New Jersey Blackfish Fishing Spots | Tautog Fishing Spots in New Jersey
New Jersey Blackfish –Tautog are abundant off the New Jersey coast. We offer professionally fishing spots for Tog with comments so Fishermen have access to some of the best bottom fishing spots for New Jersey Blackfish available anywhere. Our professionally organized Tautog Fishing spots are precisely placed by our cooperative group of fishing guides and Commercial Fishermen for top fishing results. See our New Jersey Blackfish Tautog fishing spots locations
The Tautog or Blackfish is possibly the most sought after bottom fish species off Coastal New Jersey. Although tricky to catch in deep water and running current, Anglers fish for Blackfish as a mainstay in New Jersey saltwater fishing as a sport.
New Jersey Wreck Fishing Spots and Structure Fishing Spots for Tautog or Blackfish
Some of the largest Tautog Blackfish in the Atlantic Ocean are caught off New Jersey in the Fall and Winter season by Anglers up and down the northern states East Coast. We offer Blackfish or Tautog Fishing Spots that include Wrecks, Wreck Remains, Rock Piles, Debris and scrap piles and other live bottom areas where some type of Structure is present. Structure provides some of the best Blackfish fishing spots for your best shot at catching a hog Tautog! — Wreck Fishing spots offshore of New Jersey are the most prominent for catching nice Tog, and we’ve spent many years gathering this data from our Guides to bring you a fishing spots map with more structure and Wreck Fishing spots than ever!
How to catch Tautog or Blackfish in New Jersey
Tautog or Blackfish fishing is often times a challenging sport, but offers great reward to Anglers willing to take the time in finding good fishing spots for them. It takes some practice and a whole lot of patience, and most Anglers have their own techniques they implement for Tog fishing. Slowly lifting the tip of your rod allows you to “feel” a Tautog holding or mouthing the bait… When you feel that extra “weight”, set the hook! In a sense, it almost feels like you’ve rocked up or gotten snagged in the structure… But, that’s a Tautog holding the bait in most cases. It’s tricky, plain and simple.
Blackfish feed differently from one day to the next and weather plays a role in their feeding patterns. One day the tautog will eat anything you send down to them, but in the following days on or near moon tides, the fish will only hold the bait and become difficult to catch, especially in deeper water..
Tautog hang around Wrecks, Rocks or other structure and debris like old pipes, cables and wreck remains. In contrast to how we would like to fish for Tog, they present themselves in tough conditions like hard running currents and tides. This always makes fishing for them and finding them more difficult. Fishermen normally have a harder time catching Tautog in hard running tide conditions, but you must adapt to any condition that’s presented, because the Tautog like it the most when you hate it the worst! And, that’s a fact! Ask any Tog fisherman and they’ll tell you the same story.
What kind of bait to use for Tautog in New Jersey
Tautog eat crustaceans most of the time. So, just about any kind of crab or clam is good bait for Tog. Cut baits like squid or cut bait fish of any kind usually will not catch a blackfish. You’ll find yourself battling mainly with Sea Bass or Triggerfish using cut baits, in most cases anyhow.
Tautog normally won’t eat live baits or frozen baits/minnows. Their preferred bait in New Jersey is most often sand fleas (aka mole crabs) or green crabs. We have seen our customers catch some very large Tog in 70 ft of water on both baits, side by side last season.
Crabs – The Best Tautog Blackfish Bait
Even still, the majority of fishermen over the years prefer crabs as their choice for the best bait available for catching Tautog Blackfish off New Jersey. Most times, crabs for Blackfish Fishing can be purchased from tackle stores. Local New Jersey Tackle Stores offer crabs which they purchase from crab distributors in their local venues. Most times, crabs are available at local Tackle Stores during Tog season.
How to hook a Crab for Blackfish or Tog Bait
Just like Anglers south of Jersey, the preferred method of hooking a crab for Tog Fishing is to pull off the shell, cut it in half then embed the hook in a leg socket. Some anglers also cut off the legs as well. This prevents the bait stealing Tautog from eating at the legs and pulling the crab off your hook. Remember, Sand Moles or Sand Fleas are also good Blackfish bait for Tog Fishing off New Jersey. These are easily found near the surf and dunes.
Best Rig for Tautog Fishing off New Jersey
This highly, highly debatable. Our commercial fishermen and guides prefer a carolina rig, or dropper loop rig for Blackfish fishing. The Carolina rig aka fish finder rig is simple, yet very versatile for all types of bottom fishing. The Egg weight slides on the main line above a 60 pound barrel swivel which is tied to your main line. Attached to the swivel is a 4-5 ft. section of 40 pound clear monofilament leader section with a 2/0 Octopus Hook. It’s as simple as that! This allows you to feel the fish bite without the fish “feeling” the weight. Normally, 2-3 Ounces will be the best weight size for Tautog Fishing off New Jersey. See an excellent 2 hook Tog or Blackfish Rig here
Important Notes
The most important part of tautog fishing is to get the bait where Blackfish Tautog are staged on or inside a structure. They may be in or around rocks rock piles offshore, or wrecks and scattered live or rock bottom areas. Some of the larger Tautog come from wrecks and other high relief structures. Like Grouper, Blackfish hide deel in holes, ledges and crevices in running current. Landing on your favorite Tog Fishing Spots is best done at times of slow running tide phases between moon phases and dueing times of light winds from the south and west.
Our New Jersey Offshore Fishing Spots include a Tautog Fishing Tutorial that covers more depth than seen here. For some of the best Blackfish and Tautog Fishing Spots in New Jersey, select your Fishing Spots area here.