Blackfish

Fish Profile
Tautoga onitis
(Drawing reprinted with permission from National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian
Institute. Illustrated by Charles B. Hudson, 1896)

The Facts
Blackfish supports a popular fishery in the angling community, and they are
easily distinguished by the dark coloration (dark green or black) and leathery
skin that is covered in a thick layer of mucous, making them very slippery to
the touch. This is a stout bodied fish with a blunt nose and thick lips; its
mouth has large conical teeth in the front, and flat crushing teeth in the rear.
They are members of the Wrasse family, so their mouthparts are adapted to
crush and grind food into very small particles — almost to the consistency of
talcum powder. Local names include “blackfish” and “tautog” (which is the
name used by anglers in New England); “bulldog” refers to older fish
weighing over 10 lb.

Migration
They range along the Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia to South Carolina;
New York there is no sustained fishery north of Massachusetts. These fish are associ-
Bringing Science to the Shore ated with rocky bottoms where they feed on a variety of mollusks and
crustaceans (mussels, crabs, barnacles). They are normally slow swimmers
with a slow growth rate, and they can live for as long as 34 years (22 lb). New York Sea Grant
New York Sea Grant
The average fish that is caught by anglers is 6-10 years old (3-4 lb). Males Extension Program provides
Extension Program Equal Program and
are generally bigger and they live longer than females. Older males display a Employment Opportunities
3059 Sound Avenue in association with Cornell
Riverhead, NY pronounce difference in their external features; the very large males have an Cooperative Extension, U.S.

11901-1098 enlarged white chin, with white margins on the pectoral and caudal fins. Department of Commerce, and
County Cooperative
(631) 727-3910 Sexual maturity occurs at approximately age 3 or 4, and the males outnum- Extension Associations.
ber females in older fishes.
www.nyseagrant.org
 Blackfish

Fish Profile
Related Fish Fishing Season
Profile Sheets These fish do not undergo seasonal migration, but move inshore as sea
Ø Blackfish temperatures rise in the spring, and they spend winter in offshore waters at
Ø Bluefish depths between 50 ft to 150 ft. They first appear in New York Bight in late
Ø Porgy March and early April, often as by-catch in the cod fishery that is con-
Ø Striped
ducted on offshore wrecks. They move inshore by the end of April each
Bass
year and remain close to shore in depths ranging from 5 ft to 25 ft until the
Ø Summer
water gets warm, before they head for deeper water. They are difficult to
Flounder
Ø Weakfish
locate by July, until mid-September when they reappear. Some of the best
Ø Winter fishing is in this second run until in November, then the fish return to
Flounder deeper water on the Continental Shelf. Conservation measures are being
implemented for this fish and you should contact New York State Depart-
ment of Environmental Conservation or call 1-800-REGS-DEC for update
information on fishing regulations.

Angling
Blackfish often share the same areas as porgies, usually rocky terrain
including rock piles, shipwrecks and artificial reef. Blackfish instinctively
head for deeper water once hooked, and it is necessary to turn the fish
around to avoid the risk of having the line severed on sharp rocks or
barnacles. These are very strong fighters and promise a memorable experi-
ence to the angler. Fishing for blackfish requires a more substantial outfit
than what is required for porgy. Experts recommend a stout rod about 8 ft
in length with a long handle; the spinning spool should also be strong with
20-30 lb test “abrasive resistant” line. The terminal tackle should be equally
sturdy, and the angler should be prepared to replace lost tackle. These fish
have a small mouth and lures are rarely used during fishing, however, there
are a wide variety of shellfish to use as bait including blue mussels, steamer
clams, green fiddler and calico crabs.

New York Contact your local bait & tackle store for advice about fishing with artificial
Bringing Science to the Shore lures.

Visit our website at www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Fishery/ResourceCenter.htm This information

New York Sea Grant
Extension Program for additional information. sheet was prepared
by the Fishery
3059 Sound Avenue Resource Center to
Riverhead, NY address the needs in
angling and charter
11901-1098 boat communities.
(631) 727-3910

www.nyseagrant.org © 2001 Cornell University