There's Monster Tog on the Wrecks off the Jersey Coast...but will Green Crabs get these Giants to Bite?

Story by Tom Vassallo

For those who suffer through the lean Tautog seasons when only one fish is allowed, late autumn and early winter are really like Christmas time! I know when I was trying to find those holes on the jetty and the blackies were competing with the bergalls for my fiddlers...the blackfish were just a tiny bit too small and even when the fishing was good, I was limited to only one fish. I guess that's why I wasn't doing too much tautog fishing on the rocks in late summer. However, "tis the season to be jolly" right now for our Jersey tautog anglers.

Sometimes I find myself wishing for the old days when the NJ Fishing "Compendium" came out. There wasn't any time I could remember a season being split or basically not a lot of protection for those poor fish when we were "young-uns". Go fishing...period! However with all the marine biologists and conservationists educating us about the importance of protecting our natural resource...I fully understand. But what I REALLY wish is that I didn't have to pay such close attention to the calendar and my tape measure! Oh well...I digress.

On November 16, the Tautog daily limit jumped from one to SIX. Now if you are a diehard "slob" angler, that's like hitting the lottery. And in reality...it is when the charters and party boats can lead you to the "promised land" off the Jersey coast.

Huge tautog can be found on the wrecks in the winter months...if you can stand the cold.

Now our beloved blackfish guru here at FishinJersey is none other than our co-owner and saltwater editor Bob Misak. If you get "Meez" talkin' about his "togs" he'll recount the many giants he has landed while perusing the rocky ledges of the Barnegat jetty or tossin' some "Asians" (crabs that is!) off the piers. It is no question that if you turn loose "Meez" on the Barnegat rocks...he's gonna land a BIG tog! But Meez also likes to hit those rocks in his shorts and a cap...that's when he's got a perennial smile on his face. But right now is PRIME TIME to get a hold of some monster tog...but your best bet isn't on the jetties...it's on a wreck.

I'm lucky enough to have access to numerous friends on social media who keep me updated with photos and postings of how they are doing when it comes to New Jersey fishing. And Facebook has literally been on fire with some very impressive catches of tog the past couple of weeks. Now during the summer, the go-to baits for tog are green crab and asian crabs. An occasional squid bait or clams will also entice some tog to come outta the rocks and grab them. However, as the water cools and the focus shifts to wrecks, both depth and water temperature become a factor.

Many cold weather toggers will tell you that a switch to "white-leggers" can be a sure way to bag some giants off the wrecks. You will also find green crabs and asians will work, but "white-leggers" (or Atlantic White Crab) are more commonly found at greater depths and you may find them especially effective when fishing concrete reefs or rocky bottoms. Many still confuse the "white-leggers" with a Jonah crab, but they are two distinct but similar species. The Jonah crab, (Cancer borealis) is closely related to the Dungeness crab of the Pacific coast. The Atlantic White Crab (Cancer irroratus) has nine marginal teeth on the front edge of the carapace beside each eye. They can also be distinguished by examining the carapace. The Atlantic rock crab has fairly distinct white dots on the top of the shell. They also have a smaller, more slender claw. The Jonah crab has large, very hard claws, similar to the Pacific dungeness crab. Either crab will work, as the blackfish have the teeth to crush the shell or claws of either one.

The Atlantic White Crab is a favorite of tautog in the deeper water on the wrecks.

To fish the white-legger crab, you may fish it as you would fish with green crabs. As some will reach over five inches, you may wish to halve or quarter the crab. Some old timers tell me that if you really want to land one of those giant slammer tog, the best way to fish a white-legger is using a "hi-lo" rig with an egg sinker using Gamakatsu 2/0 circle hooks. Use a 30 lb. fluorocarbon leader, so your hook and line will be hidden as your rig lays on the bottom. Find the biggest crab, and put one on each hook. Be careful to hook the crabs through the leg so they appear to move naturally on the bottom. Then be ready to react at the slightest touch!

The Jonah Crab has larger claws than the Atlantic White Crab or "white-legger".

As the colder days and waters of the Jersey winter rapidly approach, put on the "long-johns" and get ready to "get wrecked". Find yourself some "white-leggers" and get in on some of the best blackfish angling in the world right here in New Jersey!

Happy Holidays to All of Our Jersey Anglers and a very happy and prosperous New Year from all of us here at FishinJersey.com!