Spring tautog season in full swing

 

Angler Richard Reich said, “Caught this 24”, 7.24 pound tautog last Thursday in 20 feet of water off Narragansett.  It was our best of eleven fish on jigs with Asian crabs with two anglers fishing.

Kayak angler Tom Houde with a string of three tautog, his limit, caught in spring two years ago.

Spring tautog season in full swing

The spring tautog season in Massachusetts and Rhode Island opened April 1 with a 16” minimum size, only one fish may be greater than 21.  The season runs through May 31 with a three fish/person/day limit and a ten fish per boat limit (does not apply to charter boats).

In Massachusetts the limit reduces to one fish from June 1 to July 31. In Rhode Island the season closes in during peak spawning and reopens once again with a three fish/person/day limit on August 1 along with Massachusetts. Some of my favorite tautog fishing tips learned from the experts. 

·       Keep rig simple to reduce tie ups, I prefer an egg sinker rig with one hook extended below the sinker on a swivel, or a one hook conventional rig with a dropper loop and sinker.  Today the most popular rig for anglers are jigs of all sizes and colors.

·       Anchor over or near structure, and fish the entire boat or area if on land, even casting a bit as tautog are territorial, a few feet make a difference, also let anchor line in and out to change position unless you have and electric motor.

·       Be prepared to chum as needed, I use a mixture of cut-up sea clams and crushed crabs

·       I use 30 to 40 pound braid line with a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader of equal value to enhance a direct connection to the fish and the line does not stretch when the fish tries to run back into structure, my fishing rod is a medium action rod.

·       Your rig should be on the bottom, be patient particularly in the spring as the bites are not as frequent.

·       Be prepared to fish different types of rigs and bait presentations depending on conditions and what fish want i.e. conventional rigs, jigs  and various baits (green crabs, Asian crabs, clam bellies).

 

New cod and haddock regulation areas

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has filed final regulations which will go into effect on May 9, 2025 concerning cod and haddock as well as other groundfish. Federal rules apply to all fishing activity in federal waters and Massachusetts accommodates the possession and landing of groundfish lawfully taken in federal waters that do not conform to state rules. For information on the new interim federal emergency rules visit NOAA Fisheries Implements an Emergency Action to Ensure the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Continues Uninterrupted.

New cod management area: Massachusetts has implemented its management areas for codfish consistent with pending changes to the federal stock boundary delineations. All state waters north of Cape Cod and those waters down the backside of Cape Cod and east of Nantucket west of the 70^th meridian are now considered Western Gulf of Maine; all other state waters are now Southern New England. Effectively, this designates that band of waters east of Cape Cod and Nantucket south of 42° 00’ north latitude from Southern New England into the Western Gulf of Maine.

Moratorium on Southern New England Codfish:  DMF has also adopted a moratorium on the harvest and possession of cod by commercial and recreational fishers within the Southern New England cod management areas. While there is little cod catch occurring in these state waters, this action is designed to backstop anticipated federal rules.

Recreational Limits for Gulf of Maine Haddock and Western Gulf of Maine Cod: At this time, the recreational fishing limits for haddock and Western Gulf of Maine cod remain status quo, consistent with federal regulations. For Gulf of Maine haddock the open fishing season is April 1 – February 28 with a 18” minimum size and 15-fish bag limit and for Western Gulf of Maine cod, the open season is September 1 – October 31 with a 1-fish bag limit and 23” minimum size.

 

Massachusetts extends Small Vessel Speed Restriction

During a partial aerial survey on April 29, the Center for Coastal Studies documented 52 right whales in Cape Cod Bay, including three mother/calf pairs, all of which were skim feeding at the surface or just below the surface. This feeding behavior makes them highly susceptible to vessel collision. Acoustic detections of right whales on a near real-time monitoring buoy in Cape Cod Bay also shows a continued strong presence.

As a result of the ongoing presence of right whales, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is extending the small vessel speed restriction in Cape Cod Bay through May 15, 2025. Small vessels (less than 65’) are required to travel at speeds no greater than 10 knots in this area. Right whales are highly susceptible to injury and death due to vessel collision. A complementary federal speed restriction in the same area applies to vessels 65’ and greater.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass fishing for holdover striped bass (fish that did not migrate south) continues to be very good with anglers catching keeper striped bass 28” to < 31”.  East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “Rob Fishsticks’ Pesa is on the board with his first striped bass of the season, a holdover caught in the Taunton River that fell for a small green mack Savage Sand Eel and “Hammerin’ Jack” Barton has been doing well in the same area for the past two weeks with Savages & FishLabs.”  Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle said, “Still no action in Apponaug Cove and Greenwich Bay area, no birds feeding and not much bait in the water, things should break open soon as the water warms.”

Tautog.  Angler Richard Reich of Narragansett and his fishing partner caught eleven tautog in 20 feet of water off Narragansett last Thursday.  Their largest fish was 24” and 7.24 pounds caught on jigs with Asian crabs. “Shore anglers fishing the jetties have not been doing as well as those anglers fishing the reefs off Watch Hill.  The bait of choice that seems to be working best are white crabs if you can get them,” said Paker Mandes of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly.   Dustin Stevens of Rhode Island Kayak Adventures, said, “It was windy and cold but I can’t complain about a successful opening day for Tautog! Two keepers, two shorts, not too shabby.”  Justin was fishing in 15-31 feet of water and his average time from drop to bite was about ten minutes.  “I like to use half of a green crab with legs off in the spring as the fish seem to like softer baits.” 

