rig to hook up a couple tog at T-Jetty. Bloomquist’s ’tog jig rig consists of 30-pound-braid running line ­connected to a 24-inch section of ­20- to 30-pound fluorocarbon with a surgeon’s knot, and a ¼- to 1-ounce jig head tied to the leader with a clinch knot. Trebles are also a great addition to your arsenal when using chunks of blue crab and or sloccum (the gooey rubber-ish stuff under the shell of a female blue crab, which tog love eating) . The rigs deployed are specific, and these toggers have the ultimate confidence in their hands, their hooks and leader, their knots, and their own rigging. Sunny and cloudy days seem to produce the same, but windier days can affect the bite, especially if the tide and wind are in the same direction. Usually a three-ounce sinker will be a good start, and adjust size up or down depending on current. Cast your baited hook and sinker rig into a deep pool of water next to rock structure. You can find them around Rhode Island, Chesapeake Bay, and Cape Cod. Tautog fishing is full swing from mid-October through November throughout southern New England. All rockpiles and jetties have the potential to hold blackfish in the fall, but finding structures that hold good numbers of keeper-sized fish can be a challenge. The guys found it too rough to fish the outside of the south jetty this morning, but they salvaged a nice trip at the route 50 bridge releasing 8 short rockfish on Bird’s World Famous Roy Rig. The length from the bottom of the weight line to the first leader line is 10 inches. Get the upper hand on this by using the extra-strong 4x or VMC hooks, so you can box that Bubba tog instead of pining over it. Tautog fishing is excellent from the jetties and wrecks in depths to 60-feet. Anglers fishing at the Haystacks have been catching fish, and the specks are also showing up in the surf around the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier, Fort Macon and the jetty behind Shackelford Banks. Attract fish to the area with live bait, a fish finder, and high-low rigs. Terry Rand. Apr 14, 2020 - Tautog Fishing Jigs and Rigs, Tautog fishing pictures, RI Tautog fishing has two seasons Spring and Fall Season tautog fishing can be great in RI. Inlet jetties often make excellent tautog habitat as they combine structure, deeper water, abundant forage and moving water. So, why might we be interested in this rig? Despite the choppy conditions I could see bottom and tautog … One day last October, tautog expert Rich Haigh and I were bridle-anchored alongside a massive breakwall outside Connecticut’s New Haven Harbor. Thanks for the help. It was good size fish. The best rod and reel combo for black sea bass and tautog should be capable of handling 30-40 lb. Tautog generally hold very close to the bottom and are often found in and around rocks and boulders. But the first species that captures my attention each fall is the mighty blackfish, and they make a great target for land-based anglers. I spent some time … "Tog" or blackfish, as they are often called, have a tendency to crush baits and spit them back out before the angler has a … We used a high low rig … Incorporating all of these components and how they affect your rigs and bait presentation does make a big difference, and is sometimes the formula necessary to turn an okay day on the water into a great one. Check out the latest episode of Hooked on OC where I fish the route 50 bridge with Bird and his Roy Rig right after some casting with my man David Wells and Deadly Double inventor Dale Timmons. 5. I went today myself to a jetty in Mashpee where they were slamming tautog in the spring(of course we didnt catch any), but today there was just one other person fishing there and he caught one tautog while we caught zero. Shore Bound Tautog by Capt. This predominant crab invades rock piles and structured areas. Discussion Starter • #1 • 2 mo ago. Summer flounder pass the inlet jetties on their way to and from the back bays. 24 blackfish tautog fishing rigs tide rite r455 captain jeff's snafu 2 hook 4/0 4.5 out of 5 stars (3) 3 product ratings - 24 BLACKFISH TAUTOG FISHING RIGS TIDE RITE R455 CAPTAIN JEFF'S SNAFU 2 … The only downfall of this system is the “bumpy” uni-to-uni knot that would go through my guides when I cast my crab rig from the rocks. Loop your sinker onto the dropper loop and you will be ready to fish. They are … Rigs with minimal beads, swivels and hooks should be used to prevent entanglement with the rocks, reefs or wrecks that tautog frequent. The tip is often a hot spot on an inlet jetty, but it also gets the most pressure. This got into quite a few of the finer details that I definitely have overlooked in the past. A 5/0 and 6/0 J-hook paired with 60-pound test is usually a good plan for offshore, but when pre-making rigs have a few 6/0 rigs with 80-pound test in case Bubba shows