# Tog Fishing Article by Milt Rosko



## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

Good article on tog basics.

Bottom-Bouncing for Garden State Blackfish & Ling
By Milt Rosko


http://www.midatlanticgameandfish.com/at_aa010603a/


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Sandcrab!

Doing a little research, ehh.... Let me know if you find a site that ships live sand fleas or hermit crabs! I'd still like to get a couple dozen LARGE sandworms....


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Good article Sandcrab and right on target. Jake, how do you get the sandworm past the seabass? They don't stay on the hook very well.

Catman.


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## murphman (Sep 4, 2003)

*Tog Fishin'*

Jake.
Would like to tog fish OC Nj Pier this fall(late)...I saw your pictures from there on the board..would like to go down from Wilm. when the the temps get cooler...do you have any insight on tackle, bait, technique...is it the same as out on the open water, these toothy critters are good eatin' ..Tight Lines To All! Murphman


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Murphman!

The methods are the same -- but you'll want to use a jetty spinning outfit for making little flip casts to the pilings of the new bridge. Green Crabs are the bait of choice, followed by salt clam. You'll also want to bring a light surf outfit in case you can get a spot near the end of the pier. Throw out some fresh bunker or a salted clam belly for possible striper action.

I'm surprised there isn't something a little closer to home -- the jetty at Indian River Inlet holds tog, but you have to be alert while fishing there.

If you do decide to go, let me know the date and I'll try my best to stop down....


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings catman!

Not to let the 'cat' out of the bag, but the secret to tog and sandworms is to use a piece just big enough to cover the shank of the hook, then tip the hook with your crab, mussel, whatever.... The sandworm can give you a second shot at the blackfish if they steal the main bait. 

Sea bass are a pain, but hopefully we'll be there at that 'tween time. When water temps hit a certain point, the tog move out and the sea bass move in. Hopefully we'll get there when the bigger tog are reluctant to give up their prize nooks, but the sea bass haven't moved in en mass. If the little sea bass are there, its going to be a l-o-n-g day!


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## murphman (Sep 4, 2003)

Thanks Jake! I haven't been to OCNJ in sometime and just like to drive to different places to fish once and a while..must be the explorer in me I guess..tog fishing at IRI can be a little stressful..with tackle breaks..and mossy rocks..hopefully this mess will clean up soon and we will all be fishing again..tight lines to all! Murphman


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Looks like we only need a 20 lb tog to take the DE record. Shouldn't be too had....


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings All!

Nice pic and story about the IGFA All Tackle/NJ state record 25 pounder:

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/rectaut.htm

How come all tog sharpies are 70 plus years old?


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

Surprizlinly enough, I have caught Tog on an inch long pice of Bloodworm on a #4 long shank hook. .I wonder if Bloodworms would be as good as Green Crab.Masseys Ditch has Tog from time to time;but IRI is better.


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## markedwards (Jan 29, 2001)

here's an article on tog fishing for you http://www.stripersonline.com/Pages/Articles/BZ_toggin_from_shore.shtml


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings markedwards!

Good no-nonsense article for anyone interested in blackfish, especially if they decide to start at a jetty. With everyone pushing braids, I may have to get a second "dedicated" reel just for that type of fishing (headboats treat braid like the plague!)

The author also made an excellent point about leverage. Some of the most successful tog fishermen I've ever seen were some old crusty individuals that would fish the Manasquan Inlet (NJ) south jetty. They used a 9 to 13 foot piece of heavy bamboo and no reel. The line (80 lb test) was tied halfway back on the "rod", then wrapped around the tip, leaving a length as long as the rod for fishing. the two drop loops tied at the end held a hook and a sparkplug. Fiddlers were the bait of choice. These guys probed the rocks with the bait, then swung upward when setting the hook, lifting the tog clean out of the water.


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

*Speaking of "Blackfish" rigs..*

...Or should I say "Slippery Bass" rigs...

MJ,

Do you tie a dropper loop on your main leader with your other hook or do you use two leaders for two hooks?


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Sandcrab!

On the jetties, I tie a loop at he end of the line for the sinker, and a four inch "dropper" about a half foot above that loop to attach my #2 bronze hook. This keeps my bait fluttering about six inches or so off the bottom.

When wreck fishing I've used the two-hook VA style blackfish rigs, but I usually end up loosing a hook right away (the VA hooks tend to break clean instead of bending.). I guess I'm just not meant to get a blackfish double-header. I'll probably check out what the captain recommends, and go from there. If the sea bass are in the area, I'll definitely try two hooks just to double my chances of a tog finding one of them.

