Tautog: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Connecticut shore, CT.

Fishing region

Season in Connecticut

Peak months: Apr, Oct.

JFMAMJJASOND

MA DMF pattern (inshore at about 48 F in spring, offshore below 52 F in fall) applied to the Sound. CT DEEP report July 2011: blackfish in the same rocky areas as scup but deeper. OTW Oct 2025: the opener started hot with double-digit fish from shallow water. Note: CT tautog season dates limit when they may be kept; see the regulations file. (Our inference)

Season by region

Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Maine	JFMAMJJASOND
North Shore MA	JFMAMJJASOND
Cape Cod	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Virginia Beach	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Rocky reefs, boulders and breakwaters; deeper rock in summer (CT DEEP 2011); shallow water right after the fall opener (OTW Oct 2025); Fort Trumbull pier at the Thames mouth (CT DEEP).

Tight to rocks, wrecks, reefs and mussel beds on the bottom.

What to look for

Hard structure with mussels and crabs; high spots and holes in a boulder field.

What to throw

Tautog jig tipped with crab1/2 to 2 (up to 5 in deep or fast water) oz, Flat-sitting ball, football, banana or boxer head on a stout hook. Drop to the bottom and hold it still; if nothing bites, move to another part of the structure. Set hard when the line goes light or moves off.

Bait

Green crabs, Asian shore or white-legger crabs, Green fiddler and calico crabs, Blue mussels, Steamer clams. Stout single-hook bottom rig, or a 1/2 to 2 oz tog jig tipped with crab; use the lightest jig that holds bottom..

Leader

NY Sea Grant: stout rod about 8 ft, 20 to 30 lb abrasion-resistant line. On The Water jig setup: 20 to 30 lb braid with about 10 ft of 30 to 40 lb fluorocarbon.

Common mistakes

Letting a hooked fish turn back into the rocks (turn its head right away)
Using a jig heavier than needed to hold bottom
Striking on the first tap instead of when the line moves off or goes light

Landing

Net it; keep pressure on to pull it away from the rocks.

Handling

Very slippery mucus-covered skin
Strong crushing teeth

Grip with a towel; keep fingers out of the mouth; unhook with pliers.

Keep or release

Good eating; CT season dates are in the regulations file.

Recipes for tautog

Typical: unknown. Large: Multiple double-digit fish from shallow water at the 2025 opener.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the CT limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Connecticut DEEP Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

MA DMF: Learn about tautog (Official source)
CT DEEP marine fishing report, July 30 2011 (reposted on Patch) (Official source)
On The Water: Connecticut Fishing Report, Oct 16 2025 (Black Hall Outfitters, Middlebank) (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: What's Biting in September in Connecticut? (Elser, Rayner, 2025) (Angler knowledge)
NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-118: Tautog life history and habitat requirements (Steimle and Shaheen, 1999) (Official source)
New York Sea Grant fish profile: Blackfish (tautog) (Cornell, 2001) (Official source)

All the fish of Connecticut

Tautog