up. Attach the hook and leader to the dropper loop of the main leader via interlocking (figure 8) loops. When digging for these crabs, it is very important to wear gloves just in case there are sharp rocks or glass nearby. Using live fish on a hook will cause the bait to flail and become erratic and stressed. I went today myself to a jetty in Mashpee where they were slamming tautog in the spring(of course we didnt catch any), but today there was just one other person fishing there and he caught one tautog while we caught zero. Since large fall tautog are destined to migrate, the jetties that border inlets are the best spots for a shore-bound blackfish hunt. Third, you’ll find that it releases from snags easier and quicker than most other rigs. If fishing from shore, a fast action spinning rod that will allow you to cast large sinkers comfortably is usually preferred. The Snafu isn’t a rig commonly seen along the Gulf Coast, which is no wonder since it’s main use is for tautog fishing in the northeast Atlantic. There are two ways to use them: cut a small section of crab and apply it over each barb, or, you can use the whole crab and sink the treble through the middle of the crab’s under-carriage, with just a small section of hook popping out of the top. You can also use a treble hook with this rig to help catch more fish during rougher weather. Andrew spent perhaps 10 minutes on the jetty before spotting the first tautog of the day. Lately I’ve been splicing my leader into PowerPro Hollow Ace, a hollow-core line that allows anglers to make low-profile line-to-line connections. 8. It’s like baby bears’ bed – not too hard and not to soft, but just right. Read on to find out more about this fish and how you can catch it using a variety of methods. Deep Water Blackfish (Tautog) Rigs The rig we recommend consists of a 4ft length of 50lb - 80LB Bullbuster fluorocarbon leader attached to the main line using a 75lb barrel swivel. Catching your own crabs can be a challenge at times, but going at low tide will make the crabs easier to find because you will be able to get closer to the smaller rocks that lie between and beneath the larger jetty rocks. • Check On The Water’s 2016 Fishing Regulations before hitting the rocks. For the Bay this rig in a 40-pound mono line is just the ticket. And after convincing myself to crawl out of bed I got ready, grabbed my gear, and set out once again for the Jersey shore. Predatory fish … Will definitely try but never been blackfish fishing though. I use this rig if the current is on the stronger side and I’ve run out of pre made Captain Ricks’ rigs, because I can tie one in less than 40 seconds and get back to fishing. Traditional tautog fishing involves high low rigs, high quality bottom jigs and buckets of green crabs. Tautog Fishing: How To Fish The Jig & Crab. © 2020 Rudow's FishTalk LLC. Discussion Starter • #1 • 2 mo ago. The egg sinker also allows a fish … 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); Anything that detracts from enjoying yourself is to be avoided.” So grab a rod and some crabs and get out there and have some fun! When a tautog … There is still time to register for the free Ørsted Fishinar Series on ground fish (summer flounder, cod, tautog and black sea bass) to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, via Zoom. A … Our baited rigs probed deep holes among the boulders … For those interested in tuna, there were reports of bluefin 10-to-15-miles out prior to Tropical Storm Zeta. And the potential for a true doormat always exist when fishing from the jetties. 7. A size 3/0 or 4/0 Owner all-purpose cutting edge hook works great with this rig. FREE Shipping. Ocean State Tackle has everything you need for tautog fishing. Light tackle jigging for tautog is still a relatively new technique. June, July and August give anglers the best chance to score some keeper fluke. {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? So, why might we be interested in this rig? braid. Solid work. Tautog hooks bothe loose and snelled . 4.4 out … Because tog hooked from a jetty will rub line against rocks and other debris underwater, I like to fish 50- to 60-pound test monofilament leaders of 10 feet or longer to prevent cut-offs. Blackfish (tautog) Shore Fishing Tips. With inshore waters cooling down, some of the tautog that hung around structure deep in the ocean during the summer move closer to land. Tautog (called blackfish in southern New England) are another bottom fish that are popular with bait soakers. I think there was a crab living underneath just about every rock I stepped on. FREE Shipping. $22.45 $ 22. Summer flounder pass the inlet jetties on their way to and from the back bays. If you’re fishing really rocky areas then increasing to 50-pound test helps, but if the bite is slow adjusting to a 30-pound fluorocarbon leader will sometimes turn it on. Fishing at a inlet in Delaware, been before. Check On The Water’s 2016 Fishing Regulations before hitting the rocks. Picking your days is crucial if you want to put a good catch together. Losing rigs is common when tautog fishing due to bottom hang ups on rocks and structure. