Mystery Bait Part 5 - Green Harbor

[amarshall]

Was out getting pollock on Saturday afternoon and kept hooking up with these 2-3 lb striped mystery fish off the rocks in Green Harbor.

Nasty teeth for a fish that small. They were mixed in with the pollock.

They were not a secret tuna killer. Perfect size. What are they?

[bigrig]

tautog, caught some myself out by the bell buoy.

[amarshall]

tautog, caught some myself out by the bell buoy.

Thanks

Still going to try them again for tuna. The bigger ones looked like a perfect bait fish. They are also bullet proof when it comes to a bait well. A few of my pollock died over night. They spent the entire next day in the well and were released still alive at the end of the day.

[amarshall]

sea perch/ cunner. tog are darker and don't have defined stripes like that and there are loads of sea perch out front.

Winner...I think my artist rendition is pretty good

The cunner, also known as bergall, is related to the tautog and can be found from Chesapeake Bay to Newfoundland. The two species are similar in body shape, but the cunner is slimmer and has a pointed snout. Averaging about a quarter of a pound and 6 to 10 inches in length, cunners range in color from mottled reddish to bluish brown on top, fading to slightly paler hues along the sides. Their small mouth is lined with several rows of uneven cone-shaped teeth.

[aloop]

That's a Choggie! Always caught them floundering, the bellies turn greenish-blue. Something, people or fish will eat them!

[shesoffnosheson]

Glad you posted this. I have caught them too and although never used they do good in the live well. Never could bring myself to put a hook in em for Tuna, felt guilty not knowing what they were and always let them go. Didn`t know if they were baby tog or even sea bass.