Tautog. Nice

[steplift20]

Went blackfishing and caught some nice ones but the thing is , I was so close to my dock and drove pass them for years and never thought about fishing there. So if you guys go out fishing don’t be afraid to try a close spot. You will be surprised

 

[Giorgio]

Step, yes that's so true. When it was bad out in the bay, we would fish for Blacks in the creek and they were always there, sometimes as we were getting ready, cutting the greens, we would fish right at the dock and catch keepers. Where ever there is some kind of structure, wrecks, piling, rocks, any thing, send down a greenie. Your lucky, you can fish for them now & just about all year long, but the drawback this time of year for you, it's only 1 fish @15". We start October 15, with 4 fish @16" and believe me that 1 inch sure makes a difference. We threw back so many FAT 15" - 15 3/4" fish.

 

[steplift20]

Nice fish. Even the throw back one. One thing I learned is what the blackfish eat I was watching a YouTube video and this guy was putting down all types of bait. Green crabs,squid,shrimp,gulp plus more different types and was very surprised at the reaction of the black fish. You would think shrimp and clams squid would be very good bait. But it’s not. Don’t tell anyone this. Is only for you and me to know, green crabs yes. And you can chum with muscles. They love muscles too it’s a very good video. On YouTube.
Those two blackies are very nice. I didn’t get them that big. Yet. But I will .

 

[Blue_Runner]

Been catching one (small) here and there each year in SC on fiddler crabs. The SC regulations do not even mention Tog, so we called the SC DNR to ask about size limit......they didn't know for sure either. Must be pretty rare in SC!

 

[Giorgio]

Blue, Blacks are a cold water fish, so if there aren't any regs. on them in South Carolina and if the water temp drops, try around, like I said wrecks, rocks, any kind of structure. If you do go and if there are fish there, bring plenty of crabs. Fiddler crabs work and if you can get Asian crabs they work well also. Since Blacks isn't a big fish by you, green crabs is probably a no. That bag, 1/2 Bushel of greens, would last a day and a half, if we were lucky. You might as well give it a shot, the weather is getting cooler and they are one the best eating fish. GOOD LUCK

 

[steplift20]

The box ? What size? 1/2 bushel? And what is that thing in the middle? A rock? Now I just heard the female crabs are better to use for bait. I heard that from a male crab ***129408;

 

[Giorgio]

Step, that box is one of those storage containers, about 3x2 and that is a rock so it didn't float. We finally bought a holding cage to keep them alive, which held close to 2 bushels, but we never put in more than one. A 1/2 bushel is a five gallon bucket. We would pay $30-35 for a 1/2, but I remembered a bay man out in 5 towns, I went there and was getting them for $25, fresh caught. MY uncle was a bay man in Broad Channel, now I don't even think there are any left. We used both, male & female, because we cut them in half and those black fish, don't care what they are. I would take off the claws, then cut off all the legs as close to the body as possible, then cut the crab in half. I cut them close so the hook can go through the hole where the leg was and out the body. We cut everything off so there is less for them to pick at, take your bait, without being caught, the claws and legs we used for chum, just throw them over the side. They are perfect bait stealers. One of best fishing there is, well for me any way. Sorry for the long report. Check out the video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvGmLpC-IqA
G

 

[steplift20]

Very nice. I called a few bait and tackle stores. They want $7.00 a dozen for green crabs and $50.00 for a half of a bushel greenies. No fiddlers to be found. I think the female are better bait .

 

[Giorgio]

Good luck and $50 for a 1/2 bushel today, I think is a fair price. I just have to disagree on using the females, believe me they don't care. GOOD LUCK & have fun.
G

 

[Giorgio]

Step, if you are interested I can get you 1/2 bushel for $40, if you are close. I would get my crabs there when I couldn't get them in New York. New York wouldn't sell them before the season, so I went there. The owners name is Steve, if you mention me he might remember who I am, just tell him Giorgio from Staten Island. It's been years, so he might not remember, just give it a shot.

[FONT=&quot]Up Front Bait And Tackle [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]229 w Front st Keyport NJ[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](732) 497-0919[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We will be open [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MARCH 1st[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6am to 6pm[/FONT]

 

[steplift20]

Thanks but the tolls and gas and time will kill me. I’m not a black fishermen but I do watch. I was out blackfishing with some pretty good fisherman and they were nailing them. What I noticed is as they were cutting them in half they would keep the ones with orange color in the body, take notice some are orange ( females I think ) so I did it too and started catching them too. It’s the little things that count.

 

[Giorgio]

That's how I do my crabs as I showed in the picture a few posts back and they all have the orange inside, some more than others. You just can't use females, because when you buy them you don't get a choice and you might be tossing half your dead crabs back, unless you only buy a few and a few won't last 10 minutes. You say your not a black fisherman, well if and when you do go have a great time and good luck. Green crabs are an invasive crab species from Europe, don't throw them back alive, they will destroy clams, mussels, oysters beds and others.
G

 

[steplift20]

Gotcha. I hope I never have any left to throw back.

 

[steplift20]

I went to buy green crabs and told the guy. I want only female crabs. He took me to a basket that only had female crabs, I asked him why he keeps them in separate baskets. He said the female crabs are always making the male crabs work so I d3cided to keep them in separate baskets. Now. The males are happy and the females are not.good luck fishing