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) If you do not like longer leaders, a simple 24-inch leader with a barrel swivel on top and a 3/0 hook on the bottom with a dropper loop 6 to 8 inches above the hook will get the job done. When using a whole medium- to large-size blue crab, you’ll need a larger hook such as a 1/0. These two factors make for water with less fishing pressure than more obvious and easier accessed places. The Bill Burton Fishing Pier on the Choptank River offers excellent fishing opportunities for shorebound anglers. Being ready is the key to success. When a Tog hits, its first instinct is to dive deep into the rocks and you’ll want that extra “ Umph “ to redirect it. I’ve always used multiple rigs for multiple situations, especially when it comes to catching tricky fish like a tog. If you are fishing a deeper area with more current, then you may want to use a jig as heavy as 4-ounces or 5-ounces. The line length above the hook line can be as short as 12 inches or as long at 16. This jetty was perfect for tautog fishing because it provided access to deep water and was loaded with crabs. Captain Kane put his group on 10 fish over 10 pounds today with the largest fish being caught by Kevin Olbrich and weighing 20.4 pounds. What tides do you find most productive for tautog? I generally do not use treble hooks when using fiddlers, but trebles work especially well when fishing offshore during rougher weather. Best Rig for Tautog Fishing off New Jersey This highly, highly debatable. This rig works best when its calmer and not heavy current. As we all know, April weather can be tricky, so prepare for the worst and hope for the best! 6. 301 Posts . Because tautog and sheepshead feed in similar manners, and if you want to slam the sheep, this rig … It usually takes me about an hour to accumulate a comfortable amount of crabs, and when I say comfortable, I mean four to six dozen. Every jetty is different, and it is important to study the area you are targeting and ask questions at your local tackle shop to fully prepare yourself. Tie a small double surgeon’s loop in the end of this leader. 612 Third Street, Suite 3C fbq('track', 'PageView'); Saltwater fishing in general is not a one-size-fits-all game, and the rigs used for tautog fishing are no exception. This rig has a 2 hook system so you can rig up whole crabs to better entice large blackfish. Tautog fishing may also be difficult due to the tendency of fishermen try to set the hook as soon as they feel a hit, rather than wait for the tautog to swallow the bait. This is the 10th tautog over 20 pounds caught on Captain Kane’s boat since he’s owned it including the 28.8 pound world record tautog caught on board in … Next, incorporate variables such as wind speed, current, and the depth you’re fishing, and if you’re moving around to multiple locations also making sure you have plenty different sinker sizes to accommodate different depths and currents. !I see so many … Light tackle jigging for tautog is still a relatively new technique. An eight to ten pound tautog from shore is a trophy fish indeed. n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; Choosing the best equipment, having a good supply of fresh baits and watching your weather conditions will not only improve your catch but will also make you a better angler no matter what species you target. Many of us saltwater anglers cannot get enough blackfish (), this is why it is so hard to patiently wait for the fall season to have a try at these beasts.!! If you have never done this before, or just want to improve your game, just keep reading. June, July and August give anglers the best chance to score some keeper fluke. The Captain Ricks Rig (named after the late Capt. Rick used to tell me this rig was designed to be more effective when used with lots of weight, and it continues to remain my favorite rig when the current is ripping. Tautog rigs are simple many anglers prefer rigs with one hook. When it comes to weather conditions, I never had a preference. All Rights Reserved. 