Jason will probably use four rods with six hooks apiece... Anthony will rubberband his crab to a 12/0 weighted treble... catman will cut his thumb spooling his braided line and won't be able to feel a hit... Ed will take a nap about 8:00 am, deadstick a sandworm on a size 14 salmon egg hook, and wake up at noon to reel in the pool fish. The captain will videotape the entire episode and take top honors at the Sun Dance Film Festival. Everyone else will move as far from saltwater as possible, but still suffer occassional flashbacks. The "Grizzly" will be bought by Michael Jackson and drydocked at Never Land. The town of Lewes will change its name to distance itself from the whole affair.

Unless, of course, things REALLY get ugly....


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Sounds about normal for our gang.

Catman.


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

Doh! I guess I will never live down the pole thing huh!


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

THE WARRIOR WITH MANY SPEARS  

Catman.


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## FL FISHERMAN (Sep 30, 2002)

Just call me FL Braveheart!


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*SANDWORMS*

Manayunk Jake -

If you are ever in the area of Glen Burnie, MD Warrens Bait Box sells sandworms for $6.00/dozen. Boy are they ugly.

I've used them at SPSP, work just as good as blood for spot, crocker and white perch.


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## John K (May 25, 2000)

*Togging from Boats...*

Is a totally different game in New England and Northern New Jersey, than down here.

All of our tog are on wrecks and artificial reefs. They fish natural hard bottom, with fewer snags and fish more spread out, up there.

I did go togging out of Belmar NJ once and was amazed at the tackle; long, limp rods, and people were CASTING.....and using rigs with looooong leaders.

I mostly tog with the Little Angler out of Lewes, who held the DE state record for a couple years, and probably catches more tog than any other boat in the state (Grizzly probably does just as well per tog trip but spends more time tuna fishing and striper fishing, Angler doesn't do any tuna and does more striper/tog combo trips instead of striper only). 

Only thing they use is a two-very-short-dropper-loop rig with virginia-style hooks. 

I attempted to modify the rig by substituting Owner Octopus hooks, but they 1) were harder to bait and 2) mysteriously cut themselves out of the mouths of tog, leading to a lot of lost fish 1/2 way up. I'm back to using their rigs.

I do use a file and really sharpen up the hooks. Virginia hooks are real dull out of the box. 


They constantly have people who haven't togged before, or togged in Northern NJ, show up with store bought "Blackfish" rigs they found in Wal-Mart or something, with a bunch of hardware and long leaders; they have them throw those away and give them their boat rigs.


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings John K!

As I mentioned above, its always best to check and see what the captain recommends. He's the guy that has the experience for the area being fished. When the fishing slows down, I experiment... but I always give a charter boat captain the nod when starting out. He WANTS you to catch fish...


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

*Re: SANDWORMS*



Orest said:


> *Manayunk Jake -
> 
> ...If you are ever in the area of Glen Burnie, MD Warrens Bait Box sells sandworms for $6.00/dozen. *


Orest,

Where is Warrens Bait Box - On Route 2 (Ritchie Highway)? Do you have a phone number for them?

Thanks

Sandcrab


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## BigJeff823 (Oct 14, 2002)

It not on Rt 2;Its on Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd(Rt 648) near Dorsey Road.It next to the Ice House and it has a gravel parking lot.I work within 1 mile of that bait store.


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## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*WARRENS BAIT BOX*

7403 BALTO-ANNAP. BLVD RT. 648
GLEN BURNIE, MD 21061 

(410) 768-6977


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## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

*Thanks guys...*

Sandcrab


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Orest!

Thanks for the info. I wonder if MD striper and weakie fishermen will take to the sandworms the way northern NJ anglers do. The $6.00/dozen seems steep, but as I pointed out earlier, the sandworms are harder to care for then the bloodies. Of course, the average sandworm is twice the size of a bloodworm, and a single sandworm makes an impressive bait....


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## Anthony (Jul 3, 2002)

How long do sandworms keep for? Like if I bought some on friday, would they keep till sunday? I know that bloodworms will keep up till a week, but they usually don't look to good after a few days. I have never seen any sandworms before and am interested in using them for bait one of these days.
-Anthony


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## Manayunk Jake (Oct 3, 2001)

Greetings Anthony!

I recommend buying the sandworms the same day you will be using them. If you keep them overnight in the fridge, and the temp gets too cold, they get "brittle" and start breaking up, which deeats the purpose of using them whole. They also tend to attack each other, and the juices from one dead sandworm can kill the others. They keep better in a light cardboard box, rather than a plastic bag, and have a habit of crawling out of the box and ending up under the lettuce crisper. Again, I'm really interested in how they work in the bay for rock (stripers), trout (weakies), and fluke (flounder).


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