Fish guide
Cunner
Tautogolabrus adspersus. Also called Bergall.
We picked these fish for Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA, the region closest to Columbus, Ohio, based on the approximate location of your internet connection (IP geolocation, looked up on our own server). It is about 436 miles away; FishOS covers the coast from Maine to Florida and the Gulf of America, and adds regions as they are checked. Pick another region if that is not where you fish.
FishOS has not charted cunner in Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA. The regions where it is charted are below.
Season by region
| Maine | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Shore MA | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Cape Cod | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Rhode Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Connecticut | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Around piers, rock jetties, breakwaters and eelgrass beds close to shore (Maine DMR).
Tight to pilings, rocks, jetties and eelgrass.
What to look for
Small wrasse, mottled reddish to bluish brown, pointed snout, one long dorsal fin, a very deep tail base and a small mouth (Maine DMR). Looks like a small tautog but slimmer with a pointed snout.
Bait
Bits of clam, Crab, Sea worms, Canned corn kernels. A very small hook close to the rocks or pilings (Maine DMR: the small mouth makes a very small hook a must).
Leader
Light line and a very small hook.
Common mistakes
- Hooks too big for the small mouth
- Fishing away from the structure they live on
Landing
Swing it up; they are small.
Handling
No hazards noted in the sources read.
Keep or release
Maine DMR: tough skin but tasty meat, a popular pan fish. Often a bait stealer when fishing for tautog or scup.
Typical: 6 to 10 in (Maine DMR). Large: Rarely over 1 ft (Maine DMR).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before you keep a fish.
Sources
Is cunner worth it today?
The planner rates it for your exact time with the live tide, weather and water temperature.
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