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tog/grouper combo, I love it.

3K views 32 replies 13 participants last post by  Bolo 
#1 ·
11-26 Tog trip out of Cape May

I left my home around 4:00 am for togging on Wed and grouper fishing on Thurs. When we left Cape May Inlet, bites would be very slow as there were big waves from SW and water was pretty dirty.
When we got to Cape May Reefs, we were the only boat out there. 8*
However to my surprise, we had constant bites throughout the day once we got good bottom. After limited out, we started to release many keepers. I might had about 20 keepers myself. I was thinking about useing smaller jigs, but I kept using crab as it worked so good. :)
There were all mixed sizes upto 8 - 9 lbs.

Capt Mike hold double header.


Capt Mike and Willy




11-27 Grouper fishing in NC
After fishing tog in Cape May, NJ, I continued to drive down for NC.
I arrived at the dock by 4:00 am and had a couple of hours sleep in my car until Capt woke me up around 6:30 am.
When I asked Joe hwo far we go as we left the inlet. He said with a big smile that it is only 8 miles and we catch nice gag grouper within sight of land :)

I decided not to use my favorite hammered diamond jigs as I wanted to experiment other jigs for grouper.
I dropped 5 oz Octopus jig from Norway. The jigs look good for halibut and grouper as halibut and grouper love octopus.
I had a nice keeper grouper on the Octopus jig on the first drop !
I had two keeper gag grouper and two shorts within half hour.
I thought I finally found a grouper killer jig. But grouper didn't hit the jig any more. They must smelled bait. I had a few pictues of grouper on the Octopus jigs, but unfortunately all pictures were blur.

-my new grouper jig, Octopus jig. I replaced the treble hook and slit ling with Gamatatsu Siwash single hook and Owner split ring size 8.


Next, I switched to 6 oz Shimano Flat- Side jig. Flat-Side jigs work great for me for tuna and cod. It was not good test for the jig as bites were slowed donw considerabley when I used the jigs. I had a keeper gag grouepr on it.

While playing with baits for a while, I used 6 oz Solvkroken Stainless Viking jig from Norway. A friend of mine caught three black groupers upt 55 lbs using 9 oz Solvkrokne Stainless jig on a party boat out of Panama City, Fl years ago.
While casting out and working botom as we do cod jigging, I had a nice keeper gag grouper and dropped a bigger one. So I continued to use the jig until fishing was over. They final tally with the jig was 2 keeper gag grouper and one short.

a gag caught on 6 oz Solvkroken Viking jig.


Some say it is not difficult to catch groupers on jigs, but I alwayas have to work hard to catch them on jigs though they really respond to jigs in some areas. 5 keeper out of 8 caught on jgis are not bad, but you know it was not great catch either when you see our (three) catches yesterday. :)


I am going to expedriment bucktaisl for grouper on next trip.
 
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#10 ·
that octopus jig is a cool looking jig. i might pick a few up for when we fish for cod and seabass next month. i'm not too surprised the solvkroken worked, but its good to know since i've got several and haven't used them in the gulf yet.

I can't believe you guys caught so many tog!!!!! :).....we had a really slow day, but its fun. i will admit that tog are probably the hardest fish to hook that i've ever experienced. it is pretty addicting fishing...if you dont concentrate for one second, they'll take your bait and spit the hook. its a lot of fun.

it looks like you guys did very well on the gags too. what bait does the capt normally use?
 
#11 ·
that octopus jig is a cool looking jig. i might pick a few up for when we fish for cod and seabass next month. i'm not too surprised the solvkroken worked, but its good to know since i've got several and haven't used them in the gulf yet.

I can't believe you guys caught so many tog!!!!! :).....we had a really slow day, but its fun. i will admit that tog are probably the hardest fish to hook that i've ever experienced. it is pretty addicting fishing...if you dont concentrate for one second, they'll take your bait and spit the hook. its a lot of fun.

it looks like you guys did very well on the gags too. what bait does the capt normally use?
Bret, I arranged the tog boat for you, but I didn't know you were coming with two other guys and it was too late to ask Capt for four fishermen to come. :)

It is general opinion that you master bottom fishing if you master tog fishing.
It is just a split second tog swallow baited crab and spit only hook. :eek:
I used to go togging over 50 times a year, but I still didn't master togging. :confused:

I found why Octopus jig worked that day. Capt said there are lots of octopus in the areas. We even got a octopus on bait intended for grouper.
I'll bring octopus rigs next time twhen fishing in NC, which I bought from Japan for a special order. :)

Here is a grouper caught with Octopus jig which Capt John sent to me.
Still the picture is not clear.

 
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#12 ·
yeah we all would have loved to go, next time ill let you know farther in advance :)

angelo, nick, my dad and i still had a good time even though we didn't catch a lot of tog. they are so hard to hook, its rewarding when you catch some. it is definitely good practice for grouper!

hopefully the weather is bad on december 20 when i come home next since i want to come by your shop but i know you won't be there if the weather is good enough to fish :) :p

im thinking that those octopus jigs will be good for other fish as well.

was the octopus you guys caught good to eat?
 
#21 ·
Hello Kil,

I received my JM jig bag from you. I've 90% filled it. Do they sell additional pages to the bag that I brought?
How many jigs did you put in the bag ?
I think pages can be replaced. I am going to check with JM whether pages can be replaced and they sell pages only.
 
#23 ·
Brian,
Shipment from Jigging Master is coming soon. If you need anything from JM, let me know and I'll ask them to include in the shipment.
Thanks Kil. I will let you know if I need anything soon :) I would have recommended you order more of the 2 page jig bags in, but I think everyone else has expressed enough interest in them for you to know that a lot of people want them...including Nick :p

I've completely filled my 2 page JM bag (most of the pockets have 2 jigs in them...I even have my 80-100g jigs in the front pocket!) and I'm done buying jigs for now I think :p I might get another JM handle from you for my Oceanus 30 reel once I get the extension arm you sent to Miami, here in philly (still hasn't arrived yet...darn holidays....)
 
#24 ·
I've completely filled my 2 page JM bag (most of the pockets have 2 jigs in them...I even have my 80-100g jigs in the front pocket!) and I'm done buying jigs for now I think :p

Let say the average weight of one jig is 10 oz. So you have 800 oz (50 lbs) to 1000 oz (63 lbs). :eek:
How can you carry them ? :) From now on, I should recommend one page jig bag. :)
 
#25 ·
Let say the average weight of one jig is 10 oz. So you have 800 oz (50 lbs) to 1000 oz (63 lbs). :eek:
How can you carry them ? :) From now on, I should recommend one page jig bag. :)
haha, I'm still a young guy that can haul around heavy bags I guess lol. That weight approximation sounds about right. The bag is quite heavy, but it's a SOLID, Heavy Duty bag and hasn't shown one sign up ripping or tearing :)
 
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