Tog Fishing : Tips, Tricks, Tackle, and Techniques

[wb]

I finally picked up a reel for my Tsunami stick that's been sitting in the closet for too long. Went down to --------- with it and quickly realized the Torium 14 or Avet SX was just lost on that rod. Almost got the MXL which was a better fit, but Rich reminded me of how much I like that Corvalus combo I got from him awhile ago... So went with the Tekota 600. Can't wait to try it out, thanks Rich for all the great suggestions and helpful advice!!

Short story long, now I got this bruiser setup that Rich generously spooled up with some 40# mono. I think this will work well for me as a not-so-experienced togger. Should I put a top shot of braid on it? I gots some 30# PP left on a spool that's looking for a home, but was thinking just stick to the mono for now til I (hopefully) get the hang of it?

[gottog]

Sometimes mono is actually better for hooking up with tog over braid.  Not sure if it's the stretch that helps with a picky bite or the mono's natural tendency to have a belly in the water so you're fishing with a slack line.  Personally, from fishing with braid/superlines for everything all the time, if I try to use mono it's like fishing with a rubberband now.

If fishing with braid/superlines, try not to fish with too tight of a line. Keep some slack in it a bit, you'll still feel the bite but the tog won't feel the rod and back away from eating your crab.  Plus when it's rocking, you won't be moving the bait as the boat bobs up and down.

Recently whiteleggers have been catching some better quality fish, but greenies have been getting better and more bites.  Gotta see what the tog want.  Sometimes it's a specific color of the crab(orange, red, green, white belly of the greencrabs) sometimes it's a whole crab with it's shell cracked, other times halves with legs on or off.  These little things do make all difference at times.

[MVP]

Here's what I can share. Fishing wrecks you will get snaged and sometimes so will your anchor. Here's a tip that was tought to me, I use a grapple a couple pieces of rebar bent into a hook and welded together with an eye on top, now here's the tip tie directly to your rope, don't use chain, before you drop it fold the line on to the shaft of the grapple and zip tie it. Now your rope should with the feed end by the hook what this does is allows you to drive over your grapple if its snagged and pull against the hang up without the grapple turning and hanging up more allowing you to pull it free

I agree with setting up anchor for reverse pull.  However tying rope directly to anchor without chain is not the way to go. Having Chain will allow wreck anchor to set better.  It will also protect rope from rubbing against structure. Tying directlty to grapple or anchor will be a good way to donate alot of your gear to the bottom.

[whitechin]

Thanks for the very informative post. These are words to live by when toggin I too, have the sickness. I live in MD and chase the devils inshore and off.

[paul-e]

 

[Mr Limpett]

On Sunday, I reeled in empty hooks and thought that the heavy sinker on my line was preventing me from feeling subtle hits. I came up with this rig, I know that the less hardware the better, but with a heavy sinker, this should hold bottom without moving. I'm using the fish-finder not in the traditional way, I have a short line between swivels, it's just there so I can have a better feel for any nibbles, especially with braid.
Any comments?

[Hunter 2]

Give it a try and see if it works.  Personally I fish with no hardware at all because that's what I've been taught by the togging sharpies. Albright knot from the main line to the 50lb mono leader  approx 25' ,  Double up the leader on the last 6' add a sinker dropper loop on bottom  with a dropper loop 8" above sinker to tie your 8 to 10" hook leader and add a 4/0 Octopus circle hook.

   It sounds complicated but it's not. Irish Ayes Joe taught me this one and we have caught plenty of tog. 

     

[BigAl13]

Give it a try and see if it works.  Personally I fish with no hardware at all because that's what I've been taught by the togging sharpies. Albright knot from the main line to the 50lb mono leader  approx 25' ,  Double up the leader on the last 6' add a sinker dropper loop on bottom  with a dropper loop 8" above sinker to tie your 8 to 10" hook leader and add a 4/0 Octopus circle hook.

   It sounds complicated but it's not. Irish Ayes Joe taught me this one and we have caught plenty of tog. 

     

John the rig Eddies describing is the exact one you saw me tie 30 times sunday. I would shy away from the fish finder because your allowing room in the line for the crab to roll around, doing this may spook the tog. another rig you may want to try is the same as eddie mentioned just put the sinker on the bottom and the hook above it this would eliminate the sinker from stopping you from feeling the hit.

[Kenny]

Zero hardware !!!!

Just use the tried and true Belmar rig...easy to tie with cold wet hands and works great...when the bite is on you want something that is easy to rig and get back in the game after a snag...not a complicated rig with many hard to tie knots...and or fishing around in the tackle box for hardware...

Pre tie you rigs before hand...I use gami #3 or #4 octopus on a double hook slider rig with a perfection loop on the end...again easy to tie a bunch before hand...


With tog....the more you throw on your rig the more your gona get hung up...

Keep it simple !!

[BigAl13]

  the Belmar rig is what we explained. Just I dont tie a perfection I use a regular surgeons loop (Skip told me the tog dont need perfection  )

[Mr Limpett]

  OK, thanks guys.

[Kenny]

the Belmar rig is what we explained. Just I dont tie a perfection I use a regular surgeons loop

Yup...I tie the double surgeons loop for the line double up on the main line...

I tie the perfection loop on my pre tied rigs...

(Skip told me the tog don't need perfection  )

 

Just secret bait apparently 

[BigAl13]

Im saving this photo 

[Kenny]

New Avatar Al 

[Mr Limpett]

cool website that clearly shows hot to tie fishing knots and loops.

http://www.animatedknots.com/snell/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

[BigAl13]

netknots is also a good one

[Hunter 2]

Nice thread to revisit with good info dating back to 2007