Do Blackfish Spawn in the spring?

[BoatGuy]

Do Blackfish spawn in the spring? Is there a way to tell if you caught a female with eggs?

Seems counter productive to remove spawning females.

 

[Joser]

I believe they spawn in early summer, MA lowers the limit to 1 fish June 1- July 31 to protect the spawn. Pretty sure all legal sized females have eggs in the spring

 

[Hunter704]

Yes blackfish move into shallow waters to feed, and spawn then move into deeper waters as temps drop, they will spawn from April to July

 

[Leprechaun]

The only time I can recall filleting blackfish with eggs in them was in the late May to early July time period. Haven't fished for "Spring" tog in many years (at least 30), but that's what I remember.

 

[Joser]

I made a point this year to release every legal female I caught in my spring Tog fishing. I am ok with with catching them in the spring but don't beat em up in the boat. quick catch and release. This year I am gonna do some tagging focused on the spring tog. Will love to see the data that comes from this.

 

[MakoMike]

Do Blackfish spawn in the spring? Is there a way to tell if you caught a female with eggs?

Seems counter productive to remove spawning females.

They spawn in Late May and June in our waters. It's easy to tell males from females, we just let all the females go when we fish for them before the spawn. RI tog fishing is closed during the month of June.

 

[Matts]

I release most legal females and all very large females.
In fact, other than charter trips in RI and Montauk, I release all fish over 6lb, not that I catch many of those in the western sound, but that's a different issue.
Back on topic. Does anyone know if males will spawn with more than one female per spawning season?
If they spawn once per year only, I wonder whether releasing females versus males makes any difference.

 

[BoatGuy]

They spawn in Late May and June in our waters. It's easy to tell males from females, we just let all the females go when we fish for them before the spawn. RI tog fishing is closed during the month of June.

Could you elaborate? I am glad it is easy. I would let the females go. That is the reason I started this thread.

If female spawn around Long Island in the spring, wouldn’t it make sense to close the season during spawning?

 

[Leprechaun]

Yes.

 

[Hunter704]

I don't feel the need for spring tog fishing I rather wait for the spring run of bass to show up and then fluke season

 

[Leprechaun]

Agree.

 

[poorrichard]

They Spawn in the Spring May, June.

The belly will be very large. Almost breaking at times.

That is a female full of roe.

If the belly looks full. Throw it back

 

[HighHook4Hire]

MALE

FEMALE

White belly/chin and square jaw are the main indicators on a male.

Agree if the belly is going to explode, send it back home.

Exhibit A:

 

[BoatGuy]

View attachment 58950 MALE

View attachment 58951 FEMALE

White belly/chin and square jaw are the main indicators on a male.

Agree if the belly is going to explode, send it back home.

Exhibit A:

View attachment 58952

Are these the same in younger fish?

I am asking as I am not sure of the wisdom of a spring blackfish season if that is when they spawn.
But if you safely cull males I guess it makes more sense. I wonder what % of fisherman worry about this.

 

[HighHook4Hire]

These are young keeper size tog. Anything smaller isn’t legal to keep anyway. Yes, they typically still exhibit the same markings overall.

The answer to your question is “ not enough”. There are many captains that share your sentiment towards an open season during spawn. In NJ we also have a 1 fish season in late summer/fall which is the other breeding season.

Do your best and try to educate others. That’s all you can do. Good for you for looking into this information. Lots of anglers don’t care enough to ask.

 

[Occh639]

I don't feel the need for spring tog fishing I rather wait for the spring run of bass to show up and then fluke season

It’s odd , even though Blackfishing by far is my favorite type of fishing , I don’t feel the need for spring Tog fishing either. Come Spring it’s Bass to Fluke as well for me , with like one or two porgy trips in the Peconics.

 

[Fisherman-never-dies]

Could you elaborate? I am glad it is easy. I would let the females go. That is the reason I started this thread.

If female spawn around Long Island in the spring, wouldn’t it make sense to close the season during spawning?

I agree 100% that tog should be closed for both RI and MA during April and (especially) May. They should rather open in Jan to Feb. or March, for same creel limit (3/day) or even slightly more (since fishing pressure will be much lower during the winter months). Minimally, they should lower the creel limit, like 1/day in April and May.

On one of my annual squidding voyages to the area at the end of April and May, I went to one of the famous bridge spots up the bay/river in RI to see if the tog fishing video that had gone viral was true. It was not only true, but almost all fish caught were all females full of roes about to spawn. Also, one of the MA charter boat captains that I spoke to in Cape Cod told me the same thing. It would be all big females during that time and we could easily catch our limits in a few hours in one of the spawning grounds near the canal. I told him no, of course; not only for the conservation of the pressured specie in the area that I so love to fish in, but because they are not good to eat in the spring.