Tautog Fishing Tips and Techniques

 

Ocean Tautog Fishing

The tautog or blackfish is one of the most popular species caught by wreck and reef fishermen. Tautog are structure fish that can be difficult to hook and even more difficult to bring up.

A few of the top ports for catching tautog in the Mid Atlantic include Cape May New Jersey, Lewes Delaware, Ocean City Maryland, and Virginia Beach Virginia.

These are a few tips and techniques for tautog fishing along the Mid Atlantic Coast:

• Fish directly over structure, including shipwrecks, rocks, rubble, bridge pilings and artificial reefs.
• Use a basic top and bottom fishing rig when snags and hang ups are not a problem.
• Switch to a single hook rig in areas of extremely rough bottom.
• Carry a wide selection of sinkers ranging from 3-8 oz.
• Choose a rod and reel that can handle depths from 15-120 feet, and 3-8 oz. sinkers.
• Fish with braided lines for added sensitivity.
• Use baits such as blue crabs, green crabs, mole crabs, fiddler crabs, shrimp, and clams.
• When fishing whole blue crabs or green crabs, some anglers imbed both hooks in a single bait and remove or crack the shell of the crab.
• When using cut crab, leave the legs on and check baits often. Replace baits that have had the meat sucked out of the shell.
• Avoid excessive tension on the line and pay attention for minute signs of nibbling. Give a short tug upward when movement is felt.
• If the fish appears to be in the line, set the hook, lift the fish away from structure and then reel in gently.
• Tag and release undersize fish.
• Take no more fish than needed.
• Release female fish when possible.
• Identify sexes - Male tautog have blunter heads and darker, more solid coloring with a faint lighter spot on their flank. Females have a more mottled appearance and sloping forehead.
• Support Artificial Reef programs.
• Seek out party boats or charter boats with a reputation for successful tautog fishing trips.

Related Information

Shipwrecks and Obstructions

Artificial Reefs

NJ - Sea Girt and Axel Carlson Reef Additions

New Jersey's Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs will receive 1,853 yards of concrete rubble from a seawall. Each reef will receive one load of approximately 930 cubic yards.

Deployment locations:

Axel Carlson Reef: 40 00.900'    73 59.700'

Sea Girt Reef: 40 07.450'    73 56.800'

The deployments are subject to weather and sea conditions.

Commercial fishers who have gear in the area during the time of deployment must move it or risk having it destroyed.

Sea Girt and Axel Carlson reefs were constructed and maintained by the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's Artificial Reef Program.

For more information, visit the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife Artificial Reef Deployments page.

NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife

Saltwater Dead Stick Fishing Techniques

Dead sticking is one of the simplest and easiest techniques for catching saltwater fish. The term dead stick refers to a rod and reel that is placed in a rod holder or simply leaned against a rail or other structure.

Dead sticking works with lures and baits and can be done from the shore, from anchored boats or while drifting. Depending on conditions, dead stick lines may be set near the surface, at mid-depth, or on the bottom.

With some species, bites are indicated by only a slight movement of the rod. Others, such as seatrout tend to strike hard and can wreak havoc on equipment. When fishing areas that contain a wide range of species, fishermen must pay close attention to dead stick rigs or risk loosing fish, equipment, or both.

Rod and reel outfits need to be in good working condition when used for dead sticking. Reel drags should have a smooth action and be set correctly. Rods should be in good condition for dead sticking. Reel seats should be tight and eyes should be in good condition. It is also important to replace line that becomes frayed or develops memory (coiling).

When using a dead stick rig to fish live or cut baits, circle hooks are usually the best type of hook. Their unique hooking action eliminates the need to set the hook, which can result in better hookup ratios while causing less injury to fish.

2011-2012 California Recreational Fishing Regulations - Groundfish

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently announced several changes to recreational groundfish regulations that apply to state waters 0-3 nautical miles from shore. The new regulations were adopted by the Fish and Game Commission last month and take effect June 9, 2011.

The changes conform to new federal regulations implemented by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries last month, making all groundfish regulations consistent for state and federal waters from 3 to 200 nautical miles from shore.

The new California regulations were developed over the past two years in collaboration with fishery constituents after updated status information for certain groundfish species became available. For some areas of the state, the new stock assessment results combined with recent catch information allowed for longer fishing seasons while still keeping projected catches within allowable federal harvest limits.

The changes will apply to California recreational groundfish fishing regulations for 2011-2012 statewide unless otherwise noted, and include the following:

 - A decrease of the lingcod minimum size limit from 24 to 22 inches
 - An increase of the recreational bag limit of cabezon to three fish, within the 10-fish combined bag limit for rockfish, cabezon and greenlings
 - Removal of the lingcod fishery closure in December and January through March when groundfish fishing is otherwise authorized
 - An increase of the fishing depth constraint to 60 fathoms year-round for California scorpionfish
 - Modification to gear restrictions when fishing for cabezon and greenlings so that no more than one line and two hooks may be used, consistent with existing regulations for rockfish and lingcod
 - Other modifications to improve clarity and organization

Some Groundfish Management Areas have been renamed. The seasons and depth restrictions that apply for specific Groundfish Management Areas will take effect as follows:

Northern (California/Oregon border to near Cape Mendocino):
 --For 2011, open May 14 through October 31 in depths less than 120 feet
 --For 2012, open May 12 through October 31 in depths less than 120 feet

Mendocino (Near Cape Mendocino to Point Arena):
 --For 2011, open May 14 through August 15 in depths less than 120 feet 
 --For 2012, open May 12 through August 15 in depths less than 120 feet

San Francisco (Point Arena to Pigeon Point):
 --For 2011, open June 9 through December 31 in depths less than 180 feet
 --For 2012, open June 1 through December 31 in depths less than 180 feet

Central (Pigeon Point to Point Conception):
 --For 2011 and 2012, open May 1 through December 31 in depths less than 240 feet

Southern (Point Conception to U.S./Mexico border):
 --For 2011 and 2012, open March 1 through December 31 in depths less than 360 feet

Cowcod Conservation Areas (offshore Southern California):
--For 2011 and 2012, open March 1 through December 31 in depths less than 120 feet (please note that nearshore rockfish continue to be the only species of rockfish that may be taken in these areas).

