Pro secrets for pulling big blackfish out of tight spots. For blackfishing in the spring, I always make sure to have some clam on hand, just in case the bait shops have not yet stocked up with green crabs. Minimum size: None. Blackfish are prized by marine anglers for their fighting ability and the delicious fillets they provide. It is also true that the unpredictable New England weather can make fishing for spring blackfish seem more like a fight against time, with water temperatures racing the season closure to the 50-degree mark. In fact, in recognition that this is still a recovering fishery, we usually do not keep flounder unless they are at least 14 inches long. The entire beach is open to fishing during the off-season from 8 a.m. to sunset only. Luke Wiggins caught, weighed and released this impressive 23.7-pound blackfish on Saturday, November 28, just as the fall season came to a close. Blackfish Fishing Spots. Because the only bycatch I can ever recall anyone hooking in those years were tomcod, our tackle was simple and consisted of medium-weight spinning gear and simple, store-bought flounder rigs. During this time of the month, the only effort I give to blackfishing is to run out at slack tide and try a quick drop on a deep wreck or rockpile. In Long Island Sound, when it comes to temperatures for spring blackfish, the magic number is 50. By mid-April, however, it can be absolutely astounding just how quickly the schools of tautog migrate from deep to shallow water and go from a state of near dormancy to an all-out feeding frenzy. Later in the month, they migrate down the estuaries and out into Long Island Sound. Actually, it was lots of splashes as just about anyone willing to brave the cold wind and choppy seas found the tautog pickings spectacular. Obviously, if you have already purchased some sandworms for winter flounder, any leftovers can be offered to blackfish. It’s always exciting Blackfishing as this is the final act of the season and very different than the rest of the fish we target. Tautog (blackfish) season opens tomorrow, October 10th, in CT waters! While some years have certainly been better than others, a breath of life appears to be coming back to the flounder fishery in this area. Please tell us why you would like to flag this item. As his line parted and the rod came straight, we all sat silent, staring into the water, wondering just how big the fish had been. Great boat for in shore sound fishing, Your email address will not be published. in Clinton, CareFree Boat Club CT, Wednesday, 11. In the 1970s, sandworms were cheap and they were all the bait you needed when looking to put a few winter flounder in the pail. Bottom fish found in rocks and reefs. Many of us saltwater anglers cannot get enough blackfish (), this is why it is so hard to patiently wait for the fall season to have a try at these beasts.!! Minimum size: None. If you have already purchased a frozen block of skimmer clam, you can get an early start on the day even if the shops do not open until later in the morning. CT Blackfish Season is Now Open. Sandworms are still my most productive bait for Connecticut winter flounder. This is a great way to get your blackfish season started early by staying shallow. Tautog are found heavily in Southern New England south of Cape Cod Canal. My own experience, confirmed by the best bottom fishermen I know, is that some of the biggest tautog fall for crab each spring. The good part is blackfishing opens today, but the bad part is the wind and rain … Blackfish (tautog) Shore Fishing Tips. Year Round. Tautog (Blackfish) Open season: All year. The prospect of a two-flounder limit may be enough to prevent some Connecticut fishermen who remember the past bounty of this fishery from even taking their boats out of winter storage. Subscribe to receive the latest updates to the US FishFinder community, fishing news and great offers from our partners. Your email address will not be published. My rig of choice for blackfish in the spring depends on the depth of water I will be fishing. Tweet. For winter flounder. By Tom Migdalski. 16″ 1. Fishing on the drift has become my go-to method for finding the sometimes scattered schools of winter flounder and I almost always deploy a “flounder pounder” to slow my boat and improve my bait presentation. The bottom line when bottom-fishing Long Island Sound during the spring season is that the farther west you fish, the warmer water you will find. Other CT Species. Sign up for our FREE Fishing Reports Today! Water temperature plays an important part in deciding where I concentrate my efforts in the spring. All of my hooks are dressed with small, yellow Mister Twisters or Gotcha curly-tail grubs. Tautog (Blackfish) 16″ 2. An even more reliable destination for this April combo would be the waters of central and western Long Island Sound. This has made a big difference, especially when fishing on the drift. Both nightcrawlers and clams are distant runners up, and I believe the flounder fishery is the one area where the added expense for seaworms is totally justified. Headed out with Bullwinkle at 7:30 with a couple buckets of Asians and Greenies for opening day of Blaskfish season. 