Quote:
Originally Posted by Togfather2530
I don’t buy the water temperature thing. When black fishing is good, it can be phenomenal in October. Actually that’s when they used to fish for them a lot. That late bite in January is totally overrated in my opinion. The fish become very lethargic I feel. Captain Ron may be on to something. Maybe we are all fishing a mud covered bottom now.🤣 It’s crazy that we all eat shit out of that mud dump. Who knows what the hell was all dumped there. Same with the apple pie grounds or new grounds has some call it.
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Very good observation.. In my day, "blackfish weather", was a 60 degree mid october day with some sun, and a light west breeze.... The reason blackfish ""season"" opens in Novemeber is because the powers that be know they are becoming less active by that time.. Just because a few tog will hit in January doesn't make it a good time to fish for them... Tautog prefer water temps in the low 60's actually, and are most active in the 50 to 65 degree range.. They become less active under 50 degrees, and are mostly dormant when the temps go under 40... I could NEVER understand the "blackfish weather" myth.. years ago, no one fished for them at this time of year really, most of the boats switched over to Whiting and Ling by december, and left the blackfish alone all winter... In my opinion, the death of the late fall fishery for Ling/Whiting/Cod/Mackerel and in the bays and rivers Winter Flounder, had the biggest impact on Tog, because they became pretty much the only game in town,, Past decade or so, Stripers have become the late fall fishery of choice, and some of the massive pressure on the tog has been placed on the broad shoulders of big Stripers.. Not sure thats all that good a thing, but really thats it, unless you want to go 90 miles offshore for sea bass and porgies... bob
