Tautog or Blackfish 



For inside fishing lighter tackle will do, 

 though the hooks should be the same. In 

 baiting the hook with a small crab it should 

 be done so that the point of the hook passes 

 through from the belly to the back, taking 

 great care not to crush the body in hook- 

 ing. If the hook is put through nearer 

 the head it will last much longer. A shrimp 

 should be hooked in the same manner by 

 placing the point underneath near the tail, 

 afterward drawing the shrimp over; in 

 that manner it will live for some time. 

 The sinker should be a heavy one, and the 

 two hooks tied about six inches apart as 

 near the sinker as possible. No leader is 

 required, but the gut snells must be very 

 strong to withstand the sharp teeth when 

 he is tugging at the bottom. The tautog 

 feeds entirely on the bottom, where shell 

 fish abound. He rarely if ever interferes 

 with the smaller fish that swim near him. 

 When fishing inside waters arrange so that 

 the boat can be anchored near the edge of 

 the tide, close to a rapid current, where 



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