Why Blackfish?

Blackfish also called Tautog are strange looking and a bit slimy, so why are they so sought after by anglers?  Tautog are a delicious fish to eat.  They primarily feed on mussels, clams, and crabs, so they have firm and tasty meat.  Blackfish may have blueish or greenish tints to their skin due to the substantial number of mussels and crabs that make up their diet.  Blackfish can get quite large and you can catch trophy blackfish or tautog.  The Connecticut state record is over 26 pounds and the New York state record is over 22 pounds.  Large fish of 10+ pounds are quite common when fishing for Blackfish.  They are relatively easy to find and are predictable in where they hang out.  Blackfish are always aligned to structure such as rocks and wrecks, so it once you find a productive spot it can yield consistent catches.

Finding the Tautog

Blackfish can be predictable and easy to find. Tautog are found in rock piles, wrecks, reefs, bridge abutments, and other structure.  To catch Blackfish, you need to be anchored close to the structure.    If you are not getting hits quickly, you can reposition the boat by letting the anchor line out a bit rather than trying to move and re-anchor.  From shore you must be able to cast closely to the structure.  You can find shore Blackfish spots using the techniques in my article Finding Secret Fishing Spots.

Tactics and Bait for Tautog

Jigs and Rigs

There are two main tactics for catching Blackfish, rigs, and jigs.   The legacy method of using Blackfish rigs has been time-tested.  Most rigs use a single or double hook and a standard bank weight on a loop.    It is important to have a hook that is strong and large enough that the hook point is clear of the crab shell to maximize hooking capability.

Blackfish Rig

Blackfish Bait – Crabs

The predominant bait for catching Blackfish are small crabs which are usually between 1” and 4” in size.  There are a few types that can be used including green crabs, white crabs, hermit crabs.  Asian shore crabs are another Blackfish bait.  These are classified as an invasive species, so you are doing a good deed by using these for bait. 

Crabs can be purchased at most bait stores and can also be collected in at low tide.  You will need at least 4-5 dozen crabs as they attract strikes from Porgys, Black Sea Bass and other fish.  The tactic of flipping flat rocks to find crabs can be quite effective as seen in this video by John Skinner.

Blackfish Fishing Tips

Blackfish can be easy to find as they relate to rock piles and structure but can be hard to hook.  Blackfish are tricky as they do not strike with the simple ferocity of a bluefish and an angler must interpret the taps on the line to set the hook.  This can be infuriating and require practice to be successful.  Here are tips that can help.

1. Use freshly cut but not previously dead crabs.  Change the bait often.  It matters.
2. Blackfish first grab crabs with the front teeth and you will feel a light tap on the line. WAIT! – do not set the hook.
3. Then it crushes the crab shell, and you will feel another slight tap. WAIT! – do not set the hook yet.
4. Then it will start “chewing” the crab. You could feel stronger taps or a slight movement.  NOW! set the hook by strongly raising the rod. 
5. It is critical to quickly pull the fish from the rocks and structure otherwise they will break the line. You can palm your hand on the reel spool to add extra drag power as you pull the fish from the rocks.