 Freshwater trout fishing is still a good bet with trout stocking recently occurring in RI and MA waterways.  For complete regulations, a list of stocked ponds, and a copy of the RI Freshwater Fishing Regulations and Guide visit Fish & Wildlife | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and in Massachusetts visit Freshwater Fishing | Mass.gov.

Spring tautog tips from the experts

Amanda Riffkin caught and released this 9.5 pound tautog this weekend on Flippin Out Charters, Portsmouth. 

Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Jason Christopher of Providence caught tautog to 22” this weekend. Out of 30 tautog, 12 of them were keepers, most released.” 

Spring tautog tips from the experts

If you have not tried spring tautog fishing, now is the time to do it as the spring fishing has been great. 

Chris Torre of Red Top Sporting Goods, Buzzards Bay, MA said, “The tautog bite in Buzzards Bay and in the Cape Cod Canal has been great.” John Lavallee of Continental Bait & Tackle, Cranston, RI said, “The tautog fishing has been the best it has been in years.  Fishing is so good customers have to work hard to catch an undersized fish.”

The tautog minimum size is 16” with a three fish/person/day limit and a 10 fish per boat maximum.  The catch limit in Massachusetts drops from three fish to one fish on May 31 for the months of June and July during the spawning season.  In Rhode Island the season close for June and July during the spawning season.

Here are some spring tautog fishing tips:

1.       Easy to bite and keep it still in spring.  Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charleston said, “I have found tautog jigs effective, particularly when there is little water movement.  Smaller baits seem to work best in spring. I cut the legs and often pull off most of the shell of a green crab cut in half.  And, I believe in keeping the bait still on the bottom.”

2.       Warm and shallower water in spring. Dave Henault, Ocean State Tackle,  Providence, said, “Tautog are in a pre-spawn state so they are looking for warmer water, that means you will tend to find them in shallower water in the spring and not necessarily over structure, they can be found on a sandy bottom next to or near structure too.”

3.       Feel the bite… tap, tap and then get ready for a tug of war.  Tautog is a quick hook set.  Feel a bite and get ready to set the hook.  Angler Rich Hittinger, vice president of the RI Saltwater Anglers, said, “If you get two bites with no hook-up your bait is gone. Reel in and re-bait.”

4.       Boat placement is important and chum.  Find structure with electronics, estimate wind/drift direction and anchor up current from where you want to fish and drift back to the spot as the anchor is setting.  Once in position, fish all sides of the boat.  Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick suggests casting a bit to cover as much area as you can.  If still no bites, let some anchor line out a couple of times to change your position, if still no bites it is time to move the vessel.  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait said, “To attract tautog to where you are fishing many anglers find chumming effective.  Grass shrimp is a popular chum for tautog in the spring, other anglers grind up quahogs and we sell a lot of whole clams for chum.  Clams are easy to cut up when frozen and they are fairly cheap.”

Where’s the bite?

Tautog. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Jason Christopher of Providence caught tautog to 22” this weekend using jigs.  He and his party caught about 30 tautog, 12 of them were keepers.  And when fishing on Flippin Out Charters, Amada Riffkin of Lincoln caught a 9.5 pound tautog that she released.”  Charter Captains, like BJ Silvia of Flippin Out Charters, are often releasing large female tautog that have great egg producing and spawning potential. 

Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “The tautog bite is very good from boat and shore.  The fish are in 20 to 25 feet of water with green crabs and worms being the bait of choice.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle Warwick said, “The tautog bite is good, customers are catching them at Ohio Ledge, Conimicut Light and Plum Island light in North Kingstown.  Green crabs and worms are working for anglers.” 

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “The tautog bites has been good at the Day Marker off Rumstick Point, Barrington.  One customer caught sixteen keepers and released them all, the largest was 8.5 pounds off the Bridge in Barrington in the rain last Sunday.”

Striped bass fishing continues to improve along the coastal shore, in estuaries and in the Bay.  Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “Fishing has been great from the beaches, breachways and jetties with anglers catching school bass with 30” keepers mixed in.  The worm hatch in salt ponds has started with anglers catching bass on flies and lures that mimic cinder worms.” Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said, “It will not be long before we have the large fish here.  Right now anglers are catching school bass, averaging about 20” in Greenwich Bay at Buttonwoods, Sally Rock and off Oakland Beach.  Soft baits such as Storm Shads are working well and many are having good luck with the Rebel Jumpin Minnow and lures like it.”

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait said, “One customer caught a 35” and 31” striped bass from the rocks off Narragansett.  The fish were loaded with lice.  Keepers have also been caught in the Bay and up the Barrington River.  Anglers in river are floating worms, clam tongue and whole squid to catch keepers there.” Chris Torre of Red Top said, “Customers are catching school bass with some 28 to 30 inch fish mixed in on the Canal.”

Fluke fishing is still slow as the water is cold. A warm day or two and things will explode as bait is around.

Freshwater fishing.  Chris Torre of Red Top Sporting Goods, Buzzards Bay said, “We are behind on the largemouth bass season by a couple of weeks.  With this warmer weather the bass will start bedding, I fished New York last we and the pre-spawn had started there.  The trout bite from the Cape to Fall River has been great.  We weighed in a seven plus pond rainbow last week.” Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “The trout bite in stocked ponds continues to be very strong and now that the water is warming the largemouth bass bite has been good too.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait and Tackle said, “Customers continue to catch trout at stocked ponds like Barber and Silver Spring Lake in North Kingstown.  The largemouth bite has been good for customers at Gorton’s Pond, Warwick.”  John Lavallee of Continental Bait & Tackle said, “Hats off to DEM.  The trout bite has been so good in ponds stocked by DEM that even causal anglers are catching 2.5 pound trout.  The trout bite at Curran Reservoir and the Pawtuxet River is good in Cranston.”