Striped carp are great, but....

[rumster]

Bring on the tog.... A fish that actually requires some skill to catch. Sorry about ruffling some feathers and to each to his own..... Enough with keeping 40lb to 50lb fish that need to be steaked.:):):) lol Just sayin...

[hammer4reel]

Bring on the tog.... A fish that actually requires some skill to catch. Sorry about ruffling some feathers and to each to his own..... Enough with keeping 40lb to 50lb fish that need to be steaked.:):):) lol Just sayin...

two totally different fisheries as well as fight from each fish.
While I love the fight of a bulldogging tog, the sight of a 50 pound striper crashing a pencil popper on top is just as good.

IMO kind of silly statement that Tog take skill to catch.
Miss one and drop another crab he more than likely will give you another chance, unless of course someone mugs you while you rebait.
When Tog wanna chew , they are easy to catch as Biscuits

[mikeytheflop]

two totally different fisheries as well as fight from each fish.
While I love the fight of a bulldogging tog, the sight of a 50 pound striper crashing a pencil popper on top is just as good.

IMO kind of silly statement that Tog take skill to catch.
Miss one and drop another crab he more than likely will give you another chance, unless of course someone mugs you while you rebait.
When Tog wanna chew , they are easy to catch as Biscuits

"when Tog wanna chew" - ok this is paradise and does happen, but not often. Blackfish is by far the best fighting fish around, and sorry bud, there is a skill level required here. I'd love to have you out and see how "easy" it is. No offense but your "Captains Log" is nothing but...

[slammer]

You must have a lifetime supply of lead:)

[mikeytheflop]

You must have a lifetime supply of lead:)

No not at all, but your comment supports my argument as its just another skill required for the game; I've noticed that veterans fishing for tog lose way fewer weights and spend a lot less time caught up in the rocks.

[Duffman]

Wheres Ol Pedro when ya need him.....:p

[hammer4reel]

"when Tog wanna chew" - ok this is paradise and does happen, but not often. Blackfish is by far the best fighting fish around, and sorry bud, there is a skill level required here. I'd love to have you out and see how "easy" it is. No offense but your "Captains Log" is nothing but...

Well if you think you need to be in Paradise to have a good tog bite , its you that has alot to learn.
Tog are not the magical fish some of you think they are .
And there are lots of fish that fight way harder ..
Onlt real skill needed is knowing all the different ways they bite, and tying good knots.

.

[rumster]

Well if you think you need to be in Paradise to have a good tog bite , its you that has alot to learn.
Tog are not the magical fish some of you think they are .
And there are lots of fish that fight way harder ..
Onlt real skill needed is knowing all the different ways they bite, and tying good knots.

.

No angler worth his salt will say that a blackfish is magical. With that being said, no angler worth his salt will dismiss them and make as if they are as easy to catch on a daily basis as a carp in the Passaic river.... Any seasoned tog fisherman would diasagree with your honest opinion... It all sounds good when your words are prefaced by the title of Captain with all due respect, but that still only makes it your personal opinion. Curious to know how many Blackfish charters you have run??? I have never heard of you and I know all of the Captains that have a reputation for tog in our area... Nothing personal.:):):)

[Uncle Nicky]

Could this get any stupider?:confused: Blackfish can be finicky, just like anything else can be. I never saw them as very hard to hook or bring to the boat, but yeah, sometimes they head for the rocks.

In less than 2 weeks you can keep 5 a day, just hang in there.:rolleyes: And enjoy the striper bite while it lasts.

[rumster]

Could this get any stupider?:confused: Blackfish can be finicky, just like anything else can be. I never saw them as very hard to hook or bring to the boat, but yeah, sometimes they head for the rocks.

In less than 2 weeks you can keep 5 a day, just hang in there.:rolleyes: And enjoy the striper bite while it lasts.Crazy question but I'll ask anyway... I have a noodle rod (9 foot Ugly Stick) with a Jupiter Z 4500 spinning reel, which has been gathering dust for 20 years. Did the Salmon River thing once, wasn't for me.

Anyway, I was thinking of taking this rod/reel late December for an offshore sea bass trip. Looking for opinions, is this even doable on a rod like this? Obviously I'd have another rod just in case, but was hoping to get some use out of this rod/reel, the other option would be sell it. I was thinking to spool it with 40# braid, and I'd be dropping 8-24 oz of lead. I would think if you could reel in a salmon with this setup, why not a cod or bluefish? C`mon guy just having fun... If nobody labeled you or your previous post negatively maybe you should give others the option of having a different opinion than you minus the label. Thanks

[Uncle Nicky]

Crazy question but I'll ask anyway... I have a noodle rod (9 foot Ugly Stick) with a Jupiter Z 4500 spinning reel, which has been gathering dust for 20 years. Did the Salmon River thing once, wasn't for me.

