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New Jersey Angler Sets New Rhode Island Tautog Record
Rhode Island has a brand new tautog state record, and once again the fish came from the same waters off Newport that have produced multiple giants in recent years. On November 9, Vladimir Vaynshetyn of New Jersey landed a massive tog while fishing aboard Tall Tailz Charters, and the catch has officially rewritten the state record book.
Vaynshetyn’s fish measured 33 inches long and weighed an incredible 23 pounds 15.12 ounces. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management confirmed the catch after it was certified at Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle. It surpasses the standing 2024 record, which also measured 33 inches but weighed one pound less. That fish was caught only last fall, also by an angler from New Jersey. The back to back records have sparked plenty of talk in the Northeast fishing community about just how impressive the fall blackfish bite has become around Newport.
Tautog, often called tog or blackfish, are powerful bottom fish known for blunt teeth, thick shoulders, and a habit of diving straight back into rock piles the moment they feel pressure. They live around structure like ledges, boulders, wrecks, and reefs, which makes them both challenging and rewarding to catch. Many anglers consider them one of the hardest-fighting inshore species pound for pound.
Previous record holder Vinny Simms Jr. (with Captain Rob Taylor at left) proudly holds his 22-lb 5.28-oz tautog that set the Rhode Island state record on October 21, 2024
Fall is peak tautog season throughout Rhode Island, with the late season running from mid-October through December. As temperatures drop, big fish move to deeper structure, and that is when the heaviest tog of the year are usually caught. This is also when charter captains and experienced bottom fishermen focus on quality over quantity, hoping for the kind of trophy that can break a record.
The most common way to target tautog is by anchoring over sticky structure and dropping green crabs or Jonah crabs on simple rigs or heavy jigs. The bite is famous for being subtle. Most hits feel like light taps before the fish crushes the bait. Anglers are taught to wait for weight, then set hard before the tog can bury itself in the rocks.
Vaynshetyn’s catch proves once again that the waters off Newport are producing world class blackfish. With the season still open and conditions cooling, more big tog are likely to hit the scales before the year ends.
The post New Jersey Angler Sets New Rhode Island Tautog Record appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...
New Jersey Angler Sets New Rhode Island Tautog Record
Rhode Island has a brand new tautog state record, and once again the fish came from the same waters off Newport that have produced multiple giants in recent years. On November 9, Vladimir Vaynshetyn of New Jersey landed a massive tog while fishing aboard Tall Tailz Charters, and the catch has officially rewritten the state record book.
Vaynshetyn’s fish measured 33 inches long and weighed an incredible 23 pounds 15.12 ounces. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management confirmed the catch after it was certified at Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle. It surpasses the standing 2024 record, which also measured 33 inches but weighed one pound less. That fish was caught only last fall, also by an angler from New Jersey. The back to back records have sparked plenty of talk in the Northeast fishing community about just how impressive the fall blackfish bite has become around Newport.
Tautog, often called tog or blackfish, are powerful bottom fish known for blunt teeth, thick shoulders, and a habit of diving straight back into rock piles the moment they feel pressure. They live around structure like ledges, boulders, wrecks, and reefs, which makes them both challenging and rewarding to catch. Many anglers consider them one of the hardest-fighting inshore species pound for pound.
Previous record holder Vinny Simms Jr. (with Captain Rob Taylor at left) proudly holds his 22-lb 5.28-oz tautog that set the Rhode Island state record on October 21, 2024
Fall is peak tautog season throughout Rhode Island, with the late season running from mid-October through December. As temperatures drop, big fish move to deeper structure, and that is when the heaviest tog of the year are usually caught. This is also when charter captains and experienced bottom fishermen focus on quality over quantity, hoping for the kind of trophy that can break a record.
The most common way to target tautog is by anchoring over sticky structure and dropping green crabs or Jonah crabs on simple rigs or heavy jigs. The bite is famous for being subtle. Most hits feel like light taps before the fish crushes the bait. Anglers are taught to wait for weight, then set hard before the tog can bury itself in the rocks.
Vaynshetyn’s catch proves once again that the waters off Newport are producing world class blackfish. With the season still open and conditions cooling, more big tog are likely to hit the scales before the year ends.
The post New Jersey Angler Sets New Rhode Island Tautog Record appeared first on OutdoorHub.
Continue reading...