Blackfish, whitechinners or tog: By any name, tautog are tough mid-Atlantic adversaries.
By
Nick Honachefsky
Updated: February 7, 2013
Blackfish on the Bottom: Tackling bruiser tautog takes stout tackle, good timing and a bit of savvy.
Enough Gun: Stout rods, plenty of drag, and heavy leader rigged with breakaway sinkers pry trophy tog out of structure.
Pro Tip: “Don’t concentrate on smaller fish on the low-lying structure like rockpiles and barges. Go to the high-profile wrecks.”
Timing is Everything: A solid hookup is the essential first step to success.
Trophy togs in structure require heavy leader and breakaway weights. Tie 4 feet of 80-pound fluoro leader to the main line with an Albright or Alberto knot. Tie a 1-inch dropper loop a foot from the end (1), and snell the hook to the end 2. Construct a 5-inch piece of leader with a loop at each end and an overhand knot in the middle, to weaken it. Loop-the-loop this to the dropper loop and girth hitch the other end to a 5- to 12-ounce bank sinker (3).
Get Crabby: Whole or broken into pieces, crabs of all variety are top tog baits.