Anyway, I was thinking of taking this rod/reel late December for an offshore sea bass trip. Looking for opinions, is this even doable on a rod like this? Obviously I'd have another rod just in case, but was hoping to get some use out of this rod/reel, the other option would be sell it. I was thinking to spool it with 40# braid, and I'd be dropping 8-24 oz of lead. I would think if you could reel in a salmon with this setup, why not a cod or bluefish? C`mon guy just having fun... If nobody labeled you or your previous post negatively maybe you should give others the option of having a different opinion than you minus the label. Thanks

Maybe I asked a dumb question, didn't seem stupid at the time, and other than having a bent rod the whole time I'm on the bottom, it would probably work. But this is still a stupid thread. Seems like you have a lot of time on your hands, why not start one like who has the best burgers/hoagies/fried chicken/pork roll? Or which is a better truck, Chevy, Ford, Dodge, or Toyota?:rolleyes:

[Tony Cav]

I agree that anybody (on any given Sunday) can catch any tog However...…..How come there are only certain guys that catch double digit with consistency! Consistent, that's the difference. So sorry Mr. 50 pounder I bet that you are not one of those guys. One thing I know for sure and that is that I'm not. either.

[porgylber]

My tog theory: the bigger specimens hang out in the wreck and are more difficult to catch than the smaller ones. I’ve noticed that every larger tog that I’ve caught, had to be finessed out of the rocks. The smaller guys are easier to just yank up to the surface. I guess that’s why they grow up to be big tog.

[rumster]

3 parts to putting double digit catches of tog on the deck consistently. Structure, Tog that want to chew and talent on the boat. You may not hear that from the Captains and it is clearly understood why, but talent or the lack there of is what makes the difference. There are countless times where 1 angler is swinging time after time and another angler just pulls on up and waits for the right chew and well you get it. Please understand fishing is fishing and it is all good, but a novice is more likely to catch a few Stripers than a few Tog... Tight lines to all. Again, Nothing personal.

[hammer4reel]

I agree that anybody (on any given Sunday) can catch any tog However...…..How come there are only certain guys that catch double digit with consistency! Consistent, that's the difference. So sorry Mr. 50 pounder I bet that you are not one of those guys. One thing I know for sure and that is that I'm not. either.

That's almost funny.
I have caught quite a few tog over 10 # , my best being 14#4 oz
I have caught thousands of blackfish , and just don't find them to be tough to catch .
Sure there are days they can be harder to catch but not impossible.


Part of catching double digit tog is being where one lives. Some pieces at certain times of the year have better fish on them,


For Rumster you more than likely have fished with many f my friends.
I ran charters up to about 5 years ago when my Work load changed and doesn't give me the time to run charters and have time to fun fish.
I more than likely have more money just in custom black fish rods, than many guys have in all their tackle combined.

Still looking for a twenty pounder each and every season

[mikeytheflop]

Well if you think you need to be in Paradise to have a good tog bite , its you that has alot to learn.
Tog are not the magical fish some of you think they are .
And there are lots of fish that fight way harder ..
Onlt real skill needed is knowing all the different ways they bite, and tying good knots.

.

Lets go through the post so far Dan:

Rumster - has no idea who you are;
Uncle Nicky - blackfish are finicky;
Tony Cav - only certain guys catch double digits with consistency;
Porgylber - big tog more difficult to catch.

I say that you read Rumster's initial post and got bent that he called them "striped carp". I looked around and you have just a few posts on the net, all of which are about stripers.

Sorry that no one agrees with you buddy, toggin' ain't as easy as sea bass.

Now go home and get your shine box!

[rumster]

Lets go through the post so far Dan:

Rumster - has no idea who you are;
Uncle Nicky - blackfish are finicky;
Tony Cav - only certain guys catch double digits with consistency;
Porgylber - big tog more difficult to catch.

I say that you read Rumster's initial post and got bent that he called them "striped carp". I looked around and you have just a few posts on the net, all of which are about stripers.

Sorry that no one agrees with you buddy, toggin' ain't as easy as sea bass.

