Tautog & Puppy Drum (CBBT & Rudee, VA, Mar 30, 2017)

[ComeOnFish]

Again, I fished both CBBT (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel) and Rudee in VA.

My plan/goal was that I catch a couple of tautog (black fish) early in the morning and catch few good size specks.
I know it would be rough later, but I figured it would be fish-able until 10:30 AM at CBBT.

The first fish caught was a conger eel. I thought that conger eel meant the water was warm enough for tautog.
I kept two keeper togs at 16” and 18”. I couldn’t land two good size tautog. I left the bridge at 10:30 AM because it was hard to fish for tautog due to the high waves around the pilings.

After lunch, I went to Rudee. I hoped I catch some good size specks. Trolled and cast for specks but I didn’t catch any specks. Anyway I caught 5 puppy drum. Two were at 18” and 20”. Two puppy drum at 21” and 16” got away.

Fishing Log:

Thanks
Joe

[Jman]

Nice catch Joe! Those swells were huge on the pilings. I'm going to Rudee tomorrow in the morning - I'll post how it goes. I took your advice on rigging and safety gear, so I think I'm ready for CBBT on a much calmer day.

[ComeOnFish]

Nice catch Joe! Those swells were huge on the pilings. I'm going to Rudee tomorrow in the morning - I'll post how it goes. I took your advice on rigging and safety gear, so I think I'm ready for CBBT on a much calmer day.

I had an Adventager. And I was in 3' chops many time over 7-8 hours. I never get 2 gal in the hull.

Anyway,
Remember the pilings we fished. That bridge column is for incoming. The one next I pointed (we didn't fish) is for out going.

Tomorrow, on Sunday, plan to be there the piling we fished, by 9:30 AM. Try the one we didn't fish during the outgoing tide. It is the ocean side bridge column. It may be a little strong outgoing current when you start. You may use a 5 OZ sinker. The current will slow down then you may use a 4 OZ sinker. You should get 3-4 tautogs and other trash fish there. I couldn't land two big ones there because 1) the reel came off the reel seat --- A major user error, 2) braided line got wrapped around the rod top very badly (another user error). I couldn't hand-pull them. Eventually they got away. Once the current becomes incoming, try the column we fished (middle column). Again a 4 - 5 OZ sinker based on the strength of the incoming current. Once the current is too strong, come back, no reason to wait another 3-4 hours for the current changes.

Remember the shrimp? You can use a half of my shrimp. It doesn't have to be a whole shrimp.

I bet you get 3 keepers tomorrow. NW wind is good for both incoming and outgoing togging at the tw0 bridge columns. God Luck!!!!

Joe

[JohnE]

Looks like some fun fishing conditions. Tog dont seem to mind rough conditions in my experience either. Maybe even better with some waves crashing.Nice job on the keepers. Hope I can make time for a trip soon before tog stop biting.

[ComeOnFish]

Looks like some fun fishing conditions. Tog dont seem to mind rough conditions in my experience either. Maybe even better with some waves crashing.Nice job on the keepers. Hope I can make time for a trip soon before tog stop biting.

Togs started biting way early this year. I hope I see you soon.

joe