05 September 2018 • Connecticut’s Blackfish Season Reopens 10 OCT “It seems like with the flipping of the calendar to the 9th month that fishermen come back out of their summer hiding places, looking for … As for the blackfish side of the equation, this slice of the coast has plenty of options, from the rock piles near the warm-water discharge of the Millstone Power Plant, to some shallow wrecks and breakwalls. While that was the first time I had ever witnessed anyone absolutely “freight trained” into the rocks by a big blackfish, it would not be the last time I would try to combine some winter flounder fishing with togging. Gear. 12″ 2. Possession limit: Unlimited Tilefish: Blueline. That, combined with the challenge of catching some hard-fighting but elusive blackfish, makes both success and the fillets taste that much sweeter! The main difference today is that while there are some areas, such as shallow shellfish beds and certain breakwalls, where both species’ habitats overlap, in most cases I now make a change of location when my target species changes. Possession limit: 3 fish per person on … Each spring, some of the largest tautog landed in the state of Connecticut are pried away from these walls. When shallow, a simple single-hook rig consisting of a dropper loop for the sinker and one dropper for the hook is all I employ. Baked Blackfish - I. Using Multi-Purpose Transducers to Find Fish. This is primarily due to the fact that in Connecticut waters, the flounder are simply not as prevalent as they once were. !I see so many … Open season: May 1-Oct 31. Since he was perched on a rock outcropping with his rod held high, I could clearly see the trajectory of the large fish he had hooked and remember thinking it was quite odd that the fish was not only running parallel to the seawall but actually taking a turn and coming into the rocks! Latest. Norwalk, CT - Light Tackle Blackfish Fishing. With the season open (July 1 -August 31) for Blackfish (Tautog) it offers a good opportunity for shore anglers to catch this very tasty fish. Tautog (Blackfish) Minimum length: 16 inches Open Season: April 1 - April 30, 2 fish per angler Open Season: July 1 - August 31, 2 fish per angler Dark colored black/brown on top, light/white on bottom. October 2017 - Tautog 4 fish/person/day (Oct 10-Dec 6) 16″ minimum Tautog (Blackfish… Blackfish season opened Wednesday with a splash. More Travel. As a rule, winter flounder begin the month of April in the upper reaches of bays and estuaries, where the dark, muddy bottoms soak up the sunlight and warm the water fastest. CT Blackfish Season Is Back! I want to know what type of boat you are using thanks John, That’s an amesbury sea dory, I recognize it because I own the same boat! Add salt, white and red pepper, grated nutmeg, minced parsley, and sweet herbs to season… The bottom fishery of Long Island Sound has really taken off during the past few years. The “togs” will be feeding in shallow water as … Fishers totally enjoy the pleasure of searching out, catching, and eating the many varieties, let alone … How To. You'll also receive community updates, invites to try new features and promotions from our partners. Tautog (blackfish): Long Island Sound Region Marine and coastal district waters lying east of the Throgs Neck Bridge and west of a line that runs from Orient Point, NY to Watch Hill, RI: 16: 2 3: April 1 - April 30 Oct 11 - Dec 9: Tautog (blackfish… Sign up for our weekly newsletter for information on Blackfish fishing in Connecticut right in your inbox. The silt, worms and small invertebrates dislodged from the bottom are carried down-tide and seem to attract the winter flounder. Connecticut Blackfish Season opens. Stay Updated . Tautog (Blackfish) season opens tomorrow, Oct.10th in CT. waters. As I was going through the report contacts for the week, I received an email from Karen Westerberg over at AW Marina in New London, CT. April 1 – … … Brush on our California Olive Oil, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and bake this Wild Blackfish whole at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes. The recreational tautog (blackfish) season opens April 1 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Blackfish (Tautog) Minimum length: 16 inches Open Season: April 1 - April 30, 2 fish per angler Open Season: July 1 - August 31, 2 fish per angler Open Season: October 10 - Dec. 6 4 fish per angler . 2020 Size, Season and Possession Limits. I have not found success with spring blackfish until the water is at least 48 degrees, and in early April that is hard to find out in the Sound. Species. Open Season. While I have caught plenty of blackfish in the spring on soft baits, don’t believe the myth that hard baits will not work. Rounded perch-like fish, blunt fins, large tough lips. 25 eels/person/day or 50 eels/vsl/day for licensed party/charter … BLACKFISH/TAUTOG SEASON RE-OPENS IN CT THIS FRIDAY Anglers are gearing up for an anticipated good Fall tog fishing season. Where to Find Sailfish. The month was April, and if my memory serves me right, it was a typical early spring day when my Dad, a friend of his from work, my brother and I all carefully made our way out onto the breakwall at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, Connecticut. According to ct.gov/deep, the fish to be caught include bluefish, striped bass, fluke, hickory shad, scup, blackfish, winter flounder, weakfish, blue crab, striped sea robin and black sea … The blackfish are … But, chasing winter flounder has always marked the unofficial beginning of the saltwater season for me and will always bring back fond memories of fishing with my Dad. Blackfish season gets started today By Tim Coleman Publication: The Day We have another week of good news/bad news. What is the right temp. Weakfish. Sign up for our weekly newsletter for information on Blackfish fishing in Connecticut right in your … 16″ 3. Weren't sure what to expect with the warm weather. For the first two weeks of April, my main target is winter flounder, and I look for back bays where the water is close to 50 degrees. Fish to be caught: Blackfish… Spring tautog are on an opposite course, beginning the month where they spent the winter, out in deep water, and ending it spread out and feeding in the shallows. Blackfish are prized by marine anglers for their fighting ability and the delicious fillets they provide. All Rights Reserved. In the rare cases when I am working a location where winter flounder and blackfish habitat overlaps, I will use the stronger Kahle hooks, which I know have become the standard up north where much larger flounder are targeted. Fishing is allowed at Sherwood Point, East and West Jetty during the open season (April 15 - Sept. 30). Primarily due to the fact that in Connecticut waters, the flounder are simply not as prevalent as they were... In CT. waters depends on the drift found heavily in Southern New England south of Cod... 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