23. You can find them around Rhode Island, Chesapeake Bay, and Cape Cod. Since large fall tautog are destined to migrate, the jetties that border inlets are the best spots for a shore-bound blackfish hunt. Tautog fishing tips are often in demand by anglers who fish along the Northeast coast since this species is known to be a particularly finicky feeder. Required fields are marked *, Copyright © 2020 On The Water, LLC. As with the tautog and sheepshead, clean water free of suspended silt greatly adds to angler odds. In short the jetty was good habitat with plenty of food. My husband and I have brought in fish over 19-pounds with this rig – it may look simple but to a big tog it can be quite lethal. Blackfish are notorious bait-stealers, and you don’t want to be at the end of a jetty during a red hot bite without any crabs left. The Snafu isn’t a rig commonly seen along the Gulf Coast, which is no wonder since it’s main use is for tautog fishing in the northeast Atlantic. Holes, ledges and other irregularities in the jetty will also attract big blackfish and will not get as much attention from other fishermen. Offshore fishermen coming into Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park, where I work, have been using hollow-core lines for some time with great success, and I’ve found that it is just as effective for jetty-dwelling blackfish. They also are a migratory fish with an open and closed season. Some important information to consider when choosing your rig involves knowing your environment, bay verses ocean, bottom type (a wreck verses rocks or the tubes), and the general size of the fish in that area (smaller hooks for smaller fish, and so on). Use a weight that keeps your line vertical and straight beneath the boat when fishing. Generally, the 1/0 is my favorite size offshore fishing with a treble. $16.23 $ 16. I enjoyed reading this. You want to fish with the lightest jig that you can get to hold bottom. The concept is simple. Because tautog and sheepshead feed in similar manners, and if you want to slam the sheep, this rig will come in handy. The Carolina rig aka fish finder rig is simple, yet very versatile for all types of bottom fishing. Tautog Jigs by Joe Baggs. Create a feeding frenzy by getting that bait scent in the water. This can make it hard to hold bottom and feel bites. In the fall, outgoing tides seem to produce better because they flush out warmer bay water and trigger a more aggressive bite, but I have also caught some nice fish at incoming and even during slack tides. Mustad Salt Tog, Sea Bass, Fluke Jig Kit - … Another beautiful day spent down at the Indian river inlet in Delaware! Once a fish picks up the bait, let it tap once or twice, and set the hook, lifting the fish … This will allow it to swim in a more natural motion and attract fish. Tips for Catching Trophy Tog. I have learned over the years that you can never be too prepared when it comes to jetty blackfish. Braided line allows the angler to put more pressure on the fish … I prefer these long, heavy rods for targeting tog from shore because I’m fishing shallow ledges and need the leverage to hoist the fish away from the structure. Fall season offers higher catch limits and often larger fish. A rule that I go by for any species I fish for is “match the hatch,” so presenting baits the blackfish are used to seeing is key to getting the most action. Sign up for our FREE Fishing Reports Today! And the potential for a true doormat always exist when fishing from the jetties. When fishing with live or frozen bait, the bait itself does most of the work. If your fiddlers are on the small side then using cut blue crab can work just as well, if not better sometimes, because with a larger bait it’s much easier to hide the hook. Custom jigs are primo, but a regular Kalin’s leadhead will do in a pinch. Make sure to bring a five-gallon bucket with you for your crab baits and a pair of heavy-duty scissors. Here, they’ll stick near jetties, rip-rap, and inlet structure, providing shoreline and small boat anglers an opportunity to catch legal-size tog, which are seldom found inshore during the warmer months of the year. Read on to find out more about this fish and how you can catch it using a variety of methods. Four to six pound fish are possible. For jetty tog, I fish longer, heavier sticks than I would use for boat fishing. Most anyone you talk to about fishing for tautog, or blackfish as they are commonly referred to, will tell tales of dropping hooked crabs and sandworms over the side of the gunwale, and moments later playing tug of war with a rod bent under the boat as they try to winch a large blackfish from the rock piles below. Tautog Fishing: How To Fish The Jig & Crab When tautog fishing, you will almost always want to present your bait right along the bottom. Fall season offers higher catch limits and often larger fish. And caught 3 big ones. 45. s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script', Otis Ricks, who showed me how to make it.). After attaching the leader, tie a dropper loop about 6 to 8 inches above the end, and then snell a 3/0 bait-holder or octopus-style hook on the very end of your leader. fbq('init', '2045670448804120'); Our commercial fishermen and guides prefer a carolina rig, or dropper loop rig for Blackfish fishing. Annapolis, MD 21403 