It�s the time of year again when we start to experience some of the best fishing the north east has to offer. While stripers and blues harass bunker off the beach, true sharpies hit the bottom fishing grounds in search of falls smartest foe, the blackfish! In my eyes blackfish are worthy of the prestige that grouper and other game fish receive in the southern states. They are the most fun to fight, and one of the hardest fish to consistently hook. Finding prime locations to fish relies heavily on water temps, and how they influence migrations from northern areas south. In early October when the season starts, the shallower rock piles and wrecks will be the main areas to concentrate on. The water in the shallows cools off faster, and thus will get the togs going strong. My first three weeks of the season often find me on the Rockaway Reef. During the time I had my boat in Jamaica bay, I would work that reef until early November. From then on I would try to get to ab reef, or go to highlands reef, where the water temps weren�t as cold as at Rockaway. Those reefs are a bit deeper, thus the temp will be again more to the togs liking. By the time Dec. comes, traditionally the deep water wrecks and 17 fathoms, become the focal points. This year there will be 4 week closure from Dec. 21st through Jan 16th. That has more than a few fishermen up in arms!
Ok, so now you have an idea about water temps, and the migration of the tog as the winter draws near. The question now is do you have a clue as to what to look for when anchoring? We all know that large pieces look really great on our color machines, and if we were the only ones on the water, they would always be first choice. Unfortunately, this isn�t the case. Most of the higher, larger pieces are worked over fairly quickly with the amount of fisherman on the water on any given day during the season. I like to find the smaller pieces that are still big enough for me to get my boat on, but don�t look like a mountain on my screen. These areas always produce, as they get passed by more times than not. I choose to grapnel do to the logistics of only having myself on board to do the anchoring. Typically, when there is a good breeze, you can easily judge the wind and which direction to anchor in. NO wind means making a practice drift to determine the affects of the current on your boat. I hit the mob button and let the boat drift. The direction I head back to the M.O.B. is the direction I drop the anchor in. With a grapnel, you want to lay it down straight as possible, without twisting it around the main line and chain. Once the hook catches I like to pay out enough scope to hopefully position myself over the piece I want to try, and still retain its holding power should I bounce around out there. This is possible to do on artificial reefs do to the amount of rubble surrounding the many pieces I choose to fish. On a wreck, you will have to do stop on the piece, drop the hook into the structure and tighten up as much as you can . There won�t be much to grapnel onto forward of the piece. With two capable people on board to anchor, definitely go with a double anchor danforth set up on a wreck. This will enable you to fish the entire piece by adjusting the two lines. It also is the best way to not break free from the spot your on.
Our boat is now anchored in the right depth range, on a piece that most all other boats on the reef passed over. What�s next? Rigging up of course. I normally stick with a two hook rig. I have discovered the strongest way to attach the hooks is to loop it over the leader by bending the leader and placing the snells loop over it bringing the hook back through the leaders loop. (Go with 50lb or better), then use a sinker to tie an over hand knot behind the loop to hold it in place. I have had dropper loops snap under the pressure of a large blackfish, more times than I care to admit. This alternate way of rigging has yet to let me down. Hooks generally should be 2-3 inches up off the sinker, tops. In special instances, such as on the north shore wrecks. Many time a higher hook placement is better, around 5 or 6 inches up. This is do to heavy silt that covers the wrecks, and thus your sinkers as well. You want your baits where the fish can see them. When using braid, a 10 ft shot of 50 lb Ande line tied to your 50-60 lb braid with a double uni knot, or a properly tied Albright knot . I have found it much easier to tie my rigs directly to the top shot. A small overhand knot just above the sinker acts as a quick release should I get really hung. It is then a snap to re- tie. I carry a small spool of top shot mono with me on all trips. For hooks, the new choice the last 3 years or so has been the octopus style Gamakatsu or Owner hooks. There are other Japanese octopus hooks, but they all have different tolerances, and some bend out quicker than others. I still like the old standard Virginia style hooks. I have used both types of hooks and don�t see the advantage to the higher priced hooks, especially when losing 3 set ups in an hour isn�t uncommon. I also like that I can more confidently sharpen the Virginia hooks, they aren�t hollow to the point that it will weaken the hook if you sharpen it. Newer laser sharpened and grinded point hooks are too weak to re-sharpen them once they get dulled. I won�t risk a lost bulldog to a weak hook, if you do use those laser points, chuck them if they ping over or dull.
In the fall, crab is king when blackfishing. You can always try to find less common asian crabs, or white crabs. The ever annoying rock crabs (calicos) are great as well as the incredible hermit crab. For the purpose of the weekend angler, nothing is wrong with using green crabs. They are more easily available, and they aren�t passed by if the fish are there. Experiment with which color greens are working best on any given day. Many times the orange belly crabs will out produce the Green belly crabs. Some days the fish will want the crab shell less and legless. Other days just the opposite. If you feel like using a whole crab, crack that shell with the sinker. With half crab baits, run the hook in the leg socket out the other side of the crab. I like to leave the hook slightly exposed in the yellow fluid of the crab. With a whole crab in one leg socket, and out another is best. If the crab is large, a second hook should be used on the other side the same way. When you get that first peck, be patient. No other fish can cause the barber to lose business like the blackfish! When he bounces the tip hard, hit him one time, then hold on and crank if you are slow to react, you will lose the battle! Drag settings for reels with braid must be kept lighter that the traditional tight settings of the mono filled reels and fiberglass rods we grew up using. You don�t want to snap a graphite pole. The line will outlast the graphite if you pull on it hard enough. Between the top shot and the lighter drag settings, you will have enough shock absorption to ensure your fish doesn�t rip the hook right out of his lip!
Once you bring in your first keeper blackfish of the year, the fever will grab you, and your thoughts will be with mister tog the rest of the season. They make good meals, and offer the savvy angler a very satisfying feeling at the end of the day, to know you have succeeded in besting the smartest inshore fish we have. Save some for tom, and enjoy today!
Tight lines, Mike Bobetsky Back to Atlantis Anglers