Bad Ass Wrasse

These Teeth Were Made For Crunching (Crabs)

Most people have never heard of a wrasse, even though anyone who has gone snorkeling near a coral reef will have seen hundreds of them.  They are the most common type of fish on the reef. Although most wrasse species are tropical, a few are found in more temperate waters.  Some of these are sought after by recreational anglers and commercial fishermen.

Here in New England we have two species of wrasse, the Tautog and the Cunner. 

Cunner 

A Cunner caught on Browns Ledge

Other common names for the Cunner include Bergall in the Mid-Atlantic region,  Choggie or Chogsett in Massachusetts, and Blue Perch in Maine.  The name Cunner is borrowed from a wrasse of the same name found off the coast of Britain.  Chogsett is a Native American name.  Bergall is thought to be the name given to the species by Dutch settlers in New York. 

Cunners are small fish that are notorious bait stealers.  They have a pointy snout, small mouth, and a prominent set sharp teeth, all perfectly designed for stripping bait off a hook. For this reason most anlgers consider them a nuisance. Close to shore they average about 5-6 inches in size. Larger specimens are more common in deep cold water, where they can grow up to over a foot long.  These larger fish are quite tasty.  

An unusually large Cunner from Cape Cod Bay

Cunners use their sharp teeth to pick small marine invertebrates off rocks and pilings.  

I first encountered Cunners as a young kid when my family camped out every summer at Salisbury State Beach Reservation.  While fishing for Pollock from a jetty I noticed small reddish fish darting in and out of crevices between the rocks.  I used a small piece of seaworm on a single #10 hook to catch a few.  Cunners love seaworms but aren’t too picky and will hit other baits like clam, squid or cut fish.  They will also hit on Sabiki rigs without bait. Most of the cunners I catch now are a by-catch while targeting Winter Flounder in Cape Cod Bay or Atlantic Cod on Coxes Ledge.

Tautog 

A decent size Tautog from Westport, Massachusetts

The other wrasse found locally is the Tautog, also sometimes called a Blackfish. The males can be distinguished from females by their black coloration on the backs and sides, bright white belly, white ventral and anal fins, and white chins.  Females have a mottled appearance and dark fins

Male Tautog

Female Tautog

         

A popular food and gamefish, Tautog are most abundant in the early spring and late fall, just at a time when many other saltwater game fish are scarce.  As is typical with wrasse, tautog like to stay close to rocky structure.  Here they can find their favorite meal, crabs. Fishermen in boats will try to anchor close to the rock piles.  In September through October the fish will be in shallow at depths of 10-30 feet.  As the water cools they move to deeper water and we usually are fishing in 50+ feet by mid November.

Two methods commonly used for targeting Tautog are jigging and bottom fishing.  Both methods involve live crabs. I like to switch back and forth between jigging with spinning tackle and a double hook bottom rig using conventional gear.  A jig rig consists of a brightly colored jig specifically designed for Tautog tied at the end of a 20 inch 80# mono or flourocarbon leader. I attach a 4/0 Octopus or circle hook on a dropper loop about one foot above the jig.  A barrel swivel is then tied at the top of the leader.  Both the jig and the single hook are baited with crabs.  The bottom rig starts with a 3-way snap swivel to which is attached 20 inches of 80# mono or flourocarbon leader material.  A 4/0 Octopus or circle hook is tied at the end of the leader and another hook is attached on a dropper loop about one foot above the bottom hook. 

Bottom Rig

Jig Rig

Live crabs are the preferred bait for Tautog.  Green Crabs are most commonly used since that’s what the bait shops sell.  I like to cut these in half, pull off a few legs and put the hook through a leg hole.  Tautog are expert bait stealers so expect to go through a lot of crabs.  

One thing I almost forgot to mention is that Wrasse actually sleep at night and are late to rise.  So no need to get out on the water before sunrise to endure subfreezing temperatures in November.  Relax and have another cup of coffee. What the heck have some pancakes because the Tautog won’t be hungry for breakfast until almost noontime!

Another nice thing about Tautog fishing is they are absolutely delicious.  The firm white flesh is perfect for chowder.  It's also excellent breaded and baked.  However you cook them you won’t be disappointed.  

For more information on this blog about fishing for Tautog see: Westport Tautog Sunday October 22, 2017 

Wrasse Facts:

Wrasses belong to the family Labridae

The name wrasse is derived from the celtic word for old woman, wrath.

There are over 600 species of wrasse, the majority being found on tropical reefs.

Wrasses are distributed world wide.

