will someone give me a brief desciption of their seasonal migration pattern? these things are a new critter to me but man are they fun. i've been looking at charts for days looking for new spots but it would help to know a little more. now it's time to catch some big ones. i haven't targeted any wrecks yet but maybe next trip

will someone give me a brief desciption of their seasonal migration pattern? these things are a new critter to me but man are they fun. i've been looking at charts for days looking for new spots but it would help to know a little more. now it's time to catch some big ones. i haven't targeted any wrecks yet but maybe next trip


Here is a 29 page Nat Marine Fisheries report on the tog Life History and Habitat Requirements:

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/tm/tm118/tm118.pdf

Looks like somebody is hooked on Tog fishing....

Slammed them on Saturday AM in Rhody.

Glad to hear it BL.

We did pretty well, a couple of Lulls, and no real size, but a steady day.

Niko,
A few real good spots in Narragansett Bay.

Still avaliable here in Newport from the beach. Had a dozen or so into the 6 pound class.

DZ

Additional info from the MA DMF:

Mass. Division of Marine Fisheries: Tautog - Species Profile (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/tautog.htm)

Remember:
ONLY keep what you need. These are very slow growing fish.

Still avaliable here in Newport from the beach. Had a dozen or so into the 6 pound class.

DZ

Yup - still available at the traditional spots...:uhuh:

Got some just shy of 7# - ya gotta love tradition...:)

Still looking to hit one out of the park for the club contest here in the bottom of the 9th

YStill looking to hit one out of the park for the club contest here in the bottom of the 9th

Me too...
Nothing even worth weighing on for second place.
We'll see if an Oakley retains the crown... BJ is gunning to overtake, so I hear....

Crafty, with this upcoming weather pattern you might be swinging at split finger fastballs.
All I know is the fat lady hasn't started to tune up yet.
Happy Turkey Day

Fished Brenton Reef yesterday, the tog are there and in great numbers. Lots of short fish but plenty of keepers too.

when does the bite typically die down for these things? and when does it pick up in the spring. don't they have softer mouths at a certain time of year based on what they're eating

There is something about this fish that is very appealing to fishermen. Maybe because it is what I call simple fishing, there is no complicated rigs or approach, it is low tech vertical fishing. Find green crabs, and a rock pile and you are there. And the hook set can be maddening at times...this creates more laughs on board. Theses are not giant fish but they can be a ball when the bite gets going. A 10+ lber is a special catch that you will remember for a long time. I love it and look forward to going each year (esp in the fall)

Personally, I love a cold winter day in Jan/Feb and my wife brings me a large hot bowl of tog and scallop chowder with some home made bread...I am telling you sitting next to the fire watching the snow and the wind eating a bowl of this stuff...you feel like a king.

It is starting to slow down here now. You can easily get your limit but the bite is not as furious as it was a few weeks back. I find when the water hits the 40's it starts to slow in the fall. But you can still catch them.

Remember:
ONLY keep what you need. These are very slow growing fish.

Yep...1" per year. So the legal ones are already 16yrs old. And the one I ate this year was 21...
They're fun when they actually act like tog...went a few weeks ago and they fought like wet rags...felt like shorts all the time...

Me too...
Nothing even worth weighing on for second place.
We'll see if an Oakley retains the crown... BJ is gunning to overtake, so I hear....

BJ's had a helluva year, Bryan - but it ain't over til it's over

Hey, BTW, one of my reliable sources told me that you had a ringer on board last week - none other than Dr O'Nitis himself, the famous Irish marine biologist and former head Togologist...:hihi:

Looks like the club contest is being fought to the end this year and the competition is tough - hey, the first initial of the Oakley name on the Capt. Peckham trophy could be "D" too...:shocked:

Me, I'm not crying uncle until the 15th...and I've got a gallon of crabs on ready standy-by for every break in the weather we get until then...:fishin:...but 11.6 is gonna be a tough nut to crack from shore

i'm gonna go find my 10 pounder tomorrow.

i'm gonna go find my 10 pounder tomorrow.

:nopics:

Hope you found it, Niko

I wasn't there Chuck. The bionic man may be a Jonah though.. ask him about that trip... :D

Chuck,the Irish Togoligist is a pleasure to fish with. He'll tell you everything you don't want to know about the fish.
If you see him ask him about his famous "sky hook" set. I should put it on Youtube.
BJ has had a great year but he may be outmatched in this fishery.
Have a Happy Holiday

Chuck,the Irish Togoligist is a pleasure to fish with. He'll tell you everything you don't want to know about the fish.
If you see him ask him about his famous "sky hook" set. I should put it on Youtube.
BJ has had a great year but he may be outmatched in this fishery.

As far as when it ends I can only say that I have logs from the 70's when my father and I caught 4-500lbs in January more than once. Of course there wasn't the pressure on them that there is now.
Have a Happy Holiday

Crafty/Brian-
What's the lead in the Newport Club tourney right now?

I'm letting gotofish do all the recon/heavy lifting now - so I can bum a ride post turkey and win :)

mooching a ride, I can relate to that:) Hope you win big guy.

Crafty/Brian-
What's the lead in the Newport Club tourney right now?

I'm letting gotofish do all the recon/heavy lifting now - so I can bum a ride post turkey and win :)

11+

Chuck,the Irish Togoligist is a pleasure to fish with. He'll tell you everything you don't want to know about the fish.



Without a doubt - I've known the good doctor for many moons now and we've had more than our share of good laughs

He really is the leading authority, though - and he's got the card to prove it, too

Yup, EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about Tautoga Onitis....whether you knew you wanted to know it or not...:hihi:




If you see him ask him about his famous "sky hook" set. I should put it on Youtube...

I'd pay good cash to see that, George - in fact, maybe I'll give him an office call down at the Hibernian and ask him 1st hand...it's just a short crawl from home for me...:cheers:

Happy Thanksgiving to you too - and welcome to the newest future contender for the Peckham trophy...we've all got a lot to be thankful for this year...:kewl:

Crafty/Brian-
What's the lead in the Newport Club tourney right now?

I'm letting gotofish do all the recon/heavy lifting now - so I can bum a ride post turkey and win :)

It's 11.6 from shore, Jay - I'm not sure about the boat division

Maybe DZ will chime in to set the current leader board straight

Good luck to ya...:kewl:

Tog and scallop chowdah with home made bread! That does sound like a meal fit for a king!

Yep...1" per year. So the legal ones are already 16yrs old. And the one I ate this year was 21...
They're fun when they actually act like tog...went a few weeks ago and they fought like wet rags...felt like shorts all the time...

Sorry but that is incorrect. Their growth rate is much more rapid until sexual maturity (3 or 4yrs old) then it starts to slow. It is more like 2" a year until they are about 7 or 8, then it really slows. By about 12 yrs old they grow less than a half inch a year..and get this.. after 20 yrs they grow about 2-4mm a year. This data is for male tog in northern waters. Females start off growing faster but once they hit about 3yrs old males pass them by. Also FWIW southern tog grow faster than ours up here. Bottom line..They grow slow.. I love them and if I see someone takin shorts... 222 3070 :)