There is an abundance of hard fighting, great tasting, and beautiful game fish that live throughout our northeastern seas and everybody has their favorite based on at least one of these reasons. One underrated fish, the tautog (otherwise known as blackfish), is hard fighting and great tasting, just not so beautiful. For that reason they are not typically a fisherman’s favorite fish to target, including myself, yet that doesn’t mean we should not look forward to their inshore arrival every spring and fall. These fish spawn offshore in the summer and return there in the winter until the weather warms further inshore. Not to say that these are warm water fish, as they are typically what start up and cap off the saltwater seasons. Maybe if it weren’t for their bulbous lips, flat and neutral colors, thick coating of mucus, and mangled set of teeth they could have gained some extra popularity. But isn’t it what's on the inside that counts? Perhaps this is most true for the tautog, whose dense white meat makes fantastic meals and an excellent fight for their weight class.
They are easily accessible by any watercraft and from the shore in certain locations, as they hold on rock structures along the coast in 25 to 40 feet. They forage the rocky crevices in search of crabs, perrywinkles, and many other shellfish and crustaceans. They peck at their prey rather than swallowing it whole, disarming claws and cracking shells with the initial pecks. When fishing for them I typically use tautog jigs or two hook weighted rigs, both baited with half or whole green crabs depending on availability of bait and size of the tautog in the area. I prefer using the jigs over the hook rigs because I believe they instigate bites quicker, draw the attention of the larger tautog, and discourage pesky scup from taking the bait. I like to use 2 ounce jig heads which allow me to really feel the bottom while still light enough for the hits to register well. Once I feel light taps on the end of my rod, I keep my rod still and my line tight until I start to feel the weight of the fish on my line. At that moment set the hook with as much force as you would on a largemouth and reel to keep your line tight. You’re going to want to pump your rod and reel to get its head turned upwards because they will run for structure like the mutton snapper down in Florida. If you get a good hook set there is very little chance it will come loose from their tough mouths. The fight to the boat typically is not long but their dense broom tails, powered by their stout and muscular build, will put a hefty bend in your rod.
Most of the tautog I keep are in the five to six pound range but there are some behemoths that reach double digits. A five pound tog will provide enough meat for 2 to 4 people and is the perfect fish to serve someone who says they don’t typically like fish. They have virtually no blood line and are some of the mildest tasting fish I have ever had. Whatever seasoning you choose to flavor this fish with is going to have a heavy influence on how this fish ends up tasting; almost the tofu of the sea. The meat is firm enough to be grilled and is suitable for nearly any fish recipe, becoming milky-white and flaky once cooked. There are several stronger-tasting fish that I definitely enjoy more, but I am never let down by the quality of meat and fight I receive from every tautog I harvest.
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