If you’ve never been Tautog fishing before, you might wonder what makes them so popular. With a world record below 30 pounds, they don’t grow to impressive sizes, and when it comes to looks—well, they resemble the bottom of a dirty slipper. So, what gives?
For one thing, Tautog (aka Blackfish) is an excellent eating fish. Some compare their firm and mild flesh to that of Red Snapper, while others have gone so far as to call it “the poor man’s lobster!”
What’s more surprising, however, is how much value anglers place on Tautog as a sport fish. These dark-colored Wrasse don’t stray far from the rocky structures they live in, nor do they go after flashy, fast-moving baits. But, make no mistake, ‘Togs are tricky to catch. Successfully hooking one is only half the battle!
In other words, Tautog fishing will keep you on your toes, and diehard anglers find that irresistible. Let’s find out why—along with a little more about these small but feisty fish!
How to Identify Tautog
Tautog (Tautoga onitis) inhabit the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. However, they’re most heavily concentrated around Cape Cod and the Chesapeake Bay.
As a slow-growing Wrasse, they reach up to 3 feet long and weigh over 20 pounds, but that’s rare. Most trophy fish barely top 10 pounds, and the average catch is in the single digits—around 2–3 pounds.
Tautog are also called “Blackfish” due to their murky color, which ranges from gray to deep black. Their “top-heavy” shape features a large head, no body contour, and a broad, non-forked tail. One glimpse between their bloated lips will reveal the large, canine teeth they use to crush their favorite food: crustaceans.
Tautog Fishing Spots
Though Tautog inhabit a relatively small portion of the Atlantic, your chances of catching them within that range are decent pretty much anywhere. The key is to find structure, whether it’s a jetty jutting out from shore or a rockpile deep below the surface. That said, a few hotspots stand out above the rest, so here’s a rundown of the best areas for Tautog fishing, from north to south:
Massachusetts
Tautog swarm the coast of Massachusetts in April and May, with a second peak season in fall. Cape Cod is a particular hotspot, with excellent fishing in Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Shoal, and along the Cape itself. Anglers looking to keep their catch here will need to pay close attention to MA state regulations, as there are a number of seasonal closures and various bag limits depending on when you cast your line:
- April 1–May 31: 3 fish
- June 1–July 31: 1 fish
- August 1–October 14: 3 fish
- October 15–December 31: 5 fish
Note that there’s a limit of 10 fish per vessel when fishing from a private boat. The minimum size for keeper fish is 16 inches, with the exception of one ‘Tog which may be longer than 21 inches.
Rhode Island
You’ll find a surprisingly good ‘Tog fishery off the little stretch of coast belonging to Rhode Island—specifically, off the coast of Newport. Here, Tautog make their way into Narragansett Bay to cuddle up among the reefs and rocky shelves in time for their spawning season in late spring and summer. They call these shallow waters home until fall, when cooler temperatures finally drive them to deeper hiding spots.
Try fishing structures around the Coddington Cove jetty, Hope Island, Whale Rock, General Rock, Brenton Reef, and Plum Lighthouse. Before heading out, always double-check Rhode Island’s open seasons and possession limits for Tautog:
- April 1–May 31: 3 fish
- August 1–October 14: 3 fish
- October 15–December 31: 5 fish
There’s a limit of 10 fish per vessel when fishing from a private boat. Any ‘Tog you keep must be at least 16 inches long, with the exception of one fish which may exceed 21 inches.
New Jersey
New Jersey‘s spring Tautog season opens April 1 and, by the end of the month, these fish have made their way close enough to shore that you can hook them while fishing from a jetty. In fact, many local hotspots don’t require a boat at all—just look for rocky shoreline and make sure it’s legal to cast!
During the winter season, you’ll have to fish deeper rocks and reefs for them, usually in waters around 100 feet deep. While you may still have some success at this point, they aren’t feeding as aggressively as they did in the spring.
There’s a minimum size limit of 15 inches for any Tautog you keep during the open seasons in New Jersey and, depending on the season, you can catch the following amount:
- April 1–30: 4 fish
- August 1–November 15: 1 fish
- November 16–December 31: 5 fish
- January 1–February 28: 4 fish
Maryland
Maryland has no shortage of Tautog fishing opportunities, whether you’re casting a line in the open ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, or near the icy shorelines come wintertime. January marks the opening of Maryland’s Tautog season and this time of year sees some of the state’s biggest catches, including the world record of 28 pounds, 13 ounces that was landed off the coast of Ocean City.
In the Chesapeake Bay, these fish are biting year-round, but you’re less likely to catch them in summer when other, more adventurous fish enter the bay and snatch up your bait.
Maryland’s Tautog limits are as follows, whether fishing in the Atlantic or the Chesapeake Bay:
- January 1–May 15: 4 fish
- July 1–October 31: 2 fish
- November 1–December 31: 4 fish
Any Tautog you take home must be at least 16 inches. Additionally, anglers may target Tautog for catch-and-release between May 16 and June 30.
Virginia
Virginia is another hotspot for ‘Togs with access to the lower Chesapeake Bay. Down here, they’re most active from April to June and again from October to January.
Head to Virginia Beach, where you can usually expect good inshore fishing around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and its pilings, not to mention many nearshore wrecks along the coast. Cape Henry Wreck, The Cell, The Concrete Ships, and Back River Reef are a few local honey holes you may hear about as well.
As always, be mindful of current fishing regulations and make sure you’re up to date on Virginia’s Tautog fishing season and possession limits. As of 2024, the season closes from May 16–June 30. There’s a bag limit of 4 fish per person and a minimum size limit of 16 inches.
