Frances Fleet Blackfishing

[ckonkol]

Frances Fleet 10/23-10/24

My dad, Eben and I went out with the Frances Fleet Thursday and Friday. We had 12 people for Thursday. We departed at 6 with Captain Don at the Helm and a good north wind to greet us. After a not too long boat ride we began fishing. As soon as the baits hit the bottom bites happened immediately. Only problem was that majority of the bites were porgy bites. They proved to be a huge nuisance especially for me. If the season was still opened I would have had my limit on them easily. The size on them ranged from the size of my hand to license plates. If you could keep your bait on the hook you would get to the blackfish. The first spot Eben was the first in our group to score with a nice size chinner, followed by my dad. I was the last in our group to get one. At spot 1 I got 1 keeper and a short that got torn in half on the way up by a good size bluefish. My dad and Eben each pulled out 2 tog at this spot. Don moved to a different location where after 5min of being anchored I got a nice 7pound fish. Soon after Eben got another 7pound fish this one was shorter and fatter. I was a little slow after this part. Eben and my dad still were picking away at the tog while I was taking care of the scup problem so everyone could get to the tog. I could not get away from these things. Last spot of the day was very productive and a very sticky piece. I actually pulled up a chunk of the wreck. I got 2 more keepers. Our total for the day was Eben a limit catch of 8 blackfish to 7pounds and 2 seabass, My dad with 5tog up to 6pounds and myself with 4tog to 7pounds and 2 seabass. Almost all of our fish were over 3pounds. There were not many just legal fish all fish were good sized. Pool fish was in the 12pound range.

Friday we departed at 6 with close to 40 people and Captain Mike at the helm. The bite was a little different today. It was a tougher bite most of the bites were once and they didn't come back for more. My dad and I got 1 keeper Eben got 2 keepers. Next spot I got 1 more keeper and Eben got 4 more keepers. Then it seemed like after this spot the tog just stopped biting. Eben did get one more keeper as did my dad and I got a keeper seabass. Things were very tough today as for getting them to bite but that is fishing. Our total was Eben with 7keepers Myself with 2 keepers and a seabass and My dad with 2 keepers. Today the size was much smaller with many fish just making the 16inch size limit. It was a good 2 days on the water and was still 2 good days for early togging in RI.

1/2 a tog
my 7pounder
pair of 7's

[SeaBiscuit]

Fine report, as usual, young man. Is that the beach on the background of your photos? Great party boat fishing that close to the hill! No wonder you guys dig it!
First couple of North Carolina togs of this season, that I know of, were caught earlier this week. With our grouper and snapper fisheries shut down this winter, I may try to target cold water tautog a bit more.
A tutorial on your favorite rigs and baits would be most helpful.
SeaBiscuit

[Anngler]

Yet another wonderful report! Once again you found the fish and brought the experience to us! Keep it up!

[ckonkol]

Frances Fleet 11/2-11/4

My dad, Eben and I went out with the Frances Fleet Sunday through Tuesday. The only way to describe the fishing was STUPID. It was the best blackfishing that I have yet to experience, it was so good that I was able to easily get my limit and I am a horrible togger.

Sunday we departed 6am with 53people and Captain Mike at the helm. We had a pretty good NE wind which was supposed to be 5-10kts but was more like 15-20. Our first stop I managed 3 keepers My dad had 1 Eben had 2 and Nick had 4. Mike made a short move and we began fishing again. I moved up to an almost empty pulpit drop down and bang! hooked up and landed a nice chinner. Quickly I run back throw the fish in the cooler take a bait bucket and land 6 more keeper tog at this spot. I was able to get Eben to come up and he did well also on the tog. We got my dad to come up drops down gets stuck breaks off and does it again and gets frustrated and goes back to the desert. This spot slowed down and I had landed 10keepers Eben was at 8 Nick was at 8 and my dad still had 1. Next spot our last spot Eben hooks into something decent and turns out to be a double of a 6 and 4pound fish. He thought he might have me beat but I really turned on catching another 4 keepers. Nick also had 2 more keepers and Eben also had 1more. My dad had a really tough day with 1 keeper and about 30 shorts. The 4 of us went home with our 4 person limit of 32 blackfish and gave away our extra fish to those that were less fortunate. Our total was me high hook with 14fish Eben with 11 Nick with 10 and my dad with 1. The boat had a total of 320 keepers it was the best day I have seen or so I thought...

Monday we departed with 28 people on board and Captain Don at the helm. We fished a completely different area today and todays plan was quality and quantity. First spot I got 1 keeper right away was a nice size tog then I moved up to the pulpit and got another keeper. My dad and Eben followed and they each put a few keepers in. I moved down to starboard midship and put another 2 nice size tog in the boat. This spot I had four fish Eben had 3 and my dad had 2. There were also some real bulldogs caught here including a monster that hit the scales at over 13pounds which was a big male, there were also a couple others over 10pounds. The next spot the bite was up in the bow again I got 1 keeper and missed the bite due to having to re rig a couple of my poles due to break offs. My dad and Eben were doing really well on fish. Eben put an 8pound fish in the boat and my dad got a 9pound fish both big males. At this spot I was at 5 keepers my dad had 6 and Eben was at 7. We made a couple moves and picked away at some nice fish. Eben also got a nice 8.5pound fish. Eben was high hook today and got 14 keepers, I had 10 keepers and a 3pound seabass and my dad had 6keepers We totaled 30 tog but once again we gave some fish to less fortunate anglers and some fish to the crew. There was also a nice keeper cod caught to change things up a bit.

Tuesday Captain Mike was at the helm and we set sail with a little more than 70 people. We started fishing where we left off on Tuesday except the fish were a little less cooperative was probably due to the fact they took for cover due to the air raid of 70+ 8oz sinkers. We moved to a different spot where I got a keeper as did Eben and I got another keeper this was a fat 8pound male tog which is my biggest of the 08 season so far. A couple minutes earlier our friend Connie got an 11.3 pound tog directly across from me which ended up winning the pool. Eben also got another fish too. It was a steady pick all day with fish coming up around the boat. Our total was Eben with 7 keepers Me with 6 and my dad with 3. Not too bad a day figuring there were that many people and nowhere to move around.

Nick Eben and I with our catch


My dad and Eben with their big tog


My Dad Eben and I with our catch


My big tog


Connie and I

[SeaBiscuit]

Big, beautiful tautog. Thanks for the report and pictures young man.
Standing by for the tutorial!
SeaBiscuit

[tunatamer4]

Sweet load of chins you boys got there!
Man I miss those fish.
Keep em coming.

[Anngler]

Those are some nice toggies! WTG!

[livetofishnj]

Nice Tog... 2 days and counting here in Jersey...

[Skolmann]

Looks like 'Gale' decided to make an extended visit in NJ since the blackfish limit went from 1 to 6. She'll be here until Wednesday.