Anglers are advised to check regulations before fishing for federally managed groundfish. The upcoming recreational fishing regulations supplement will contain all new 2011-2012 groundfish regulations. The regulations are also available on the DFG website at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfishcentral or anglers can call the Recreational Groundfish Hotline at (831) 649-2801.

source: California Department of Fish and Game

Red Snapper Moratorium In Effect - Area Closures Cancelled

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council have concluded that a 4,800-square mile area closure off the coast of southern Georgia and north/central Florida where the harvest of snapper grouper species would be prohibited is unnecessary.

The area closure, included in Amendment 17A to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan, was initially proposed by the Council to further reduce the fishing mortality of red snapper by restricting fishing for 73 species of snappers, groupers, grunts, triggerfish, and other species in the snapper grouper management complex that commonly co-occur with red snapper.

Management measures in Amendment 17A are designed to end overfishing of red snapper as mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.  Measures in the amendment approved by the Secretary of Commerce on December 3, 2010, continue a moratorium on the harvest of red snapper for both commercial and recreational fishermen in federal waters (ranging from 3 to 200 miles) throughout the South Atlantic region.

Regulations in Amendment 17A implementing the area closure were delayed by NOAA Fisheries Service, giving the Council time to review information from a new red snapper stock assessment completed in October 2010.  In anticipation of the new stock assessment, the Council had requested staff begin to develop Regulatory Amendment 10 to look at options for modifying the area closure if necessary.  Regulatory Amendment 10 includes various alternatives, which the Council considered, including an alternative to eliminate the area closure.

After reviewing the alternatives in Regulatory Amendment 10 and the latest scientific information, and considering public comment received at the meeting, the Council voted to approve the alternative in the regulatory amendment that will eliminate the area closure. The unanimous decision was made after considering recent data relative to the updated stock assessment for red snapper and other factors influencing the harvest of red snapper.

"The Council considered a number of factors before deciding to eliminate the area closure off southern Georgia and the north/central coast of Florida," said Council Chairman David Cupka. "We considered the reductions required by the new stock assessment, the impacts of the current prohibition on red snapper, the reduction in fishing trips as documented by the most recent recreational data, comments received from hundreds of fishermen regarding the larger numbers of red snapper available and the effects of the downturn in the economy that have negatively impacted fishing activities."

According to the recent stock assessment, a 70% reduction in fishing mortality (including dead discards) is required to end overfishing for red snapper. Initial analyses incorporating effort reductions from recent regulations suggested the moratorium on fishing for red snapper was not adequate to end overfishing.   However, reductions in effort are possibly greater than expected from regulatory impacts alone and the decline in recreational red snapper mortality under the moratorium during 2010 may be greater than initially estimated.

For example, the most recent preliminary data from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) for the private and charter sectors, including January through August 2010, show a 33% decline in fishing trips in the South Atlantic region compared to 2007-2009 and about an 80% decline in red snapper mortality.  This reduction in fishing effort is consistent with fishermen’s reports and possibly reflects the current economic downturn, while the decline in mortality may reflect fishermen's efforts to avoid red snapper.  Incorporating the mortality reductions observed in the 2010 preliminary MRIP data suggested the current moratorium could provide as much as a 77% reduction in total mortality.

"The Council will continue to closely monitor the Fishery Independent Sampling Program now in place for red snapper to follow the results of the continued moratorium on the harvest of red snapper," explained Chairman Cupka. "We are hopeful that the stock assessment scheduled for 2013 will show a marked improvement in the red snapper stock and managers will be able to allow some harvest as the stock continues to rebuild."

source: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council press release

Fishing Ban for South Atlantic Red Snapper Extended

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has announced that it will extend the ban of commercial and recreational fishing for the red snapper in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Atlantic coast of Florida.
                     
The prohibition takes effect, December 3, 2010, replacing a temporary fishing prohibition due to expire December 5. The final rule authorizing the action filed in the Federal Register.

The final rule also includes an area closure off southern Georgia and northeastern Florida, which would prohibit commercial and recreational fishing for snappers, groupers, and some other bottom fish species to reduce bycatch of red snapper.

According to NOAA, the additional area closure will be delayed until June 1 to allow time to consider the results of a new scientific assessment that the red snapper population may be in better condition than was previously estimated.

The assessment was completed after the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council submitted its request for NOAA’s Fisheries Service to implement the final rule. By delaying the area closure, the agency is providing additional time for the council to review the new scientific assessment and reconsider the area closure.

The final rule also requires fishermen to use non-stainless steel circle hooks, which can reduce hook-related injuries, when fishing for snapper-grouper species with natural bait in federal waters north of the 28 degrees north latitude. The circle hook requirement becomes effective March 3.

The South Atlantic Council is scheduled to review the new assessment and discuss the area closure at its December meeting in North Carolina.

source: NOAA press release