The Cleaner Fish, of Shark Tale fame, is a small tropical wrasse that feeds by picking parasitic crustaceans off the skin of larger fish.

Wrasse Links:

Westport Point Fishing Charters

Evil Wrasse Cult (UK)  

Ornate Wrasse (Azores)

Back To Belize Part Three - March 8, 2019 - Deep Drop Reef Fishing

Vermilion Snapper

For our second excursion we had planned on doing some snorkeling and more reef fishing.  The day was nice and sunny but the wind made the water a bit rough for snorkeling.  Our guide, Eisley suggested we try some deep sea fishing out beyond the shallow part of the barrier reef.  We agreed and after a short stop to net some bait we sped off to deeper waters.  

Eisley rigged up some sturdy boat rods and we began drifting with bait weighted on the bottom.  Cynthia caught the first fish, an Almaco Jack.  Nice fish!  Pretty soon we all began catching some Vermilion Snapper, which was a new species for me.  Cynthia and Dotty caught most of the Snappers.  These were much bigger than the ones I caught on the previous two fishing trips.  

My Wife Cynthia with an Almaco Jack (Jealous!)

My Sister Dotty caught them three at a time!

A Vermilion snapper with bite taken out of it by a shark!

To my delight I had a great multi-species day.  In the end I totaled four new species.  The most awesome one was a big scary looking Green Moray Eel.  Other species included a Striped Grunt and a Cottonwick Grunt. 

Green Moray Eel

Striped Grunt

Cottowick Grunt

I definitely would book another trip with Eisley.  We appreciated his skill and his willingness to be flexible.  See his Facebook page for more information. https://www.facebook.com/esleyusherfishingtours/

Upon returning to our cabins we enjoyed a swim in the pool and some libations.  For dinner that evening we had Snapper Francaise and Conch Ceviche. The fillets were rolled in flour, dipped in egg and fried in oil. These were served with a mango sauce for dipping.  We rounded out the meal with a bottle of Cerros Beach Hibiscus Wine.  

I only made one more attempt at fishing.  The next day I got up at daybreak and headed out for a bit of shore fishing.  I was awarded for my effort with a new species, a Yellowfin  Mojarra, and a couple more Checkered Pufferfish.  For these I used bits of raw shrimp on a #8 hook two feet below a bobber. 

Yellowfin Mojarra

We just loved Caye Cauker.  The island is small and laid back.  The locals were very friendly.  Tours off island to other destinations are available, but we found enough to do locally.  Suffice to say we are already planning our next trip to Belize!

A List Of Species Caught On My Most Recent Trip To Belize

1. Schoolmaster Snapper  Lutjanus apodus
2. Yellowtail Snapper  Ocyurus chrysurus
3. Grey Snapper  Lutjanus griseus
4. Lane Snapper  Lutjanus synagris
5. Vermilion Snapper  Rhomboplites aurorubens
6. Green Moray Eel  Gymnothorax funebris
7. Checkered Puffer Sphoeroides spengleri
8. Great Barracuda  Sphyraena barracuda
9. Striped Grunt  Haemulon striatum
10. Cottonwick Grunt  Haemulon melanurum
11. Yellowfin Mojarra  Gerres cinereus

Back To Belize Part Two - March 7, 2019 - Conch Diving and Reef Fishing

Before leaving home I booked two fishing/snorkeling combo trips.  The arrangements were made with Captain Eisley Usher, who had some good reviews on Trip Advisor. The first trip combined a little bit of reef fishing with some snorkeling in search of conch. 

Captain Eisley Usher

Captain Eisley sent a taxi in the morning to pick us up at our cottage.  (The taxis here are really golf carts.  Regular cars are banned on this island with the exception of emergency and a some commercial vehicles.)  The taxi brought us to the same dock near were the tame Tarpon are found.  The first stop was along the shore of a deserted island that was developed as a luxury resort complete with golf course, piers, and large villas.  Totally empty now.  Eisley used his casting net to catch some baitfish.  

We began fishing by trolling live bait close to the reef.  Eventually Cynthia caught the first fish, a  large Needlefish.  A little while later I reeled in a small Barracuda.  Both fish were released.

Cynthia's Needlefish

Being a partly cloudy day it was late morning before visibility was good enough for snorkeling. Captain Eisley anchored near the reef and we dove in.  The rough water and less than deal light conditions made it difficult to find camouflaged Gastropods in ten feet of water.  Though the three of us didn’t find any, the captain more than made up for our lack of skill.  With a few Conch in the bag it was now time to try for some Snapper.  

