Blackfish take a backseat to Derby species in the fall, but that’s an advantage to local toggers.
The Island of Martha’s Vineyard has long held a reputation as one of the premier fishing destinations in southern New England; from the close access to offshore waters to the excellent inshore and surf fishing, the Vineyard has distinct attributes that attract a wide variety of species.
Of course, during the fall months, most of the attention focuses on the 3,000-plus anglers fishing in “The Derby” (though with the recent moratorium on stripers in the contest, much of the effort has shifted to albie insanity) and the whole Island closely follows the changes on the leaderboard and the rumors and reports of blitzing fish somewhere along the 125 miles of coastline.
But there’s another species in Island waters that doesn’t get the attention and glory of those other gamefish, and remains available long past the key ceremony and the final fall blitzes; the tautog. While we may not see many of the double-digit tog that make Rhode Island and Sow and Pigs reef famous, we have great numbers of keeper-sized fish and a huge variety of locations to try. The Vineyard and surrounding islands have a very unique geology, and that translates into great tautog habitat when extended off the shore and under the water.
Rocks, Wrecks & Sand
The Vineyard rests in a zone where the geological habitat of southern New England changes from the rocky substrate found in Rhode Island and Connecticut into the sandier bottom found around Cape Cod. Basically, in searching for tautog around the Vineyard, an angler has two choices: to explore the abundant rocks, boulder fields and mussel beds that define the western half of the island, or to venture further east and find the isolated pockets of boulders or shipwrecks that stand out as the only tautog habitat in the otherwise sandy desert. Even as the likely tautog haunts begin to dissipate once you get east of Oak Bluffs, whatever structure you are able to find will likely hold good numbers of tautog. But let’s start to the west, and take a look at some of the best tautog fishing in Vineyard waters.
The western half of Martha’s Vineyard – say, from West Chop to Gay Head – has a huge amount of traditional tautog structure. When the glaciers receded thousands of years ago, they left behind huge fields of cobble and boulders that provide the ideal home for the mussel and barnacle-chomping tautog. Good places to start are any of the prominent rocky points of land, like Cedar Tree Neck, Makonikey Head and Paul’s Point. These areas often have lobster gear or fish pots around them, and those buoys are a good indicator you’re over fishy bottom. The reef that extends seaward from the Gay Head Cliffs, Devil’s Bridge, has unbelievable structure, although that same structure means any boater should exercise extreme caution in the area. Around the corner, the reefs at Painted House, Old Man Rocks and Squibnocket Point all have lots of excellent structure and a variety of fishable depths.
Across Vineyard Sound, the southern shorelines of the Elizabeth Islands also feature fantastic rocky bottom, with house-sized boulders mixed in. There are too many good tautog spots along the Elizabeths to even mention, and an abundance of likely structure means it’s possible to find a particular are that may be fairly unpressured. The one caveat to fishing these areas are the very strong tides that flow through the Sound. When working shallow waters, like under 30 feet, these areas can be covered effectively with spinning rods and jigs, though as you explore deeper, the nod will go to more traditional tautog rigs with heavy sinkers.
Although it’s an extra distance, the entire shoreline of Nomans Island is loaded with large boulders, strong currents and excellent tautog fishing. The southwest corner as well as the northern tip are two great places to start, and the fishing is often good enough you won’t have to explore much further. There is such an abundance of good spots along these shorelines of Vineyard Sound, many of which are rarely if ever fished for blackfish, that it’s worth doing some exploring both with online charts as well as poking around on the water.
Structure In The Sand
As the rocky shorelines of the west give way to the predominantly sand-based substrate found to the east, there would seem to be less ideal habitat for finding tautog. However, I’ve found that when good structure stands alone, or in stark contrast to the surrounding bottom, it’s more likely to hold onto fish, and often bigger fish. These magic spots include isolated boulder fields and jetties, as well as some well-known and very productive shipwrecks. The boulders and rocks get fewer and further between as you progress east, but are definitely worth exploring as they are the “only game in town” for rock-loving tautog.
The wrecks of the Port Hunter and the Kershaw lie in deep water off the Vineyard’s north shore, and are excellent spots for tautog, as well as black sea bass, scup and the occasional cod. This is a place for traditional tautog rigs and lead weights ranging from 5 all the way up to 10 ounces; jigs are tough to fish here but may be possible during periods of slower tide. Slack tides are an option for those who are unable or unwilling to anchor in such deep, fast-moving water, but be prepared to lose a few rigs as these wrecks have lots of sticky structure.
As you continue east toward Cape Pogue, there are numerous other, unnamed wrecks that also absolutely hold tautog, as well as some isolated boulder patches that increase as you get closer to the tip of Cape Pogue. Some of these shallower locations are ideal for fishing tautog jigs on spinning gear, and can make for much easier anchoring as well. Because these locations are surrounded by sandy bottom, they collect and hold tautog really well, and they often see minimal fishing pressure.
New Structure?
Another “X-Factor” for tautog fishermen will certainly be the introduction of massive amounts of new structure over previously sandy bottom. Yes, I’m talking about the wind farms. Huge amounts of boulders and “bottom scour” was brought in to surround the bases of the turbines, and with the pylons themselves already attracting marine life, I believe these structures and the surrounding bottom could end up as absolutely fantastic options for seeking out tautog. I just hope we are allowed to fish next to the windmills, as they could end up being year-round hotspots for bottom fishing.
Martha’s Vineyard is renowned for its variety of inshore fishing, but frankly, we don’t see a lot of effort from those seeking tautog (except for after the Derby, of course). While we may not see the giants of more famous grounds to the west, we have excellent structure and great numbers of quality fish that are likely a lot less pressured than those areas closer to the mainland. If you put in the effort to find these spots, you will likely have the fishing all to yourself.
All of the standard techniques will work on Vineyard tautog, and there’s enough territory and structure to explore around the island that the trip across Vineyard Sound may be well worth the effort.
