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Best tautog (blackfish) lakes in Massachusetts

52 Massachusetts waters hold tautog (blackfish), 52 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The crab-crunching bulldog of northeast rocks — surgical bites, brutal first runs, and a face only a jetty could love.

1. Buzzards Bay — 146 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
2. Broad Sound — 94 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Plymouth Bay — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Plymouth Harbor — 37 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Hingham Bay — 67 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Nantasket Roads — 79 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
7. Nantucket Harbor — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Duxbury Bay — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Edgartown Harbor — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Salem Sound — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Sippican Harbor — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Marblehead Channel — 111 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Hyannis Harbor — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Acushnet River — 53 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Salem Harbor — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Centerville Harbor — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Chatham Harbor — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Pleasant Bay — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Vineyard Haven Harbor — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Nahant Bay — 69 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. President Roads — 79 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Madaket Harbor — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Nasketucket Bay — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Summer Flounder (Fluke), Bluefish, Black Sea BassWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Plum Island Sound — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Gloucester Harbor — 71 ft max · survey depth data · Striped Bass, Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Tautog (Blackfish)Why #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 27 more Massachusetts waters holding tautog (blackfish).

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When to fish tautog (blackfish) in Massachusetts

• Spring 5–25 ft — Post-winter fish slide onto shallow rocks, jetties and mussel beds as the water warms — green crabs on a tog jig.
• Summer 10–35 ft — A steady resident bite around any hard structure — smaller fish, but always there for a crab bait.
• Fall 10–50 ft — The season — big whitechins stack on rock piles and wrecks; drop whole green crabs and hang on.
• Winter 30–70 ft — Fish go near-dormant on deep structure — a slow winter pick on calm, mild days.

Also in Massachusetts: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best atlantic mackerel lakes · best atlantic cod lakes

Tautog (Blackfish) elsewhere: New York · Connecticut · New Jersey · Rhode Island