I call this “making popcorn,” and the results may surprise you. Snell a 4/0 or 5/0 octopus hook with an upturned eye to a separate 12- to 14-inch piece of heavy (30- to 40-pound test) mono. If the crab you’re baiting with is alive, for a more natural presentation use a J-hook inserted slightly off to the side into the bottom mid-section of the crab, with the hook tip coming out towards the top of the crab. A loop is tied to … L ighter tackle allows small jigs to get to the bottom faster and entice more bites. Oh, and one more thing: the big tautogs are hook-benders that will put your gear to the test. The egg sinker lessens the chances of snagging on structure due to its rounded egg shape. We ended up having to upgrade to 2/0 treble hooks that day, because majority of the tautog were 15.5-pounds. But! As for tackle and bottom rigs… Deep Water Blackfish (Tautog) Rigs The rig we recommend consists of a 4ft length of 50lb - 80LB Bullbuster fluorocarbon leader attached to the main line using a 75lb barrel swivel. In recent years, tautog jigs have flooded the walls of northeast tackle shops and are used by boat and kayak tog anglers. Tautog hooks bothe loose and snelled . Judging Jetties All rockpiles and jetties have the potential to hold blackfish in the fall, but finding structures that hold good numbers of keeper-sized fish can be a challenge. Like it or not, you will end up donating plenty of tackle to the rocky environments these fish inhabit, so to help make sure you land those fish that don’t take you into the rocks, bring along some landing gear such as a long-handled net or jetty gaff. One of the best rigs for tautog is a High-Low rig with a lead sinker that can be easily swapped out for a different size weight using a surgeon’s loop. 1pk Unpainted Tog Blackfish Sea Sweeper Jig Tautog No-Collar JigsT&A. is a good choice. Also the jig’s stealth approach gives the fish … When fishing with Asian shore crabs as bait, I hook them right through the back leg sockets. When I catch a keeper blackfish, the first thing I do is bleed it and throw it on ice. This is the 10th tautog over 20 pounds caught on Captain Kane’s boat since he’s owned it including the 28.8 pound world record tautog … Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick said: “Tautog jigs are working but they are all tipped with a green crab with conventional rigs working, too. Use just enough sinker weight to hold bottom. ADVERTISEMENT. To save tautog rigs, I use elastics to attach my sinkers so the elastic breaks when caught in structure and you same the rig… If you start seeing fish in the 22-inch and larger range, up-sizing to 4/0 is a wise decision. Generally, fiddler crabs work great in the Bay but not as well offshore, the match the hatch theory definitely holds its own weight here. The bait of choice for this fishing is crabs, however, sand fleas (mole crabs) or small pieces of fresh clam will work as well. … More articles ought to take notice of this kind of teaching content. But! 1pk Unpainted Tog Blackfish Sea Sweeper Jig Tautog No-Collar JigsT&A. 410.216.9309 As Leigh Perkins once said, “There is only one reason in the world to go fishing: to enjoy yourself. Living in Hawaii now and boy do I miss the taste of Tog, good article some really nice jettys on cape cod bay have wanted to try blackfishing from these jettys i like you match the hatch been using asian crabs for years with good results is there a need to know water temps at what temp does the blackfish bite get hot, Your email address will not be published. What tides do you find most productive for tautog? I spent some time throwing some lures in the Stone Harbor surf today with no action. 23. Something with good action and a beefy back bone to pull big Tog from the bottom. Saltwater Banana Jigs - Unpainted Fishing Lures with Eagle Claw Salt or Freshwater Jig Hooks. It’s usually not hard to catch a limit of these good-eating bottom fish, although it helps to have a few hot spots dialed in ahead of time. Jamestown and Newport are good and, in … Rods & Rigs For Targeting Tautog From Land I use a 7’6 medium heavy rod, spinning or conventional, you decide! I like 16 so I can pull the fish directly onto the boat without a net. A High-Low rig is one of the most common tautog rigs used by shore anglers. Capt. This will let the crab ooze all its good stuff onto the rocky bottom, which will attract any nearby tog. [email protected] if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; Every autumn, fishermen leave their striper gear at home to enact their plans of attack for the new fishing season. My husband’s 19-pound, eight-ounce tog was caught on an emergency 80-pound Bubba rig that I had pre made and had ready on the boat for just that occasion. The only exception to this was an insane trip in 2013, on which we caught a five-person limit and boated 