No Fluke

Tautog bite coming on strong

Posted

Its fall and the tautog fishing is strong. Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly said, “Tautog fishing in South County has been outstanding with most anglers catching keepers. Green crabs are the bait of choice as Asian crabs are not as prevalent in this area.” Nick Hayes of Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle, North Kingstown said, “Anglers are focusing on tautog. They are buying green crabs and the bite seems to be good just about everywhere… off Jamestown and Newport and in the Bay.”

Capt. B.J. Silvia of Flippin Out Charters said, “Vicktor Tang of New York caught an 11.5 pound tautog Sunday on his boat fishing in the Bay.”

Tautog (or Blackfish) is a great eating fish with a white delicate meat. So weather you fish the shore or from a boat in the bay or along the Newport and southern coastal shore now is the time to tautog fish. This weekend the limit was enhance to six fish/person/day with a ten fish boat limit (does not apply to charter boats).

Here are some tautog tips to enhance your bite...

1. Fishing in the fall is cold. So dress warm. If you dress in layers you can take them off as the sun warms things up. Do not forget the gloves, I usually have at least four pairs with me…waterproof neoprene gloves, light cotton gloves, heavy winter gloves…whatever the condition brings I am ready because my hands are the first to get cold.

2. Find structure to find tautog. Tautog can be fished from shore or boat and in both cases they like structure (rocks, wrecks, bridge piers, dock pilings, mussel beds, holes along the coast, etc.) So no structure, no tautog.

3. Fish where the fish are. This is particularly true with tautog because they are a territorial species, you have to find the tautog, and they are not going to find you. So if you get no bites move to another spot. When you find them, you find them and the bite is on.

4. Boat placement is important. Find structure, estimate wind/drift direction and anchor up current from where you want to fish and drift back to the spot as the anchor is setting. Once in position fish all sides of the boat. Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick suggests casting a bit to cover as much area as you can. If still no bites let some anchor line out to change your position, if still no bites it is time to move the vessel.

5. Green crabs and Asian crabs are the bait of choice in the fall. When using crabs make it easy for the tautog to bite and take the bait. Break off claws and legs, cut the crab in half and hook it through one leg socket and out another. I often break the shell to enhance the scent and to make it more appetizing. Tautog rigs are simple with one or two hooks and a sinker.

6. Losing rigs is common when tautog fishing due to bottom hang ups on rocks and structure. To save tautog rigs, I use elastics to attach my sinkers. If the sinker gets hung up on a rock the elastics breaks, you lose the sinker but save the tautog rig. Another rig that has cut my lost rigs in half is using an egg sinker rig with one hook below. They take a little time to learn how to fish them but they catch more fish because you are in the water for a longer time and can place the bait between rocks in heavy structure with ease.

7. Fish lodged in structure. Here is a tip from George Poveromo. When a fish is hooked and it has muscled its way back to structure, apply pressure forcing a respectable amount of bend in the rod. If the fish is not moving, pull or pluck the fishing line like a banjo or gaiter string. The sharp vibrations emitted work their way back down to the fish through the line and irritate it. The fish in a state of confusion may back out of the hole to free itself from the irritation. Once you sense this has happened start pumping and reeling in the fish so it does not muscle its way back into the structure. I used this technique over the weekend and it worked very well.

8. Feel the bite… and then get ready for a tug of war. I believe with the first tap the tautog is positioning the bait for consumption. So if I miss the first tap I am ready for the second bite to set the hook quickly. Once the fish is hooked, keep the rod up, and reel up quickly.

9. Use braid line with little drag. Braid line allows you to feel the fish tap. Monofilament line will stretch allowing the fish to run for cover. It is important to put little drag on the reel and apply continuous pressure so the tautog comes up and does not go back down to hide in structure once you have it hooked.

10. Where to fish for tautog. From shore look for rocky coastline like Beavertail Point on Jamestown, locations off Newport and off breakwater rock walls at along the southern coastal shore. From a boat I have had good luck at Plum Point light house next to the Jamestown Bridge, the rock wall north of Coddington Cove in Portsmouth, off Hope Island, around Brenton Reef in Newport, Whale Rock, Ohio Ledge in the East Passage and any other place there is structure, debris, rock clusters, mussels beds, wrecks, etc.

Fly fishing in Alaska and British Columbia

Want to learn how to fly fish Alaska and British Columbia? Now is your chance at the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU225) meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m., at the Coventry / West Greenwich Elks Lodge, 42 Nooseneck Hill Road (Rte. 3, Exit 6 off of Rte. 95), West Greenwich.

Charter Capt. Bob Hines of Fly Fish RI will present on fly fishing on the Alagnak River in the Katmai region of Alaska and the Skeena River, B.C. Contact Chapter president, Ron Marafioti, at 401/463-6162, for information.

Emergency shellfishing closure lifted

Effective at noon this past Saturday, all waters impacted by the precautionary shellfish harvesting closure in Rhode Island are open to shellfishing with exception of conditional areas. Conditional areas were closed due to rainfall and were scheduled to reopen at noon on Monday, October 17. The emergency closure was due to a confirmed harmful algae bloom caused by the presence of toxic phytoplankton, Pseudo-nitzschia spp. 

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shellfishing for over 40 years. He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association and a member of the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net or visit his website at noflukefishing.com.

Capt. Dave Monti, No Fluke

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