Blackfish or Tautog

A fine fighting fish that is excellent table fare!

Jimdogg shows his first blackfish ,a small specimen that was returned to the sea to grow.

Buzzard's Bay  and  Galilee, Rhode Island

Late autumn winds and cooler water temperatures bring a change to ocean fishing.  Disappearing are the striped bass, tuna and other game fish that roamed the summer waters off New England. Thoughts turn to ground fish like cod, haddock and pollock.  Late in autumn, with cod restrictions in effect in the Gulf of Maine, high winds and even higher gas prices,  we decided to do some tautog fishing.  We launched off Rte28 near the Mass. Maritime Academy. This is a fine ramp with water even at the worst of minus tides. Capt. Gene Kelly of the "Irish Ayes" had no problem at the dock. G-No is a graduate of the academy and had plenty of stories to tell as we cruised out into the western end of Cape Cod Canal.  We searched some of the wrecks on the western end of the canal to no avail. So we wandered off toward Cleveland Ledge to try some rock piles in the area. We finally found fish but only in the 12-15 inch range. Billy Bob hooked his first ever tautog and also pulled in a double header. We of course are looking for fish in the 5 -15 pound range.

Tautog inhabit the rocky coastline from Nova Scotia to the Carolinas. Rock piles, wrecks, and reefs will all hold fish. Many fishermen would be surprised to find blackfish in their waters but they are there.  To find productive fishing areas in the northern stretches ask your local scuba divers to be on the lookout for schools of blackfish when they dive for lobsters. Then it's a question of bait, live crabs, clams or mussels can and do work. Finding a bait store open and stocked with live crabs can be a problem late in the year. We found ours at Main Bait and Tackle, 2599 South Main St. in Fall River. (508-679-3853)  This territorial fish will inhabit the same area throughout the year and this makes them vulnerable to over fishing. So change your spot each time you go and seek new structure that may not yet have fishing pressure. Bag limits are different in the different states, so check the regulations for your area.

Where are the big ones?

The big ones are off the coast of Rhode Island where the Frances Fleet brings you. Jimdogg and Elmer took the day after Thanksgiving to make a visit to our friends in Galilee. The cost is more than reasonable for a whole day on the water. Many of the regulars were there and quite a few people drove up from New Jersey to get in on the bite. The mates had plenty to do on the way in and served the patrons well with everything from the bait to the Picture Jimdogg's fish weighed in at just over 7 pounds and came in third for the pool with a couple near 8 pound fish. All the regulars did well and there were many fish in the 3-6 pound range. Search the outer edges of the rock piles with the deepest water surrounding them. Then get on top of the structure using your anchor to move yourself back and forth till you hit fish. The weather was cold and windy, but the captain skillfully placed the boat over the structure with his A-game and sent most everyone home happy. Even the gulls. More Tautog stories.