TIPS FOR THE TOGS!!

[WAHOONBOX]

OKAY...........AND YOU THOUGHT THE 'BOX WAS GIVING OUT TIPS HERE ...............WRONG..............I AM A LITTLE SOUTH OF ANY TOG ACTION BUT OCCASIONALLY FIND A COUPLE AROUND THE PORT WALLS.......I NEED TIPS ALSO.....SO,........

WILL SOME OF YOU GUYS THAT DO THIS BRAND OF KILLING PLEASE TEACH THOSE OF US THAT ARE NOT AS APT AT IT .........SHOW US THE LIGHT GUYS!!!!!!! PLEASE MAKE A STORYLINE HERE OF TRICKS FOR THE TOGS!

THANX, MARTY

[Bert Rodgers]

Around the jetties fish them just like sheepshead.

Bert

[SharkJP]

OK, I am no Tog expert, but I have caught a few. . .lets start with the terminal end. I keep my rigs VERRY simple, i use about 30lb test mono with a surgeons loop at both ends and 2 dropper loops about 8-10" apart. when I attach my lead, i use a rubber band to do it, because when you are tog fishing, you are fishing structure and you will loose rigs, prob a lot of rigs, so if you lead gets hung up, the rubber band will break before your main line will, that way all you have to do it attach a new weight and your back fishing in no time.

A simple little tip to save some money and time. . .

[Miles Offshore]

I do fish for them a little so I will with the list of the ten commandments of tog fishing-(not made by me but i keep them framed in manland so's i never forget)

The Ten Commandments of Tog Fishing


1- If thou does not snag the bottom , thou shalt not catch a tog

2-thou must recognize a tog bite- before thou can catch a tog

3-if thou does not strike the tog hard (i.e.- manly hook set) thou shall lose thy bait ( and not catch a tog)

4-if thou fishes for tog with mixed baits, thou shalt know the confision of Babel

5-If thou lets the tog run, thou shall regret thy fortune

6- Thou shalt not fish for tog with lite tackle- for he that does is without citation (big tog)

7- Thou shalt not have a lapse in attention- for the tog knowest

8- Thou shall fish a hard bait or lose the rest to the bait stealing demons of the see (see rule #2)

9-Thou shall never try to scale a tog, for this is a task for those banished in hell

10-Thou shall return the small tog (under 3 lbs on my boat), for they are among the slowest growing of fishes-

They grow slower the farthur north you go due to the cold water but off the northeast it was said that a 12 lb tog was 60 or so years old.

Tips from an old rubber lips catcher-

1) use inline trolling sinkers usually in the 6 to 14 oz range depending on the tide- use as light as you can to hold bottom. standard teardrop or bank sinkers will get hung up much easier- I like power pro line and use 30/40 lb test.
2) I like a 2/0 long shank hook on a 30 lb test leader- 1 hook only, leader about 2 ft long with the snelled hook on a dropperloop close to the sinker- so that the hook falls below the lead when out of the water- i will use a swivel in strong current to keep it from twisting bad- use two hooks and you are constantly rebaiting and never know what you have- if you are out of bait on one- etc- (just me)
3) I prefer blue crab/quartered for bait- go in thru a leg nuckle and bring the hook around so that it is not visible to the tog- he can see it,lol
4) fiddler crabs actually are normally/probably the best bait around here(va beach) bait but you only get one shot or you are rebaiting - the blue crab will give you normally a couple of chances- but they will suck the meat clean out of the shell sometimes and you feel "nothing,nothing"- i will also use chowder clams- they work well sometimes as well- cut the clams across the muscle into a couple of pieces and thread the muscle lengthwise through your hook first and then the rest the best way you can(then add a crab quarter over top!!)
5) save all your crab shells , clam shells, claws broken legs etc for later in a plastic container, bucket , whatever. get mama to ask for paper bags at the grocery store instead of plastic (anyone know where i am going with this???) ok- after you are anchored up do this- tie some fairly heavy lead to a piece of mono about 18" long. using a loop in both ends of the leader. now , take the paper bag (kind with the handles work best)pour all of your clam/crap chum mix)attach it to a shower curtain along with the other end of the lead leader) and attach the big end onf the cirtain hook to your anchor line and let this on down the line. the current and water will melt the bag and any tide will wash the chum back to your area. make sense?- the paper will fall to pieces and disintegrate so you are not polluting and all your shells etc become part of the wreck.

Tautog seem to prefer water temps in the 50's to 60's so when the water starts getting real warm the fish will be better offshore in the cooler waters and just the opposite when the water cools (inshore).

5)sometimes they will knock the hell out of anything you throw down there and you will catch the crap out of them- not the norm though and in fact the exception
6) after you are anchored up and fishing- first off if I dont feel holes, ledges, etc i will move either back(letting anchor line out, or take line in , until i feel junk (normally i fish wrecks)if i dont get this then i move without wasting time. the best time to catch them is when the tide has slowed down just prior to or after changing-- they will come out of their holes and cruise the wreck but they stay close enough to run you back in- dead tide you might get lucky and pick one or two up- but unless you are waiting on the tide to change direction -slack water is time for lunch. After you get a good spot- you feel a good hole- bouncin you sinker around until you drop in a hole- move up and down the side of the boat, go to the other side, etc until you drop in where they are at- if you are not feeling bites anywhere after 20 or so minutes- , either drop back the anchor line or pull forward and repeat process.
7) those big fish (6 lbs and up), you have to horse their asses quickly for your first several seconds you are hooked up to keep her from going back into the wreck and hanging you up. if they do hang you up and you know it is a big fish- put some slack in your line and stick in the rod holder for a few minutes- sometimes they will swim back out of their hole and you can clear them- again horse their ass!!!
sorry for the long post but old rubber lips are one of my favorite rascals to catch !!!! now i want to learn some more of yalls tactics so i can be the baddest ass tog angler on the east coast so keep em coming boyz!!!! (there is a local guy named Ol Joe that already has that title and I dont think anyone will take it from him as long as he is catchin em!!!