How to Fish for Tautog
Tautog don’t stray far from their chosen rocks and reefs, so the most important part of catching one is to bring your hook to them. Start by locating rock piles, reefs, bridge pilings, and other structure where they hide. Then, anchor up as close as possible and keep the boat stationary rather than drifting with the current.
The biggest ‘Togs are the most cunning—anything suspicious will make them bury themselves deep inside crevices where they’re hard to reach. So be subtle with your presentation and if you don’t see any action after a reasonable amount of time, move on to another spot. Don’t wait around. This is key! You don’t necessarily have to move far—sometimes repositioning your boat half a dozen feet away will make all the difference.
It’s common to fish for Tautog using a baited jig, however you won’t be jigging for them the way you would jig for other fish. You want to be subtle, so keep your bait in place or inch it along the seafloor like a crab would crawl. Less movement is often better.
Pro ‘Toggers describe a tapping or scratching sensation that you’ll feel when other fish are pecking at your bait. Resist the urge to set your hook and wait for a solid tug or several strong thumps instead. You may also see slack in your line when a ‘Tog has actually picked up your hook and carried the sinker off with it.
Once you feel extra weight on the end of your line, it’s time to set your hook. But don’t let up! Crank that reel until your fish is free from the structure below and you have a clear path to the surface.
Tautog Fishing Rigs
There are several go-to rigs for Tautog, depending on your bait choice and how deep you plan on fishing. In general, it’s perfectly fine to keep your setup simple using a snafu-style rig, slider rig, or just a single-hook rig. You’re usually good to go with 3/0–5/0 octopus hooks.
One of the quickest setups is a single-hook Belmar rig. In this case, you don’t even need to use a jig. A snelled Virginia-style hook is looped around the double surgeon’s loop that holds the sinker, then you lock it in place with an overhand knot tied around the hook leader.
A snafu rig is good for fishing whole crabs. This rig has hooks snelled on both sides of a fluorocarbon line. Make a dropper loop in the middle of those two hooks, allowing the rig to be connected to the dropper loop on the main leader once again via a loop-to-loop connection.
The high-low rig is another standby, using a 4–20 oz lead sinker depending on the current. Traditional lead-weight rigs tend to work best in waters 10–30 feet deep because they stay put even in areas with a heavy current.
Tautog Tackle
For shore or shallow water fishing, opt for a 6–7′ spinning rod with a 2500–5000 series reel. Experienced ‘Toggers like using rods with a strong backbone and sensitive tip, such as a graphite or composite rod. This gear is good for fishing small jigs tipped with bait, which has become popular in recent years. Since you’ll be fishing on top of structure like rocks and reefs, use a 20–30 lb braided line with a 50 lb fluoro leader.
You can also use a small, conventional reel or a baitcaster loaded with 30–80 pounds of braided line. This is useful in deeper water, or areas where the current is relatively fast. Again, the combined strength and sensitivity of a graphite or composite rod will serve you well.
Bait and Lures
A Tautog’s teeth are made for crushing hard-shelled morsels like mussels and crustaceans. They’ll nip at anything clinging to the rocks around them, from scallops and clams to shrimp, lobster, and crabs. Depending on the season, any of these could be productive bait. As always, fresh is optimal.
Most of the time, anglers fish for Tautog using crab. There are multiple species to choose from, depending on what normally crawls around the area. The most common bait choices are green and Asian crab, as well as white-legged crab, blue crab, and fiddlers. You can fish them whole or in halves or quarters, depending on their size.
Some anglers insist that soft baits are better for spring Tautog fishing, such as clams, soft-shelled crabs, and shrimp. As summer turns to fall, they’ll opt for harder-shelled prey like mussels and green or Asian crab on Tautog jigs. Come winter, you might have more success with Jonah or hermit crabs in deeper water.
Fishing with jigs has become increasingly popular ever since the introduction of Tautog jigs (aka banana jigs). In this case, you’re not truly jigging for a ‘Tog, but tipping the jig with your bait and allowing it to sit or “walk” along the seafloor in a manner more natural than a floating rig. Use Tautog jigs ranging from half an ounce to 4 ounces, depending on the depth.
When to Catch Tautog
Tautog are some of the first and last fish anglers in the Northeast get to catch all year. These fish are considered migratory because they move between inshore and offshore waters, but they never truly leave the waters they call home. This makes Tautog accessible year-round, so long as you know where to drop your line and how to finesse it.
In most areas, you’ll hear reference to a spring and fall Tautog season, when they’re closest to shore and state regulations allow you to keep them. This is the best time for shore fishing and inshore fishing. Autumn in particular is when these fish get really active. In the far Northeast, this happens as early as October while states in the southern part of their range get the same action beginning around December.
January is a great time to fish for Tautog offshore and this is when most record-breaking fish have been caught. It’s especially popular to head out at this time of year around southern New Jersey and the Delaware Bay.
Tautog Fishing: A True Angler’s Test
They may not be the most ostentatious prize in the Northeast or the easiest eating fish to catch, but Tautog are worth the effort. Think of the experience as a battle of wits rather than strength, and it’s easy to see why people find ‘Tog fishing so addictive.
Whether fishing a baited jig or a single-hook rig, you’ll enjoy the challenge of coaxing these Wrasse from their lair. Not to mention, there’s a sweet reward to be passed around the dinner table later!
And now over to you! Have you ever landed a Tautog? Was it the challenge or the rewards you were going after? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
The post How to Go Tautog Fishing: The Complete Guide for 2024 appeared first on FishingBooker Blog.
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