March Challenge: "Catching Tautog in Delaware" Mar 12, 2016

[ComeOnFish]

Catching tog (Tautog/Blackfish) in March in DE is a big challenge. It is as hard as catching tog in CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA where the water is warmer by 4 F) in February. So I tried.

I picked a calm day, and fished during low and slack tide. Togging during the low tide was important because I could see some of my favorite tog holes in the Inner Wall in CHSP (Cape Henlopen State Park, DE). Also the minimal wind and slack tide help me stay over the small holes I targeted. These were fundamentally important in togging in the cold water (44-46 F water) because I usually I get 0 -2 bites for the whole day. I didn’t target the Outer Wall because I thought targeting a few specific holes at the Inner Wall in a limited fishing window is more effective in the cold water tog fishing.

I had one bite and caught one tog at 16.5”

Fishing Log:

Joe

[willf650]

We were fishing the Indian River inlet yesterday and stopped by cape henlopen to see the work on the pier. They have a hell of a project going on down there. The deck is gone and they had about 40' of it redecked.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[HokieDJ]

Catching tog (Tautog/Blackfish) in March in DE is a big challenge. It is as hard as catching tog in CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, VA where the water is warmer by 4 F) in February. So I tried.

I picked a calm day, and fished during low and slack tide. Togging during the low tide was important because I could see some of my favorite tog holes in the Inner Wall in CHSP (Cape Henlopen State Park, DE). Also the minimal wind and slack tide help me stay over the small holes I targeted. These were fundamentally important in togging in the cold water (44-46 F water) because I usually I get 0 -2 bites for the whole day. I didn’t target the Outer Wall because I thought targeting a few specific holes at the Inner Wall in a limited fishing window is more effective in the cold water tog fishing.

I had one bite and caught one tog at 16.5”

Fishing Log:

Joe

1 bite thats it?

I got 3 more weekends to try this spring.

[ComeOnFish]

1 bite thats it?

I got 3 more weekends to try this spring.

1 bite was it. And there was no annoying oyster toad fish. The bites in Jan-Mar are very subtle. No double taps, one tap so far to me.
We had warm winter, so I think Apr 8th will be a catch-able day. Apr 1st can be too early.

Anyway, I am going to try for flounder at Wise Point around Apr 16 -23 this year, earlier than usual, instead of tog.

Joe

[Salty Dog]

Good to see there is a little bit of life in the Delaware Waters.

[AbuMasgouf]

Great video Joe... I like the ending first and story to follow Mr. Director

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Goody]

Great job. Are those pink latex gloves you have on? I see you are back to wearing the helmet cam. Are you you no longer using the Action Hat?

[JohnE]

Awesome job on the keeper. Thanks for the report.

-I fished cbbt with a friend this weekend for tog. One bite only between the two of us, but I did not hook up. Water temp 47-49. Was hoping for warmer outgoing current in afternoon to help out. Current was running hard incoming the whole time up until 3 hours after high tide when we decided to quit. Maybe a couple more weeks or so before bite is really on.

[ComeOnFish]

Great job. Are those pink latex gloves you have on? I see you are back to wearing the helmet cam. Are you you no longer using the Action Hat?

Pink latex Gloves: I use my wife's garden gloves from Costco, $8-10 dollars for 6 pairs. It comes with 3 colors. Fish like pink more than chartreuse i am sure. I throw them away after they get dirty and smelly after 4-6 trips. They are good quality (disposable) gloves for fishing if you don't want smelly gloves. The pink was the last one from the package. I think I will buy a couple of packages next time I go to Costco, and save the pink for days when there is no bites at all.

Action Hat: I am saving it (to Keep it clean and odorless) for a guest or someone who want to try a head cam. My plastic helmet is always clean and odorless because it is easy to rinse off fish slime.

Joe

[ComeOnFish]

Awesome job on the keeper. Thanks for the report.

-I fished cbbt with a friend this weekend for tog. One bite only between the two of us, but I did not hook up. Water temp 47-49. Was hoping for warmer outgoing current in afternoon to help out. Current was running hard incoming the whole time up until 3 hours after high tide when we decided to quit. Maybe a couple more weeks or so before bite is really on.

It is tough to find even single bite. In Jan- Mar, I don't hop pilings to pilings. I pick a few pilings and stay with each pilings 30 min to 1 hour. And I plan to fish only during the slack tide.

I think I will fish Rudee soon.

Joe

[Shady]

Thanks for the report Joe. After having limited luck during the past fall season my Tog withdrawal is severe... Can't wait for it to be on soon!

[JohnE]

It is tough to find even single bite. In Jan- Mar, I don't hop pilings to pilings. I pick a few pilings and stay with each pilings 30 min to 1 hour. And I plan to fish only during the slack tide.

I think I will fish Rudee soon.

Joe

Thanks for the tip. Will try that if I get down again soon. I was mostly pling surfing for bites...thought I would get some slack to fish, bit it was still running in hard even 3 hours after high tide. I did try some of my holes by the rocks though for extended periods of time with no action at all. A couple of guys who were anchored up in the same spot for a long time in heavy current said they got a couple tog. Looked like they had fiddlers for bait. I just had old frozen shrimp from last fall and oe was sold out of everything, not even frozen green crab.

[Slobber Bob]

I've noticed the same thing in cold water. I have to sit in one spot for a long time to get bites. Sometimes when I miss a fish, and I know it is down there, it might take 20 minutes for me to get it to bite again.

[ComeOnFish]

I've noticed the same thing in cold water. I have to sit in one spot for a long time to get bites. Sometimes when I miss a fish, and I know it is down there, it might take 20 minutes for me to get it to bite again.

You just confirmed what I have been thinking.

joe