15 citation tautog in a single trip. Check them out on our website here: https://peacetoken.com/blackfish-rigs-double-hook-jetty-rig/ Check them out at our retail location: Peace Token Bait & Tackle 1301 Route 9 South Cape May Court House, New Jersey 08210 Phone: 609-463-6851 Hours of Operation: Monday to Saturday - 7 AM to 7 PM Sunday … Start with 40-pound test and if the bite is still not happening, reduce it to 30-pound fluorocarbon leader – that usually triggers some type of response. Your email address will not be published. You are allowed only one fish daily at the 14-inch minimum, but tog are strong on the local fishing … Baits for Blackfish Jigging: Blackfish jigs are always fished with some type of natural or synthetic bait attached.The standard blackfish baits such as pieces of green crab, white-legger crab, or clam are the most popular offerings on jigs and reliably catch fish … This is a really useful, nuts-and-bolts” kind of article, with lots of practical instruction for a fishing pattern that was surprise to me. That is why I catch my own crabs on the fishing grounds. The prime spot varies from jetty to jetty, but keeping in mind that the biggest tautog will seek out the most dramatic structure will help you put more keepers in the bucket. The easiest and most popular rig is the 3-way rig. I like a 7-foot, 6-inch or 8-foot medium-heavy conventional rod teamed up with a conventional reel spooled with 50-pound-test PowerPro braided line. Tie a single dropper loop that’s six to six and a half inches long, and put either a 5/0 or 6/0 hook on the end with the hook tip facing the rig. If it is tautog you are after, have an ample supply of these crustaceans. If … One crab that you will find very abundant in and around local jetties is the Asian shore crab. You fish more, because you’re snagged less. Andrew set the hook, but as is often in the tautog fishing world, missed the fish. I second this! After hooking them, I take my sinker and smash the top shell. Before you start rigging your rod up, begin by stopping at a local tackle store and picking up a good amount of 2- to 6-ounce bank sinkers along with a couple packs of 3/0 bait-holder or octopus-style hooks. Using a Carolina rig, the crab appears to be swimming (or at least floating) in a more natural manner and with no weights dangling underneath it. Most often, catching them simply involves flipping over a rock and grabbing the crabs before they can scurry out of reach. L ighter tackle allows small jigs to get to the bottom faster and entice more bites. There are a variety of bait rigs to choose from when it comes to blackfishing. Also known as the blackfish fish, the tautog fish is a species of wrasse that is common in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. Learn these tips for catching more tog. The dropper loop itself is a mere four inches long, and an Owner 3/0 cutting-edge hook on the end (with the hook tip facing the rig) works well. When using a fiddler, a 3/0 J-hook works great for medium to large fish. throw it straight ahead and the current takes your rig 20 ft right before it can even hit bottom... nutty little inlet... All we did was tie a hook to the end of the line. Nothing is worse than seeing a nice bucktooth on the surface with your only hope of landing it being to swing him onto the rocks and hope he does not fly off. The Asian shore crab is a smaller crab and can be caught under small rock piles around jetties. Rods and Reels. Bonus Tips for Tautog Fishing As with the tautog and sheepshead, clean water free of suspended silt greatly adds to angler odds. A loop is tied to the end of the leader and passed through the eye of a 4-10oz bank sinker. When it’s too late – or too cold – to launch a boat, many guys will don waders and wander off into the back bays to target late-season stripers. I’ve noticed over the years that blackfish can be very sensitive to water temperature changes. If fishing from a boat, a 7-8 ft. rod rated for 3-8 oz. When fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, size four treble hooks work well and then up-size to size two or one for citation-sized fish. Plus, the short leader loops allow for fewer tangles. We used a high low rig with seaworm on one hook and green crab on the other. Rigging yourself the right way will put you on the right path to better results. 4.4 out of 5 stars 34. Always keep in mind that your hook size will have to accommodate both the size of fish you’re targeting and the bait you’re presenting. Also known as the blackfish fish, the tautog fish is a species of wrasse that is common in the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. When fishing with bucktail jigs, attach about three feet of 20 to 40-pound test fluorocarbon leader using a barrel swivel. I was focused on the Tog or tautog and I found them quick. $16.23 $ 16.