Tautog (blackfish)

Thick, blunt-headed wrasse with dark gray-black mottled skin, thick rubbery lips and strong front teeth for crushing crabs and mussels; big males have a white chin.

2–6 lb.

About 3 ft and over 25 lb.

Crabs, mussels, clams, worms, shrimp and small fish living on rocks, wrecks and reefs.

Lives tight to rocks, jetties, wrecks and artificial reefs and grabs food off the structure.

Found from North Carolina, Virginia & Chesapeake Bay, Delaware & New Jersey, New York, Long Island & Connecticut and Rhode Island & Massachusetts. Rocks, jetties, bridge pilings, mussel beds, wrecks and artificial reefs from Virginia to Cape Cod.

Rocks, jetties, bridge pilings, mussel beds, wrecks and artificial reefs from Virginia to Cape Cod.

5–40 ft inshore in spring and fall; 60–120 ft on wrecks in winter.

On the bottom, right against the structure: 10–60 ft inshore, 60–150 ft on offshore wrecks.

Late spring through fall inshore; the bigger fish move to deeper wrecks and reefs as the water cools.

Daylight; they feed best on a moving tide.

Moving water; fish the edge of the tide on jetties, slack or light current on deeper wrecks.

Calm days so you can anchor right on the structure.

Green crabs, Asian crabs, fiddler crabs and clams; cut crabs in half for big fish.

Tautog jigs (1–2 oz) tipped with a piece of crab.

Medium-heavy 6½–7 ft conventional or spinning rod with a sturdy reel.

2/0–5/0 octopus or Virginia-style hooks, or 1–2 oz jigs.

30–50 lb braid.

30–50 lb fluorocarbon, short.

Anchor right on the structure and drop the bait straight down. Feel for the light taps, then set hard and pull the fish away from the rocks before it can wedge in.

Tautog grow very slowly — a 10-pounder can be 20 years old. Keep a few for dinner and let the big breeders go.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Firm, white, sweet meat — one of the best chowder and fried fish on the coast.

Sharp gill covers and spines; watch your footing on wet jetty rocks.

Size limits (around 15–16 in), bag limits and seasons are set by each state under the ASMFC tautog plan; some areas close in summer for spawning. Saltwater licenses and limits are set by each state (VMRC, NJ Fish & Wildlife, NYS DEC, CT DEEP, RI DEM, MA DMF, NH Fish & Game, Maine DMR) and by NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission — check the current rules for your state before you keep fish.

Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.