blackfish question

[bassnbucks]

Can they still be caught in 60 - 70 feet, or do they all pack up and move to 100 feet ?

[Gerry Zagorski]

Deeper is better when the water is this cold.

[NoWorries]

Can they still be caught in 60 - 70 feet, or do they all pack up and move to 100 feet ?It'is my understanding that there is very little migration from tog . Once temps approach the low 40's (40,41,42 )(in an area they become more lethargic and rarely feed. Some will continue to feed on occasion . AS water temps drop inshore deeper water does not cool as quickly so these fish will continue to feed. It's all about consistancy. To get a good bite in Jan/Feb is a day to day thing. You pay your money and take your chances:D

[snapperbluefish101]

They do go off structure to warmer water. If they didn't move, blackfish would be exposing themselves to almost freezing water temperatures. Blackfish are out of our inshore waters by mid Decemeber- early January depending on the weather/climate we experience. It all depends of the water temperature.

This December we had warm enough temperatures to keep the blackfish inshore. I caught them only a couple yards from the beach at the Red Church(Long Branch/Elberon border) on the the Ocean Explorer on December 23 this year. Literally the surf was about 20-30 yards away...

From WIKIPEDIA...

Spawning occurs offshore, in late spring to early summer. The eggs hatch and develop while drifting. All of the young take residence in shallow protected waters and live and hide in seaweed, sea lettuce, or eelgrass beds for protection, and are green in color to camouflage themselves. During the late fall, they move offshore and winter in a state of reduced activity.

SNAPPERHEAD

[NJ Dave]

During the late fall, they move offshore and winter in a state of reduced actavity.

SNAPPERHEAD

Sounds like the past few trips I have had.

[tautog]

No Worries is correct. The majority do not move out deep, they just go dormant. My diver friends say you you snatch them with your hands. Others do move out to the 100-120 foot depths with the change in water temps.

[bassnbucks]

Iwas out friday.water temp was 40 at sgr and 41 at 17 fathoms.Everything im reading says deeper water will be slightly colder.

[snapperbluefish101]

Kurt, have you seen any guys dive off the Sandy Hook Reef, Long Branch or the Red Church in February? I am wondering if guys have seen fish there during that month.I am sure there are only a few there and the rest are offshore.....

When the ocean temps inshore get down to the mid-high thirties it is hard to believe that there is any tog still on the inshore stuff. 40 degrees and higher I believe, but below that, I would think pretty much the majority of the tog move to the warmer deep.

They would have to move by then.


SNAPPERHEAD

[tautog]

They dive in March before the water warms up and they are there in 40-60 feet. They sit there dormant like a lot of the smaller stripers do in the rivers and bays. 1 out of 10 days you might even luck out and get some bites shallow as they do need to eat every once and a while. Remember one day we dropped in 35 feet for chits and giggles on my birthday, Feb 21st, and we had about 4 keepers and 6 shorts before moving out to a better pick in 100 feet.

[snapperbluefish101]

Hey Kurt, I don't mean to be annoying but did you fish close to the Hook, SRI, MI that day or near all three? You location helps because I wanna try to figure something out with the water temperature and the Tog more precisionally. I have a special site that has recorded the water temps going quite a few years back.

Here is the site.
http://hudson.dl.stevens-tech.edu/maritimeforecast/maincontrol.shtml

BEN

[tautog]

South of MI. Four years ago. Unless there is a warm winter, tog have to go dormant for part of it, even in 120 feet. During a cold winter, ling even go dormant, like during the cod winter of a few years ago.