Foggy Tautog fishing

[Jay Brooks]

 

I went back out for some Tautog/ blackfish. The forecast was temps to 75 and nearly no wind. Well that was off... On the way out the cool wind was in my face, the fog bank bluring out everything but the front of my boat, and the sound of fog horns in my hears I knew I was in Virginia. I ended up using the bridge as guide to my spot. I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless you have some experience in the area. The tide can push you away from the bridge and you would not have any land marks for bearing. Add into the equation that this is a VERY active shipping lane so inside the bridge is the safest place to be.   

I met up with a group of kayakers who had read my report from the week before and said they had not caught a fish and had been out for two hours. I got to my spot and begin getting my cut Blue Crab stole. On the third drop I begin finding my groove.I invited the others over to take a couple home. We caught tog until the tide completely turned.

Then the action shut down. I sat there catching a 1 to 1 ratio of tog to oyster toads. I kept getting bit but when setting the hook would lose my leader. But I was getting bit so I stayed, I felt some tension on my line and brought it up to find I had caught my own leader, hook and weight!! I was pleased but what happened next was hilarious. I got another tug and set it hard. Pretty good pressure so I knew it had some size and boy was I right, a citation oyster toad! I even got another one of my rigs back because the hook was still in its mouth! I tried a few other pilings and it just wasn’t happening. The fog never lifted and the temps were still in the 60s.  With the next slack over four hours away I called it a day and was off the water by two with a total of nine tog and a big 21 inch female caught and released.

[Jay Brooks]

Thanks Micah!

[Micah Taylor]

An enjoyable read and some amazing photos! Thanks for sharing. Also, that is an amazing catch.