Fishing Report: Its time to learn about hooking tautog – The Providence Journal

Tautog (or black fish) have a delicious white flesh and are commonly caught in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the fall. They remind me of grouper but are much smaller and can be found near rocks, on mussel beds and around structure of all types.

Tautog are not often sold in fish markets because they are difficult to harvest commercially as they are usually caught by rod and reel or fish traps rather than trawling for them. Anglers catch tautog on the bottom, green and Asian crabs are commonly used as baits, with tautog jigs (usually tipped with crab) becoming more commonplace to catch them.

The minimum legal size in Massachusetts and Rhode Island is 16 inches with a three fish/person/day limit until Oct. 14. On Oct. 15, the limit jumps to five fish. A 10-fish-per-boat limit applies, however, but does not apply to for-hire charter and party boats.

If you want to land tautog and seek a few tips on how to catch them, attend Capt. Charlie Donilons Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association videoconference seminar at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28.

Captain Donilon is an industry innovator. He was the first charter captain in the area to have a shark diving cage in the 1970s, one of the first to start tagging rather than taking sharks, one of the few with an inspected vessel for 18 rather than six passengers and the first to run a mate school. One of the things he knows best, however, is how to catch tautog and he is more than willing to share his knowledge of tautog-catching strategies and tactics with others.

You need to be an RISAA member to participate in the Zoom seminar. Twelve such meetings on various topics are held throughout the year, and now with videoconference seminar capabilities, additional one-of-a-kind seminars also will be offered. You can attend all seminars and obtain other RISAA membership benefits for $55 a year. Join online at risaa.org.

Striped bass and bluefish. Jordan Haywood of Red Top Sporting Goods in Buzzards Bay said: "We have a lot of school bass coming through the Cape Cod Canal, mixed with bluefish and false albacore. One of our associates caught an 18-pound false albacore in the Canal. Not many large stripers being caught right now in the Canal." Harris Gatch of Watch Hill Outfitters said: "Striped bass and bluefish are being caught from the beaches and jetties in South County. Slot limit fish [28 inches to less than 35 inches] are being caught along with fish larger than the slot limit. And, we still have some large fish being caught at Block Island." John Littlefield of Archies Bait & Tackle in Riverside reported: "We had two large fish over the slot limit caught at Sabin Point this weekend, where theyre also catching bluefish from shore." Jeff Ingber of Ocean State Tackle in Providence said: "Bass fishing slowed a bit at Block Island and off Newport but anglers are still catching bass on the surface." Ken Ferrara of Rays Bait & Tackle in Warwick said: "We have striped bass in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay and schools of bluefish on the surface. Anglers are catching keeper striped bass in the Providence River, too."

"Tautog fishing is picking up. The fish are not here in high numbers yet but anglers are catching some nice fish," Gatch said. Ferrara reported: "Keeper tautog [minimum size is 16 inches, three fish/person/day] are being caught at Codington Cove, Middletown, with tautog and black sea bass being caught at Brenton Reef and Seal Rock." Ingber reported: "The tautog bite has been solid at the rock piles off Narragansett as well as off Beavertail and Newport." Late this week, anglers who could deal with high seas were hooking up with keeper tautog on ledges and rock piles around Brenton Reef and Seal Rock and Ledge off Newport.

False albacore. Ingber said: "Anglers are catching albies with epoxy jigs. ... Popular types include Hogy and Gunslinger. ... They are working well for customers. Anglers are hooking up off Newport and Beavertail to Narragansett, Scarborough Beach and Point Judith." Ferrara said: "Albies are running off Newport and Narraganset."

Scup fishing remains very strong in the Bay and along the coastal shore. Littlefield reported: "Scup fishing has been very good at Sabin Point, Kettle Point and Colt State Park with northern king fish and Tommy cod being caught at Colt Park as well." Ingber said: "Scup fishing is good at the Hurricane Barrier and at Sabin Point."

Freshwater fishing is picking up as the water cools. "Anglers are targeting largemouth at Stump Pond, Carbuncle Pond with fall pickerel soon to be targeting," Ingber said. "The freshwater bite is more active now as fish are leaving the deeper water and moving closer to shore, where shore anglers can reach them."

Dave Monti holds a captains master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the R.I. Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the R.I. Marine Fisheries Council. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net or visit noflukefishing.com and his blog at noflukefishing.blogspot.com.

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Fishing Report: Its time to learn about hooking tautog - The Providence Journal