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10/14/2021 12:00 AMBlackfish (tautog) are overfished, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—an assessment that serves as the root cause of tightened regulations. Nevertheless, this didn’t dampen the gusto that ’tog pullers exhibited when the fall ’tog season opened on Oct. 10—even with tighter restrictions on the daily catch limit of three fish at a minimum 16-inch length.
Why was this case? It’s because ’togs are fun to fish for, a challenge to catch, and are considered a mild, sweet-tasting, white fillet that lack a fishy odor and an oily consistency. In short, they are delicious to the palate. On the other hand, some might say they are unattractive, structurally disproportionate, and slimy.
At any rate, ’togs have a huge following, are a healthy fish to eat, and are a good source of protein, niacin, vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium, iron, and phosphorus. The best bite is at dawn and dusk and it’s rather senseless to fish for them at night due to them being relatively inactive.
Because they’re often referred to as one of the best bait stealers in the water due to their methodical way of eating, hooking ’tog is practically all feel and timing—even more so than most fish. At times, you might feel as though you have a better chance at fooling Penn & Teller on their network show Fool Us than outsmarting and hooking a tautog. Although ’togs will eat sea worms, clams, mussels, barnacles, and other shellfish, they delight in feeding on crabs, especially when their jaw muscles strengthen up in the fall.
The choice of gear is important. A rod with a sensitive tip and a lot of backbone near the butt is essential to feel a bite and pull the fish away from a rocky bottom. A 6- to 6 ½-foot rod will enable fishers to better position themselves above a rocky crevice or near a breakwall. Line choice (be it mono or braid) is also important when pairing it up with a smooth reel and the appropriate 40-pound leader and better or hooks (#5-#3 Virginia, 2/0-3/0 Gamakatsu), jigs, and rigs.
Starting off with the right gear when attempting to catch ’togs is essential to success. Developing one’s sense of touch and timing is key in hooking up and giving an inch of line back to that bulldog of a ’togs is one of the key elements of landing a bragger. Good togging everyone.
On the Water
While still warm for this time of year, the recent brief cold front moved on, allowing warmer 70-degree air temperatures to develop. Humidity rose, dropping a few rain showers across the region, while Long Island Sound water temps remained in the high 60s, coupled with calmer seas and milder winds. With the fall bite underway and ’tog season opening, enthusiasm increased and smiles adorned the faces of many once the rough-weather start was history.
The search was on for crabs and other baits that would enable fishers to outwit one of the best bait stealers in our waters. From quick hits to painstakingly slow examinations, these fighting bulldogs are a challenge, matched only by their tasty fillets. For an overfished species, they sure make their mark when finally hooked, but unfortunately, it looks as though this season will shape up with most fish caught being in the three- to five-pound range and outliers hitting double digits. Tip: Keep your hand on the rod and your finger tips on the line.
A surge of striped bass action occurred all along the shoreline as schoolies hit flies, topwaters, sea worms, and swim baits. Intensity varied with tide and location as a mix of these small bluefish and hickory shad met in the lower tidal rivers, while large schools of Atlantic menhaden appeared to be untouched as they were scattered throughout the Sound. In some cases, feeding took place deep within the water column, giving little indication of feeding below.
As expected in the fall, sooner or later the fury of the bluefish shows through and some topwater blitzes became more evident. Surface plugs and spoons found their mark or, more accurately, the blues found them. Nevertheless, while not as impressive as in times past, those brief forays were welcomed by fishers who were alerted by the gulls and within sighting distance. However, Six Mile Reef did recently produce some double-digit choppers on diamond jigs. In conjunction with the bass and blues, fall weakies are in the mix and often picked up while trolling or drifting the deeper part of the water column.
Albies and bonito are in play, but their runs within the Sound remain periodic. On the rips, they are chasing rain baits and, down below, a jig will often connect. Epoxies are a better bet, though. Porgy (scup) pounders are catching slabs, along with mixed sizes from most reefs and humps. Meanwhile, black sea bass are being found at various depths, depending on water temperature and availability of forage.
We continue to see catches of sizable dogfish, skate, sea robins, gray triggerfish, northern kingfish, and toadfish. Keep checking the banks and creeks of tidal rivers for blue crabs. Some minor rivers have thinned out, but most are still OK and worth an excursion.
If you find that’s fishing a little off in the Sound on a particular day, it could be due to pods of recently feeding bottlenose dolphin. Like seals, their presence often signals good water conditions and an abundance of food available—in this case, Atlantic menhaden. Good for the dolphin and tough on the angler, as was the case with fisher and kayaker Jay Moran of Guilford, whose attention was grabbed when he sighted such an event unfolding. Soon thereafter, he caught his first keeper striped bass.
Fall trout stocking continues as many Trout Management Areas, trout parks, lakes, and ponds are receiving their share of hatchery fish. Inland waterways, lakes, and ponds have been active with species across the board, even though vegetation continues to hamper casting, retrieving, and fighting fish in many cases. Fishing weedless setups or pinching hook barbs has helped alleviate that problem.
Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and international fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.
For all things fishy including flies, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Masks required inside. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline’s full-service fishing outfitter, where we don’t make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.
Tight Lines,
Captain Morgan
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