Marty-hope this helps you and anyone else who have never fished or caught them- if i think of something else that slipped my mind i will add later-peace


Craig

[Reel World]

I use pretty much the same rig as John except I use 50 lb.mono and 4/0 Gamagatsu octupus hooks, my reel is spooled with power pro for sensitivity for those bait stealin little bastards. I know quite a few people that actually use 80 lb. mono when toggin' depending on what type of structure were fishing. Fiddler crabs are my personal favorite but I also use hermit crabs, blue crabs and clam also. I try and feel around and find a hole in whatever wreck/structure were fishing because this is where they tend to hide.

Edit: Yeah what Craig said!!!!

[Graceland]

Not too much difference from what every one else had to say. I like a heavy leader, usually at least 50 pounds. I am lazy on them so I just use double surgeons knots to form the loops. If I am planning ahead I will snell them. Like Craig said though, make sure the hook is even or below the sinker when you're done. I normally use a 2/0 long shank, wide gap hook with an offset in it. Seems to help with the hook ups. I don't usually use crab quarters unless I am monster tog hunting. Normally I will halve them and then cut sections beteen each knuckle and cut the legs at the first joint. Notice I said cut the legs, not break them off, you'll pull meat out of them if you don't cut them. Somedays clam will work better. For the rod and reel set up I like to use a baitcaster with some cranking power and a stick that is rated 20-40 lbs. You got to have something pretty stiff to yank them out of the wreck with. Of course the line is a braid for sensitivity, and even then you'll loose bait when you never even feel the slightest nudge.

[AhiSlayer]

Aloha!

Whats this?? A freekin guy out in the islands in da wrong ocean given tog advise? ya gotta be kiddin me!!!

Most people agree the best bait is hermet crabs.

I find the hermet crabs crawling around at night. I walk a section of grassy coast line with a flash light , five gallon bucket and a pair of two foot long tongs.

The tongs just mean I don't have to bend over as far. more crabs walk about after a breif shower and full moon. They live in hollow trees and under bushes, rocks, etc.

I get half a bucket and go home.

I set a 3" thick piece of wood on the gunnel. Then smash the shell and crab with a giant sinker, brush it overboard. How much you smach up the crabs is determined by how deep the water..Shallow, crunch um good,,,,,Deep just crunch um to release da juice but stay in the heavy shell fer sink right.

Most guys think catchin togs is diffecult due to ya gotta get right on da numbers and get yer bait in just de right spot. This all changes when you chum um into a feedin frenzy!!!! They still like a still bait, but they come out an start compeatin fer the free food!

If the water is to deep For surface chummin just put the chum in a paper bag and lower too twenty feet froom the bottom,,,yank the string a few time to release da busted crabs.

It will probably be about five years before people agree with me on this.

CHUM THOSE TOGS!!! don't matter ya fish da wall, jetty, wreck or rock pile.

I should get a friggin bullet proof t shirt fer lettin that one outdabag. Some guys on Long Island gonna shoot me fer sher.

Ammendment to living will: If I get whacked, into a perminant vegative state, place me on a massage therapist table with my gown open in da back so all dem people wanna keep me alive fer an extra 10-20 years can kiss my butt.

Slayer

[AhiSlayer]

Aloha Craig

Hey I just saw yer post....The blackfish mafia gonna come fer you!

If some guys show up for a fishin trip dressed in machin track suits,,,
Don't go!!!

Tautag terorists are watching you,,,,,,,They're probably in yer garage right now puttin micro cuts in yer fishin string!!!

Next time yer going taug fishin,,,,hide the taug rods in da boat under a tarp,,,then spike some flounder rods...

Same thing on da spot...If anouther boat come close drop da taug pole an pick up da whimpy stick....

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Ok I'm back, I had ta look around outside. Never can be too safe.

I agree wit da Craig mon. Use a long shank hook. Taug have an inner jaw dat crunches tough ole crab legs and bodies. Dat cruncher in there can cut right through a littles porgy hook!!!

Dim rubber lips help protect da mouth an prevent claws an such from pokin through....Dim big rubber lips are allso the reason I use only kirbed hooks. I'm not tryin to catch da bone or even go round da bone wit da hook. I'm tryin ta get dem sweet lips!! da hook should have a turned in eye so da pull is straight.

ahi

ahi

[captadamnj]

Here's a link to an article I wrote a couple of years ago -
The Mighty Whitechin

And here's the end results you want -

[usual suspects]

What Ahi says is very good!!AND....you dont have to anchor to catch said beast.Controlled drift,pivot the boat...keep the boat in structure as long as possible.A.you cover more area B. if you can do this,you can fish those"little"pieces (that are never fished)I agreee sinking a hook and working a piece is great,but limited catches on a great piece is icing on the cake.