We anchored at another nearby spot and settled in for some bottomfishing.  We all caught some fish including a couple of Lane Snapper that were big enough to eat. Satisfied with our catch and the snorkeling we returned to the island.  

Dotty With A Striped Grunt

Checkered Puffer - A New Species For Me

Later that evening Dotty made some delicious Conch Fritters While I made Conch Ceviche.  We also cooked the Snapper and some leftover Barracuda. The fritters and fish were served with mango sauce and a creamy cilantro dressing for dipping.  

At this point I was pleased with the species hunting aspect of the trip having caught six different kinds of fish including one new species.  The next day we would be fishing in deep water where it was very likely that other fish species would be encountered. 

Conch Fritters!

Conch Ceviche!

Back To Belize Part One - Barracuda!

Cerros Mayan Ruins

This was our second trip to the Central American country of Belize.  The first time was during the extremely cold winter of 2015.  The winter of 2019 was considerably milder but it was still great to get away from chilly New England for a couple of weeks.  

Cerros Beach  February 26 - March 2, 2019

Cynthia and I flew into in Belize City on February 26th. We then hopped onto a smaller plane which took us to Corozal in northern Belize.  We stayed at the same spot as on our previous trip.  The Cerros Beach Resort is the perfect place to just relax and become acclimated.  Here we enjoyed the hospitality of the proprietors, Bill and Jennifer.  Bill is an excellent cook with a knack for fusing American Cusine with local flavors and ingredients.  They also make and brand their own wines which are quite good.  Activities on site include sea kayaking, swimming, bird watching, and hiking to nearby Mayan ruins.  I made a few casts from a kayak but didn’t even get a nibble.  After a several laid back days we got on another small plane and flew to Caye Caulker near Belize’s famous barrier reef.  

Our Cabana

Cerros Beach Resort

Sunset Over Corozal Bay

Caye Caulker  March 3-6, 2019

My sister, Dotty, would be joining us on the island in a couple of days. Prior to leaving home I booked two fishing and snorkeling combo trips for the three of us.  Cynthia and I just couldn’t wait another day to get out on the water so the first thing we did after checking in was to book an all day snorkeling trip with for the following day.  

The barrier reef in Belize is the second largest of it’s kind in the world and a very popular snorkeling spot.  The eight passengers in our boat were just a small fraction of the total visitors to the reef that day.  Despite the crowds the fish watching was very good.  Saw many different species of fish including some that I never saw before like the Longspine Porgy and a Sand Tilefish. Besides the usual colorful reef fish we saw large stingrays, huge Tarpon, nurse sharks, and a big sea turtle.  Before returning to the dock we stopped in an area known for it’s huge tame tarpon.  The tarpon here have been conditioned to snatch food (small dead fish) dangled by hand over the water.  It’s become quite a tourist attraction. 

Friendly Tarpon

Later that evening we hiked to the western side of the island to watch the sunset. Of course I brought along a fishing rod “just in case”.  I used a micro rig that consisted of a two hook sabiki baited with bits of shrimp. After a whole lot of bait stealing I managed to catch a pretty little Schoolmaster Snapper. 

Schoolmaster Snapper

The next day my sister Dotty arrived. We spent most of our time exploring the island and lounging by the pool where we met two families who were traveling together and staying in the other cabins.  One was from Colorado and the other from British Columbia.  The two men in the group, Ed and Larry, had a fishing trip planned for the following day.  They invited me to come along and help share the cost of a half day trip.  I enthusiastically accepted their invitation!

Soon after we arrived at the dock we were greeted by Captain Ish.  Ish is a jovial fellow with a personality as colorful as his clothes.  He’s also good at putting his clients on the fish.

The first stop was a nearby area with a Magrove covered shoreline.  The Captain used his casting net to easily catch (Well, he made it look easy) a bunch of Redear Sardine baitfish.

Captain Ish Netting Bait

Redear Sardine

Soon after we arrived at an area more than half way to the mainland and began trolling.  We used conventional reels on boat rods with braided line.  The rig was simply a long sturdy wire leader tied to a large hook with a live sardine as bait.  This was trolled slowly without any additional weight.  We took turns holding the rods two at a time.  

On the second pass near a reef I hooked up.  The Barracuda made an initial leap and then fought fiercely all the way to the boat.  Captain Ish gaffed the fish. After a couple of photos the fish was put on ice. Next Larry hooked up and reeled in another cuda about the same size.  After several hit and runs, Ed hooked up and pulled in a huge Barracuda.  

