Sandy Hook Blackfish

[Pietro]

Just wanted to see if everyone is as disappointed with the Sandy Hook Reef Blackfishing the last couple years. Is there just too much pressure? We have tried Shrewsbury rocks, shallow side of reef ,deeper side.....east of the reef rockpiles.....just slow fishing. Is everyone else experiencing the same thing? A few years ago we plucked a few big tog from the north side of the reef....and the last year or 2 has been way below our standard. Rant over.

[Jigman13]

It's close and easy to get to. It's fished out. Tog are slow to grow and don't replenish quickly. Keeping the big fish does major damage to the breeding population. Year after year of pounding and the slow growing tog simply can't keep up with the pressure.

[Togfather2530]

If you want my opinion, black fishing has been slow in the whole Sandy Hook area the last several years. It’s not what it was a few years back, the last three years I would say have been slow. It really has nothing to do with the reef other spots have the same results.

[Togfather2530]

I fish many different spots. It has been down everywhere with a few good days here and there. Don’t let anyone bullshit you with today’s GPS’s there are no secret spots. Some less fished for sure but I go on those spots and it’s hard to find a bite as well sometimes.

[Foul Hook]

It seems to me the water temp has been warm until recently. Hell there is still tog in the canal. We're getting keeper limits at the dock still. I'm not saying I hasn't been slow at times but seems like there getting started later this year. My 2 cents.

[1captainron]

I'm sure all that crap at the Mud dump making it's way inshore has nothing to do with it!! Same with the Ling at Scotland, been years since anyone has had a decent catch there.
Stan from the Elaine B. used to dive the Reef with his son in the winters, he told me a few years back that much of the bottom and pieces already had a couple feet of muck and silt on them. I'd be curious to see someone dive it now and check out how much plant growth is going on......Just my thoughts.
Capt. Ron

[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.

[bulletbob]

Just too much pressure.. Blackfish don't move around much, don't migrate north/south, inshore/offshore, etc.. They are inshore reef/rock/wreck dwellers,and stick to those habitats.. They are quite specialized.

Then you must consider a relatively small area of the NY Bight thats suitable habitat being in the middle of the most densely populated region in the US.. Blackfish are wildly popular these days, all salt water fishermen want a piece of the action, have the incredible technology and expertise to find and catch them. For some pin hookers there is a big market for them and individual live fish are worth a fortune.. What does anyone expect?... They just can't reproduce and grow fast enough, and I fear the fishery is in big trouble... The pressure is too much for them to bear.

Several years ago, a mate on a NJ party boat was keeping his catch of tog alive and active, by running the raw sea water pump into the 55 gallon bucket, and letting it simply run onto the deck.. Told me it was no problem getting $25 for each nice size blackfish if presented alive.. This was years ago, it might even be more now.

Add to all this the scenario capt Ron put forth.- Severe habitat degradation on a species already under heavy exploitation and Tog will become more and more scarce. A recipe for the collapse of the Blackfish fishery as we know it. pretty scary stuff.
Blackfishing will remain of course but will change pretty drastically, with private boats and charters able to put a catch together here and there, but I fear the big head boats that need big structure and good numbers of fish will suffer...No doubt in my mind why most boats are sticking with Stripers instead of switching over to blackfish.

I believe 100% what capt Ron has stated, having fished with capt Stan several times over the years.. he and his son would dive on the same areas they fished, and knew that bottom and the fish that lived there better than anyone. The Elaine B was an excellent bottom fishing boat for decades [but SLOW]. If that rocky, broken bottom is getting covered in sludge/silt/slime as capt Ron has stated, not only tog, but Ling, Sea Bass, Porgies, Fluke, and just about anything thats living on the bottom will be hit pretty hard. bob

[Pietro]

I just enjoy fishing for them. Many times in the late summer we will anchor up and just catch and release. Keep maybe 2 for the table. However, its understandable how they get overfished. A head boat fishing 5 days a week can clean the reef out in a few weeks I would think. I think the fishing down south is better because there is much less pressure. This is just more reason for me to let my first 10 lber swim away!

[bulletbob]

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.

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