Tautog

Tautog are stout bodied fish. They are equipped with a thick-lipped mouth that has large conical teeth in front and flat crushing teeth in back. The single dorsal fin possesses a series of stiff, sharp spines, originates over the gill slit and runs back nearly to the tail.

The color of the tautog's body ranges from dark green to black, with these shades mottling a lighter background color of the sides. The belly is only slightly lighter than the sides. The white chin characteristic of large tautog has led to many anglers to call this fish the "white chin."

Tautog are very slow growing. Large tautog caught with hook-and-line sometimes exceed 20 pounds although typically anglers may catch fish that weigh 2 to 10 pounds. Males typically grow faster and live longer than females. The maximum age for males appears to be about 35 years.

Anglers use a variety of leaders for tautog. Since the fishing is all in very rough terrain, tackle should be as snag resistant as possible.

The simplest rig is a hand made leader, usually of 20-40 lb test monofilament line. Anglers can increase the rigs resistance to snagging by using only one hook, tying on the sinker with a weak knot and using light hooks that can be straightened out.

A loop in the leader using a surgeon's knot or other knot can be used to attach the hook. A similar loop at the top allows connection to a swivel.

Tautog are excellent table fare.The meat is firm, white and mild flavored. Tautog fillets are delicious fried, baked or grilled.

Here is a simple recipe for baked tautog with vegetables:

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 lb. mushrooms chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs. of fillets

Place the fish in a buttered baking pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake 5 minutes at 325°. Meanwhile, sweat onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter until soft. Add the tomato, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Top the fish with the sauce and return it to the oven for 5 minutes.

For more information on cleaning and filleting tautog, see this tutorial on How To Clean Tautog. For tautog and other fish recipes, visit Seafood Recipes.

Morningstar, a 22 passenger head boat based in Ocean City Maryland has a reputation for offering some of the best tautog fishing on the East Coast. To book a trip or learn more about tautog fishing and artificial reefs, visit Morningstar - Ocean City MD.

Anglers use a variety of baits for catching tautog. The following are a few of the most common baits used by Atlantic Coast tautog-blackfish anglers:

Blue Crabs

The Atlantic blue crab is found in inshore environments from Nova Scotia to Argentina. These crabs make excellent bait for tautog. They are fished as cut bait and occasionally fished whole.

Green Crab

The green crab is an introduced species that is originally from Northern Europe. Their shell size can be up to 3". Green crabs are now found from New Jersey to Nova Scotia, and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Rock Crab

The rock crab is a common species of shallow-water crab. It is usually found sheltering in nooks and crevices. It is a fairly unaggressive species, with shell widths up to about 5". Range: Labrador to South Carolina.

Jonah Crab

The Jonah crab is a species of crab found on the Atlantic coast of North America. It is closely related to the Dungeness crab of the Pacific Coast. Jonah Crabs look similar to rock crabs due to similar color and possessing 9 teeth on each side of the eye. Jonahs have black tips on their claws and a rougher shell edge as compared to rock crabs.

Mole Crabs

Mole crabs are sometimes used for catching tautog. Fishermen gather them by hand, with special metal mesh scoops or with meshed wire nets attached to poles. They can be purchased at bait and tackle shops in some areas.

Fiddler Crabs

Fiddler crabs are found along beaches, marshes and mud flats. They are sometimes gathered by fishermen and used for bait for species such as tautog, scup, sheepshead and black sea bass.

Shrimp

Fresh shrimp are available in from seafood markets, farmers markets and roadside vendors. Shrimp are sized by "count", the value being the average number of shrimp specimens per pound. For example, shrimp of 16/20 count means there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Shrimp are an excellent choice for bottom fishing on structure such as fishing piers and artificial reefs.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission adopted the Interstate FMP for Tautog in 1996. Following the approval of the original plan, a series of addenda have been developed to further reduce fishing mortality.

Given the long-lived nature of the species, with individuals over age-30 reported, the management program must be very conservative to rebuild the stock.

source: asmfc

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Several American states allow commercial fishing for tautog. Tautog are sometimes caught commercially in traps, trawling or by handline. They are also sometimes bycatch in other fisheries. Tautog commonly enter inshore and offshore sea bass traps, lobster pots or other fixed gear.