First Barracuda Of The Day

Next on the agenda was some bottom fishing for Snapper. Captain Ish anchored near a reef and the mate cut up some bait.  My first fish was a colorful little Yellowtail Snapper.  This was soon followed by a few Gray Snapper, and a bunch of Lane Snapper.  A few were big enough for eating and were put into the cooler. 

Yellowtail Snapper

Gray Snapper

Lane Snapper

We got back to the shore around noontime.  The captain cleaned our fish, tossing the remains into the water where big hungry Tarpons swam waiting for a handout. 

Captain Ish Cleans A Fish

That evening we dined on Snapper and Barracuda Franchaise with Mango Sauce.  The sauce was made with lime juice, local hot sauce, and Mango jam made by Bill, the proprietor from the Cerros Beach Resort.  The fish was washed down with ample quantities of cold fruity libations. We were a bit wary about eating the Barracuda.   It’s been known on occasion to cause ciguatera poisoning.  The toxin occurs naturally in coral where it enters the food chain.  The toxin becomes magnified at the top of the chain.  Our questions and research revealed a lack of recent ciguatera incidents in the area.  Barracuda was also on the menus of a number of local restaurants.  We decided it was probably safe enough and I we lived to fish another day.   

Left to Right: Larry, Me, Ed

Ice Fishing Season 2019 (Part Two) - Lake Winnipesaukee

Lake Trout

This year we rented a cottage on Meredith Neck, just a short walk to The Lake.  I drove up on Sunday and stayed through Thursday.  Cynthia drove up with the dogs on Monday and left on Wednesday.  

February 3, 2019

The first stop was in Tilton to buy bait at a general store. Next I drove over to Sanders Bay and fished till sunset.  No catches, not even a flag on the tip up. Before leaving I set up six Cusk Devices baited with extra large live shiners.  Stopped at a pizza joint to buy a chicken parm sub for dinner and settled into a cozy cottage for the night.

February 4, 2019

The next morning I got up early to check on the Cusk Devices on Sanders Bay.  Half of them had the bait stolen.  I chummed the holes with chopped mackerel and reset the the devices.  Headed back to the cottage in Meredith to spend the rest of the day fishing nearby while waiting for Cynthia to arrive with “the boys”, Choggie and Scuppy our newly acquired rescue dogs. Choggie is a Bichon Frise. Choggie is also another name for a Cunner, a small saltwater fish in the Wrasse Family.   Cunners have sharp little teeth so there is somewhat of a resemblance. Scuppy is a white Toy Poodle and was named after the Scup, another small saltwater fish.  

Cynthia and Scuppy

Just before Cynthia came out onto the ice a tip up flag went up signaling that a fish had taken a bite on a large smelt.   A few minutes later I pulled in a Lake Trout.  It was the only fish we caught for the day.  However we enjoyed the unusually warm winter day and Choggie had a great time barking at his echo. 

February 5, 2019

We had a leisurely morning and then drove over to Sanders Bay to check on the Cusk Devices.  As I started to pull in the second device I felt something heavy tugging on the end of the line.  It was a twenty two inch Cusk!  We pulled up the devices and drove back to our cottage in Meredith where we fished for the remainder of the day.  One other fish was caught.  It was a Landlocked Salmon that was immediately released because in New Hampshire it’s illegal to harvest a salmon caught through the ice. In fact the fish shouldn’t even be taken out of the water.  At least we had the Cusk for dinner.  

Cusk aka Burbot

Cusk Tacos Fixings - fish francaise, spicy coleslaw, soft tacos

February 6, 2019

Cynthia took the dogs and headed back home in the morning.  I chose to spend the day fishing close to our cottage.  This was a decision I later regretted.  Got skunked!  Not even a bite.   

February 7, 2019

This was to be my last day of ice fishing for the year.  I decided to go to an area where there would be more action.  The area is called States Landing and is located along the northern shore.  Last year I caught Chain Pickerel and Fallfish at this spot.  

Once out on the ice I drilled one hole over a shallow weed bed and another in deeper water.  It only took a few minutes for a flag to pop up at the shallow spot.  As I expected it was a Pickerel.   Then soon after I caught another pickerel...and another...and another.  Meanwhile the Yellow Perch found the bait in deeper water.  Pulled in the tip up from the Pickerel spot and tried some jigging before packing up and heading home to Cape Cod.  

The home waters were still frustrating local anglers by being frozen enough to deter open water fishing yet not frozen enough to support ice fishing.  Fortunately for me I would soon be fishing in tropical waters.