Finding tog hotspots and advanced hook-setting techniques.
The first challenge for any blackfishing trip is choosing a likely location. And Capt. Kerry Douton has over 40 years of experience and advice to share for chasing blackfish. “Blackfish are very territorial,” said Capt. Douton, adding “and that means good spots get fished out fast. It’s not like fishing for striped bass or bluefish. When blackfish move in, they stay in that location—that’s their home for the season.”
According to Capt. Douton, once they’ve been caught from a reef a new group doesn’t just move in overnight. “When you’re on a promising spot and don’t get any bites—unless you know it’s a poor tide condition—you have to move. It’s not as if you can stay there at anchor, and the fish are suddenly going to swim in,” he added.
A sure sign your favorite hotspot is fished out is a steady pick of shorts. Those tog have been caught and released, often repeatedly, while the keepers have been culled. Pros then seek unmarked and more distant structure because such locations are harder for the average angler to find. Another reason for blackfish to disappear is falling water temperatures.
“When the water temperature drops into the high 50s, the blackfish start to migrate,” said Douton, explaining how you may find them in shallow water in October, but then they start moving. “In the first two weeks in November, it’s a mix, you can catch fish in some of the shallow water, but you can also catch them in deeper water,” said Douton, adding “From the second week of November on they’re only in deep water. The trick is to follow the fish out depending on the week and the water temperature. Keeping a log is helpful.”
When choosing a place to fish, search out the highest spot on a reef. Edges of structure are good, too. Any kind of deepwater wreck is also excellent in the late season. Anchoring on high spots is tricky because it’s easy to swing off to one side unless the current and wind are together. A few feet off target usually means poor results. “Be prepared to make some moves,” said Douton. “Sometimes you have to re-anchor two or three times on the same spot because of the way the tide flows and the wind changes. One of the biggest weaknesses of most tog fishermen is they’re not willing to do that. They go out, drop the anchor, and then just sit there. They’re not willing to do the extra work that produces fish.”
Blackfish are tricky to hook, but if you understand how they feed you will increase your hook-up rate. Tog adapt their eating style to the type of forage. Small, softer prey like shrimp and juvenile crabs, are swallowed whole. Larger, hard-shelled forage is first grabbed by the front teeth, then crushed by their pharyngeal teeth (crushers located in the rear of the throat) before swallowing.
If you’re using small baits like Asian crabs, or soft baits like clams, you may not feel that telltale “tap, tap.” Rather, you just detect the weight of the fish. “In that case, you need to set the hook quickly,” advised Rich Haigh, a blackfishing expert from southwestern Connecticut with over 30 years of togging experience.
But when using large or hard baits, such as half or whole green crabs, you’ll usually feel the “tap, tap” as the fish grabs and pulls at the bait with its front teeth. “The trick then is not to strike at the first taps when they are grasping your bait with their front teeth, but rather during the bait transfer to their rear crushers,” explained Haigh, adding “Waiting too long to set the hook, however, usually results in your hook being detected and expelled.”
Transitioning from that familiar “tap-tap” to a solid hook-up is especially challenging for novices. Haigh said that when you feel some taps resist the temptation to suddenly yank hard and fast like a normal hook set. Give the fish a moment to take the bait and then start with a slow rod lift. When you feel the fish’s weight, continue lifting through the hook set and start reeling. Once mastered, this technique will increase your hook-up rate.
In very heavy structure, Haigh advises dropping your rod tip a bit after the initial taps so the fish ingests the hook without feeling resistance. It takes self-control to resist the urge to strike. “The fish won’t panic yet, so it won’t dash for cover,” said Haigh, advising anglers to give it few seconds before starting with a slow rod lift.
“Once you feel the fish’s weight, again, continue lifting through the hook set by extending your arms skyward—or even standing up—to lift the fish from the hole,” Haig said, adding “Your drag should be set tight so a bulldog fish can’t strip line and run back under cover.” After you’ve cleared the rocks, then you can back off on the drag and fight the fish accordingly.”
