First Legal Tog

There are some things I think I'm pretty good at. I feel like I know what I'm doing when it comes to striper fishing. I feel confident that if there are trout in front of me sooner rather than later I will figure out how to catch them. I have worked really hard to be a half decent birder.

However, if there is one thing I suck at, it is catching tautog! I don't mean not very good, I mean, I really, really, suck at catching them. Don't get me wrong, I can fish for them just fine. I can stand on the shoreline rod in hand with a crab on the business end.Getting one to bite my offering, for whatever the reason, that I do not have a knack for.

Truthfully, I don't know what I'm doing. Sure I know a couple of things about the good ole blackfish such as they are sight feeders. I know they obviously like cool water and rocky areas. This is all well and good, but I've only ever caught one tautog and it was a short until yesterday.

Yesterday, between birding, albie fishing, and a rodeo (upcoming post) I managed almost two hours of targeting tautog. I was overjoyed to catch a little one of roughly 12 inches. About 45 minutes later, I was absolutely ecstatic to catch my first keeper tog. Legal size is sixteen inches. After measuring it three times, just to be sure, I can confidently say it was exactly 16.25 inches.

Here's to hoping I get a couple more before the year is over!!!