Now go home and get your shine box!
Now that is funny shit... LOL Again, Nothing personal keep it light and funny.

[hammer4reel]

Lets go through the post so far Dan:

Rumster - has no idea who you are;
Uncle Nicky - blackfish are finicky;
Tony Cav - only certain guys catch double digits with consistency;
Porgylber - big tog more difficult to catch.

I say that you read Rumster's initial post and got bent that he called them "striped carp". I looked around and you have just a few posts on the net, all of which are about stripers.

Sorry that no one agrees with you buddy, toggin' ain't as easy as sea bass.

Now go home and get your shine box!


Believe what you want, toggin isn't hard.
Unless of course you don't know how to fish for them.

The real challenge of togging is getting a big one to chew your bait.
Not just catching tog.

.

[mikeytheflop]

Believe what you want, toggin isn't hard.
Unless of course you don't know how to fish for them.

The real challenge of togging is getting a big one to chew your bait.
Not just catching tog.

.

Just poking some fun at you Dan. I just really doubt many are going to agree; IMO blackfishing requires more skill than any other NJ fish, by far.

But if its easy for you, God bless. PM me if you are available for a trip and by all means join us with a rod and reel. I'm pretty sure you've forgotten more about fishing than I've ever learned (that's a compliment), and I'd love to see you catch em' up. I am certain I would learn something - we usually have room for 1 on the boat.

[hammer4reel]

More than likely you will see me around November and December .I fish as often as I can get out

[rumster]

Tight lines and be well hammer4reel. Catch em up.

[SaltLife1980]

I enjoy catching tog over bass but a bass blitz throwing bunker outta the water and watching ur plug explode off the top of the water is pretty cool. I do not like trolling for bass. That to me isnt fishing.

[Adrenalinerush]

I find porgies to be the toughest fish to catch, the bluefish keep eating them on the way up :eek:

[jmurr711]

it is an insult to the carp to compare stripers to them. I hope the population of bass goes back to what it was in the late 80s & early 90s before the population boomed & they ate everything. #togoverstripecatfish

[hammer4reel]

it is an insult to the carp to compare stripers to them. I hope the population of bass goes back to what it was in the late 80s & early 90s before the population boomed & they ate everything. #togoverstripecatfish


You could probably do that single handed. Just start eating bunker instead of all those sea bass .lol

.

[jmurr711]

You could probably do that single handed. Just start eating bunker instead of all those sea bass .lol

.

pickled bunker is an xmas staple!

[rumster]

pickled bunker is an xmas staple!

lmao...

[dakota560]

it is an insult to the carp to compare stripers to them. I hope the population of bass goes back to what it was in the late 80s & early 90s before the population boomed & they ate everything. #togoverstripecatfish

Be careful what you wish for. The ocean has a food chain balance which if not altered by our own management practices will sustain itself. In the 60's, 70's and early 80's there were just as many if not more bass around than today and other species including winter and summer flounder were all thriving. Include with that forage species like sand eels and bunker that were almost wiped out by commercial over harvest coupled with a significant increase in world wide demand for fish and I'd argue the decline in other fisheries is attributable more to those factors than the resurgence of the bass population. Same as mentioned in the tog / striper thread today, when sushi / sashimi came into vogue and the market for live tog exploded, that fishery started to decline and has continued ever since. Had nothing to do with bass even though I'm sure they eat tog and anything else available as you mentioned. Problem is there's less of everything else available today than years ago.

Point is the ocean's fisheries had a balance years ago that doesn't exist today because we've altered it. Protect the spawn of every fishery, control the harvest in a prudent manner and nature will take it from there. Instead we introduce politics, greed and ultimately power and money to the equation and everything goes to hell.

Jmurr I'm not coming at you, just have my own beliefs. Curious though, assume the bass fishery is opened up to commercial slaughter and it collapses again as it did in the late 70's and 80's, what fisheries do you believe would benefit and why? There would be more bunker which I can almost assure you would be harvested by the lobster bait suppliers and the few omega protein conglomerates so net net I wouldn't expect any change. Declines in winter and summer flounder I don't believe have anything to do with bass since they co-existed years ago in great quantities so having less bass would in my opinion have little to no impact on the issues effecting either of those fisheries. Weakfish used to be abundant as bass were in the 60's and 70's, commercial netting destroyed that fishery not bass. So again what specific fishery would you expect to benefit if the bass fishery collapsed again as it did 20 - 30 years ago?