A new state record-sized tautog recently caught along artificial reefs constructed off the coast of Ocean City may be a taste of things to come for area fishermen thanks to cooperation between the fishing community and habitat preservationists, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said.
Sam Beauchamp of Brooklyn, N.Y., snared the record fish aboard Captain Monty Hawkins' charter boat Morning Star on March 11. It tipped the scales at 20 pounds 11 ounces and measured 31.75 inches, easily besting the previous record of 19 pounds 8 ounces set 27 years ago. The world record is 25 pounds.
The impressive fish was hooked near one of the 12 artificial reefs constructed by the DNR. The reefs, which have been constructed using a variety of materials including concrete, telecom cable and even purposely sunken ships or submarines, are colonized by small forms of sea life within weeks of creation, and fish like tautog after only a few months, DNR Fisheries Ecologist Martin L. Gary said.
"Artificial reefs established by the State of Maryland and maintained by the non-profit Ocean City Reef Foundation also provide habitat for other species including black sea bass, summer flounder, croaker, spot, weakfish, bluefish and even American lobster," Gary said. "These species are drawn to reefs for shelter and food. Structures such as concrete and old vessels are quickly colonized by invertebrate, encrusting growth such as blue mussels, anemones, barnacles and a myriad of other marine organisms."
Tautog and other sport fish take up residence in the artificial reef, which doubles as a veritable feeding station. The larger fish choose the best spots based on a natural pecking order. Then the fish chow down on the abundant array of lower marine life surrounding them.
But the DNR's work would be all for nothing without the cooperation of the local fishing community. By abiding by strict catch-and-release size requirements, recreational fisherman may not be coming home with the haul they could be in terms of quantity, but the quality is very much there.
And as long as sport fishermen continue to obey the guidelines, they can expect to come home with several 12 to 16 pound tautog on a continuous basis. Captains such as Hawkins, who shoot underwater video, claim that the 25-pound world record might not even be out of the question, Gary said.
The Daily Times - www.delmarvanow.com - Salisbury, Md.