Blackfish Addiction

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Bates

Was that you!? They said your name was Joe Z?

My evil twin

[TerriMc223]

Heading home on the Capt.cal .freezing cold this morning.got to the dock@ 5 am anyway. Slow morning for me and the others. Bite picked up on our last two.drops. caught only.shorts today but left them chewing!!! Can't wait to get back out for more!
Togging is the bomb!! What is not to love!

[reason162]

Originally Posted by hartattack

PULLAGE. Nuthin' in our in-shore waters can pull like a Tog. Gettin' 'em out of the rocks and keeping them out is gratifying

Those few seconds right after a hard hookset, keeping max pressure trying not to lose an inch of ground...nothing like it! By far our most unique fishery...

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Why is it grown men leave the comfort of their homes, get out of bed at 0' dark thirty and brave the winter cold and winds to fish for Blackfish? Seems to me that Blackfishermen are a special bunch and they loose their minds once the cold sets in, myself included.

These are some of the same people that won't fish in the summer if it's a little too cold, windy or raining... But there they are dressed up like Eskimos, shivering at the rail in howling winds, driving rain and snow and they're grinning from ear to ear.

For me, I guess it's a few things:
- The challenge these fish are to catch compared to all others
- The camaraderie of fishing a select group of people who are as nuts as I am
- An excuse to get out of the house and fish into the winter

What is it that makes you so addicted to Blackfishing?

Interesting question. Black fishing might be the one fishery you can stand right next to someone slamming them and you can't buy a hit. Usually I'm the later. It literally drives people crazy. Many times he's on structure and you're not, but just as many times it one of the other 100 variables others have mentioned. The challenge trying to figure the bite out (which seems to change every day) is what gets most people addicted to the fishery and Xanax! There's guys who have figured it out and dare say mastered it, and then there's everyone else who wants that designation. It's probably the most humbling fishery you'll ever experience and attempt figuring out. I think what mostly gets people addicted is their determination trying to convince themselves they ultimately will even though most of us know we won't. All in addition to the fact they're a great fighting fish and great table fare.

[bulletbob]

The "blackfish addiction" is pretty recent, within the past 20 years.. It would be a LOT less addictive to many guys if there was a chance to go and catch buckets of big Ling and Whiting.. I know I've said it here many times, but most here are younger than I am, and don't remember the days when blackfish boats would be lucky to get 20 guys on a nice weekend day in November .

Blackfish became wildly popular after the demise of the Whiting/Ling/Mackerel/Cod fisheries... We " blackfish addicts" were always there.. I was one as a teenager.. However, when there were other options to catch big bags of fish, blackfish were always an also ran to many less dedicated party boat fishermen .

Concerning "blackfish weather", thats new as well.. Blackfish were targeted by most boats only until the Whiting showed up , and that was it until May when the whiting and ling started heading offshore.. there was no such thing as blackfishing in the snow and cold as we have today.. they are much more active in 60 degree water than they are in 40 degree water, thats why BIG BROTHER opens the season up in November when the fish have already started slowing down.. it is what it is, welcome to the modern age.. bob

[hartattack]

Growing up on Long Island I used to target them off a North Shore pier. My brother and friends would be bailing flounders with garden worms while I sought Tog using Fiddler Crabs. They would switch over when they saw my success but when they baited up with Fiddlers on their Flounder rigs they learned how strong Tog were - straightened hooks ! Now I had to give my bro Fiddlers and Virginia hooks: he hasn't stopped grubbing off me since We never targeted Tog in the Sound when we were older and started fishing from boats. Stripers were more glamorous then. I know Virginias are obsolete but does anyone still use Fiddlers ? . . .

[Fun King]

I used to fish with my dad out of Barnegat Inlet. We were meat fishermen after fluke or the almighty bluefish. If we came back empty handed I would put on the snorkel gear and spear blackfish off the rocks. Schools of nice fish, mid-summer. And maybe a bag full of mussels picked off the rocks. Mmmm!

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by hartattack

Growing up on Long Island I used to target them off a North Shore pier. My brother and friends would be bailing flounders with garden worms while I sought Tog using Fiddler Crabs. They would switch over when they saw my success but when they baited up with Fiddlers on their Flounder rigs they learned how strong Tog were - straightened hooks ! Now I had to give my bro Fiddlers and Virginia hooks: he hasn't stopped grubbing off me since We never targeted Tog in the Sound when we were older and started fishing from boats. Stripers were more glamorous then. I know Virginias are obsolete but does anyone still use Fiddlers ? . . .

Fiddlers get hit fast, but I dunno, you miss too many hits, and the hooks are constantly getting cleaned off.. Too many shorts as well.. I like greens a lot better, but I can recall when fiddlers were a standard bait on party boats certain times of year.. green carbs and white leggers stand up better.

Virginia hooks to me are every bit as good a blackfish hook today as they were 40 years ago, and I have no idea why they are no longer in use. I still use them when I can find them.. they are a good solid performer, but like many things simply fell out of favor over time... bob

[Togfather2530]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

The "blackfish addiction" is pretty recent, within the past 20 years.. It would be a LOT less addictive to many guys if there was a chance to go and catch buckets of big Ling and Whiting.. I know I've said it here many times, but most here are younger than I am, and don't remember the days when blackfish boats would be lucky to get 20 guys on a nice weekend day in November .

Blackfish became wildly popular after the demise of the Whiting/Ling/Mackerel/Cod fisheries... We " blackfish addicts" were always there.. I was one as a teenager.. However, when there were other options to catch big bags of fish, blackfish were always an also ran to many less dedicated party boat fishermen .

Concerning "blackfish weather", thats new as well.. Blackfish were targeted by most boats only until the Whiting showed up , and that was it until May when the whiting and ling started heading offshore.. there was no such thing as blackfishing in the snow and cold as we have today.. they are much more active in 60 degree water than they are in 40 degree water, thats why BIG BROTHER opens the season up in November when the fish have already started slowing down.. it is what it is, welcome to the modern age.. bob

BINGO. I COULDNT HAVE SAID IT BETTER. I love to catch blackfish but their days are probably numbered too as slow as they grow ant the pressure on them. As far as me, it’s just too try to catch a real big on like the one that pulled my hook lol

[SaltLife1980]

Hello my name is Jeff and I am a Tog Junkie! Its all about that hook set and then its game on. Love the way they fight.