tog talk

[Got Stripers]

I'm off next week, have we kicked around any dates? I'd love to get some tips for putting some black sea bass (before season end) or tog in the box. The tail end (until they extended it) of the black sea bass season really s**ked around my usual offshore humps around Gay Head. Don't know if the string of hurricanes kicked them off and out, curious are there seasonal migrations, I'm far from knowledgeable on black sea or togs?

For both, do they progressively go deeper/shallower as the seasons progresses? Does the structure change, is their a Black Sea or Tog fishing for dummies book? I found the artical interesting in the latest OTW, I've actually caught Tog on just 4" plasitic on 3/8oz jigs early season in shallow rocks, but its not a pattern I can rely on obviously. The thought of light spinning and jigging is attractive to me. I've also sat within spitting distance from a commercial bailing one tog after the other, looked like the only difference was the crushed mussels he was chumming with every 10 minutes or so.

Are there favorite hook-line-sinker combos for certain depths? Do you rig these in such a way, if you snag the sinker, that is all you loose? I love braid, is that in any way an advantage or detriment, I'd think it would help but two attempts at tog fishing tells me nothing yet.

Love to know what I should be looking for on chart of buzzards bay for spots, yes WITHOUT getting spots. I know what to look for when I'm hitting new striper water, not sure what the key is for these species, other then structure and wrecks and rocks.

Technique talk and identifying good starting spots would be helpful

[niko]

as far as dates i think we're looking at the weekend of oct 23rd with a backup of the 30th. i've used aftificials on seabass w/ good luck but only used crabs on tog. as far as spots - just bust out a chart and start trying structure. big boulders, reefs, rockpiles, anything. some will hold fish and some suck. getting set up right at the spot is key, i can't tell you how many times i have to set the ancor 3 or 4 times till i'm right where i want. i've never chummed but if you get 3 guys fishing a spot it gets the scent out there. braid works fine just put a decent leader on, i use a 4-5' section of 30 or 50 mono. as far as catching them - you've got to develop the touch. skip the first few little taps of the baitstealers and wait for the bump. cross their eyes and get them out of the piece asap. i've got a busy week next week but i may be able to swing a day.

[Goose]

IMHO bob, boat fishing for fall tog is more productive fishing humps in open water with current. Unlike spring time when you'll find the concentration of them closer to shore on rock piles. Baits the same. Seabass I always done well with sea clams on two drop hooks close to the bottom, 4/0 is good. If your gonna jig tip them with squid...if you've had your fill with tog then you need to find shallower humps that hold seabass. When tog are there they are there. A few years ago in oct. I watched this guy put a hurting on them west 3/4 of the way down out where you go out he was from shore casting into proably 8-10' if that. So you know that's a long stretch with the same structure. Pick your days.

I'll be out there this weekend I can't wait, I'm do like grass needs dew.

[bloocrab]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

,,,,,,,, if you snag the sinker, that is all you loose? ,,,,,,

I find using a lesser strength line in attaching the sinker to the dropper-loop leader can sometimes save your fish as well as save some line on the spool. If I'm using 50# braid as my main line, and 50# as my dropper loop leader, I'll use 25# to tie my sinkers. I pre-tie them, doesn't really take long (2-3" tops). This way if your sinker hangs up and your ON, ...God-willing, the sinker line snaps first and you salvage the fish. If your hung up with no fish on, hopefully you can snap the sinker line saving your leader and running line. Lotta guys do it different ways. I'm sure the comm guys have their own little secrets too.

Should be fun time.

...as a reminder, Bluecrabs are not good tog bait.