Fishing For Tautogs
August 28th, 2010 | Fly Fishing News | No Comments »Anglers in the northeast rave about boat fishing for blackfish. Also known as tautogs, this fish is known for putting up quite a fight and straining fishing rods so they are nearly bent in half from pulling. These fish have one goal and that is to pull your line into the rocks in the hopes of freeing themselves from captivity. For those without a boat, there is no need for you to miss out on the fun and adventure of these feisty fish. Though not often talked about, there are opportunities for shore fishing for blackfish and for those who either have no access to a boat or simply prefer shore bound fishing.
Areas where shoreline waters are in the 50 to 65 degree range are perfect spots to find tautogs as long as they have rocky areas. Remember the blackfish prefers cooler waters and they will be found in these more shallow waters in both the spring and fall. In the springtime, tautogs will be seeking out shallow water rock piles to feed and they will also head to these areas for spawning before they move out to deeper, cooler waters.
Once fall arrives, the blackfish tend to move back towards the shore in an attempt to make sure that they are able to fatten up and prepare for the winter months that lie ahead. This is when you can find them in shallow rock piles – 6 feet in some instances. This is where they are scrounging for crabs, mussels and barnacles to fill up on. This is a great opportunity for those who are interested in shore-fishing to have a chance to land a blackfish or two.
Charts can be very useful in these areas, especially those that provide depth contours and identify rock piles that are along beaches and jetties. These are ideal fishing areas for blackfish and the right charts will help you identify them with ease. Tautogs will also be found hiding in rocky formations that can be identified when the tide starts changing – you can find those formations that extend into the water under breaking waves.
Your gear will have to be up to the task of taking on this feisty fish. You won’t get away with a weak rod or reel with tautogs. Since the goal of the blackfish is to separate themselves from your line by any means necessary and they have the bulky body and broomstick like tail that will allow them to do this, you have to be quick. Remember that these fish want to break your line off and they will immediately head for the nearest rock formation in their quest to do so. Make sure you have a good stout rod, and a reel that you can control well. Whether your reel is a spinner or a conventional one the secret to success with blackfish is having complete control of that reel. You are going to need to be able to stop the line from being released as quickly as possible since this fish is going to hit hard and he’s going to hit fast. Using a 10 or 11 foot rod might serve you better than the normal 8 foot rod that is preferred by most shoreline anglers. Not only will it be stronger, but it’s likely to give you the extra leverage you need to get the right upward pulling power needed for tautogs.
More and more anglers are turning to braided line for their fishing because this line offers unparallel sensitivity allowing you to feel the slightest nibble and the lines don’t stretch. The problem with a braided line is they are not very good under conditions that create any type of abrasion. Make no mistake about it, braided line is probably not your best option for blackfish angling. While they are strong in comparison to their diameter, a few quick drags on a rock and your line is history. You may want to think about using a leader – a couple of feet should do the trick if you use it with a 30-50 pound braided line – this will work fairly well if you are fishing in an isolated area and using a good monofilament fluorocarbon leader of the proper length.
Rocky holes are the favorite hiding spots of tautogs. These blackfish are going to head straight towards any rocky hole that is available when they find they’re attached to your line. What winds up happening is that you are quickly going to discover that your line is being dragged over every rock that is in their path – monofilament line between 17 and 30 lb weight is probably the best possible choice for blackfish.
Your bait rig will be your next consideration. An octopus hook (2/0 size) on a fluorocarbon leader will be a good option. Create your own slider rig with a slider sinker in the 2-4 ounce range, and thread that onto your line. Your barrel should be rated for upwards of fifty pounds and a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader around 2 feet long should be the best possible rig you can use.
Bait isn’t that much of a challenge if you know the dietary habit of the tautog. Crabs, clams and sandworms are all part of their diets and so are mussels. You can toss your rig complete with any of these bait choices into rocky areas to lure blackfish. Just make sure that instead of using a sand spike that you are holding onto your rod – remember, these fish are interested in not getting caught and if you don’t start reeling them in right away they are liable to take off immediately after stealing your bait. As many others have, northeast anglers will enjoy tackling these aggressive tautogs from onshore.
When you are getting prepared for a saltwater fishing adventure, having the proper equipment is essential. Some of the most popular products on the market include okuma reels and van staal reel.