[622755]

Someone mentioned Tile fish in a report, can you guys tell me how do you catch them, where do you catch them and are the good eating. As I understand it they are fun to catch on a slow day in the canyon, I have had plenty of those this year, do you need a wreck to fish them off of? How big do they get? What do they bight on? Are there any good spots between Montauk and the Dip/Tails?
Thanks in advance.

 

[MakoMike]

High,
Generally they are found right at the drop off and down the slope. they live in caves, holes, cracks in the rock shelf, IOW no wrecks necessary. The commercial tile fishermen use bluefish filets for bait, but I have also caught them on clams. They can run up to 50-60 pounds but ten pounds is about average. You'll need at least a pound of lead to get down to the bottom out there.

 

[622755]

Thanks, Mike, are they good eating, I didnt know there was a commercial fishery for them, how deep would you start?, Wire leader or mono?

 

[621291]

Tile Fish Photos

Here are some photos off the web

 

[621291]

photo

Tile fish in the Hudson Canyon. For many years no one fished 100 miles offshore at the canyon, which let these fish grow to great sizes. Fishing depths ranged from 600 to over 1000 ft.

 

[622755]

Thanks for the info, I would like to try these babies.

 

[FredyFluke]

good eatin

They are good eating. White meat..

Use braided line, and you will only need 1/2 of a window sash to get down.

They like squid too, and a light about a foot above your offering helps..

 

[617921]

MakoMike & DonaldW:

Thanks for the great info & pictures- I too have always wondered what it was all about!

I guess an electric reel comes in handy! I hope nothing steals your bait at those depths! Maybe this is one way of not coming back from the canyons empty-handed!

Any ideas on monkfish?

-Bill

 

[MakoMike]

High,
I'd probably start in 100 fathoms and gradually move deeper. Usually you will find a bunch of them in a relatively small area. I'd guess that's the bottom structure that suits them. Mono leaders are fine they don't have much in the way of dentures.

 

[seaslug44]

Sushi

If you like sushi, order tilefish the next time you hit a sushi bar. -It's one of my favorites.

 

[614673]

Tilefish Habitat...

Makomike,

I found an article on the web(can't find it again though) about Tilefish habitat that jibes with what you are saying.

I was considering one of the Jamaica Tilefish trips (started up again last spring after a long hiatus) but didn't go as the catches seems poor...turns out they really found 'em on their LAST trip.

Anyway, Tilefish live in burrows like rabbits. They need a specific type of bottom to dig in..not too hard, or they can't dig the burrow...and not too soft, or their burrow will collapse.

On the east coast, the geology of the shelf break is that there's a VERY narrow band of the right bottom. It's a specific type of shale bottom, I think.

This was one reason why they were wiped out so fast by the commercials (beyond them being very slow-growing and not spawning well, like most deep water fish); once you found the habitat they were ALL there right on top of each other.

 

[621962]

This year we have made it a point to stop and do an hour of tilefishing every trip and have had very good results with fish up to 36lbs. We find them in 450-600'with the best bottoms being very sticky to our weights. We use deep drop rigs (Multiple circle hooks) and squid bait. We have electric outfits from our florida deep dropping and use weight from 2-10lbs. The keys is using powerpro line and a slow drift we have found the fish a all the major canyons and have enjoyed eating them. One tip where there are lobster pots there are also tile fish.

 

[spygull]

sash weights

Ive got a couple of dozen sash weights I'D like to get rid of. I dont feel like lugging them to the dump. If any of you guys want them and you live near Bohemia Long Island E mail me.

 

[Capt. Marc]

Hi,

You should check out the IGFA all tackle record and go for it. I think the current record is around 20 lbs. If you into big ones consider not using the elec-tra-mates which will probably disqualify you.

Capt Marc

PS Be sure the susi is frozen first. They sometimes can have parasites like most slow growing cold water fish.