Tautog: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for South Jersey Shore, NJ.

Fishing region

Season in South Jersey

Peak months: Oct, Nov.

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April 2025 tog on rock piles, bridge abutments and inlet jetties, fish to 10 lb on reefs; June 2026 catch-and-release at Somers Point bridges; Aug 2026 bridges and jetties; July 2017 blackfish on all the Cape May and Wildwood Crest rocks. ASMFC fall peak September to December; Jan 2026 boats running far offshore for tog. (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

Rock piles and bridge abutments around Somers Point, inlet jetties, Cape May and Wildwood rocks; reef sites by boat.

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

Excellent eating. Check NJ seasons.

Recipes for tautog

Typical: Keepers mixed with shorts at the jetties. Large: Over 10 lb on reefs and the Cape May reef.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the NJ limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife before you keep a fish.

Sources

On The Water: Southern New Jersey Fishing Report, April 17 2025 (Hook House, Creekside, Tony's, Tackle Direct, Tight Lines) (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: Southern New Jersey Fishing Report, June 11 2026 (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: Southern New Jersey Fishing Report, August 13 2026 (Angler knowledge)
On The Water: South Jersey Fishing Report, July 27 2017 (Riptide, Fin-Atics, Tony's, Creekside) (Angler knowledge)
ASMFC: Tautog (Official source)
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 South Jersey

Tautog