When is tautog (blackfish) season in Massachusetts?

Open April 1 – December 31 (DMF). Daily bag steps through the year: 3 (Apr 1 – May 31), 1 (Jun 1 – Jul 31), 3 (Aug 1 – Oct 14), 5 (Oct 15 – Dec 31). 16 in minimum; 10-fish private-vessel maximum. Those are the 2026 Massachusetts dates; always confirm against Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (freshwater) + MA Division of Marine Fisheries (saltwater) before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.

What is the Massachusetts bag limit for tautog (blackfish)?

The Massachusetts daily bag limit for tautog (blackfish) is Date-stepped: 3 / day (Apr 1 – May 31) · 1 / day (Jun 1 – Jul 31) · 3 / day (Aug 1 – Oct 14) · 5 / day (Oct 15 – Dec 31). The possession limit is Equal to the daily limit of the open period; private-vessel maximum 10 tautog regardless of angler count. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size tautog (blackfish) can you keep in Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts size rule for tautog (blackfish) is 16 in minimum; only ONE fish per angler per day may exceed 21 in. Trophy rule: MA state-record tautog 22 lb 9 oz off Gay Head (Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard) — Michael Horsely, 1978; the over-21-inch one-fish cap protects the slow-growing big breeders.

Do you need a license to fish for tautog (blackfish) in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts requires a valid fishing license to fish for tautog (blackfish), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Massachusetts license — compare resident and non-resident Massachusetts fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for tautog (blackfish) in Massachusetts?

Yes. In Massachusetts, tautog (blackfish) fishing carries these gear rules: MA Saltwater Fishing Permit ($10 / year, ages 16+; free for 60+ or disabled) required; Private-vessel maximum 10 tautog per day regardless of how many anglers are aboard — the most restrictive of the per-angler or per-vessel limit applies; Only one fish per angler per day may exceed 21 inches; Hook-and-line only; tautog are a structure fish — green crabs + Asian shore crabs are the standard bait; Confirm current-year DMF notices — ASMFC may adjust the date-stepped bag in-season.

Do specific Massachusetts waters have different tautog (blackfish) rules?

Yes. 6 named Massachusetts waters carry rules that override the statewide tautog (blackfish) regulation, including Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Massachusetts Tautog (blackfish) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Tautoga onitis

Last updated June 3, 2026

Tautog — universally called 'blackfish' or 'tog' on the MA coast — is the prize of the structure-fishing season: a hard-pulling, sweet-eating bottom fish that holds tight to wrecks, jetties, boulder fields, mussel beds, and bridge abutments from Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound through Nantucket Sound, Cape Cod Bay, Boston Harbor, and the North Shore ledges. The MA Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) manages tautog under the ASMFC interstate plan with a 16-inch minimum and a date-stepped daily bag: 3 fish from April 1 through May 31, dropping to just 1 fish from June 1 through July 31 (the summer protection window), back to 3 fish from August 1 through October 14, and a generous 5 fish from October 15 through December 31 — the fall blackfish run is the biggest of the year. Only one fish per angler per day may exceed 21 inches, and private vessels are capped at a 10-fish maximum regardless of how many anglers are aboard. Tautog grow slowly and live long, so the bag steps and the over-21-inch cap protect the big breeders. The MA state record is a 22 lb 9 oz giant taken off Gay Head (Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard) by Michael Horsely in 1978. A MA Saltwater Fishing Permit ($10 / year, ages 16+) is required.

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Season

Open April 1 – December 31 (DMF). Daily bag steps through the year: 3 (Apr 1 – May 31), 1 (Jun 1 – Jul 31), 3 (Aug 1 – Oct 14), 5 (Oct 15 – Dec 31). 16 in minimum; 10-fish private-vessel maximum.

Apr 1 – May 31Spring season
3 fish / day; 16 in min
Jun 1 – Jul 31Summer (reduced bag)
1 fish / day; 16 in min
Aug 1 – Oct 14Early fall
3 fish / day; 16 in min
Oct 15 – Dec 31Peak fall run
5 fish / day; 16 in min

Bag & possession

Daily bag: Date-stepped: 3 / day (Apr 1 – May 31) · 1 / day (Jun 1 – Jul 31) · 3 / day (Aug 1 – Oct 14) · 5 / day (Oct 15 – Dec 31)
Possession: Equal to the daily limit of the open period; private-vessel maximum 10 tautog regardless of angler count

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 16 in minimum; only ONE fish per angler per day may exceed 21 in
Trophy rule: MA state-record tautog 22 lb 9 oz off Gay Head (Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard) — Michael Horsely, 1978; the over-21-inch one-fish cap protects the slow-growing big breeders

Gear restrictions

MA Saltwater Fishing Permit ($10 / year, ages 16+; free for 60+ or disabled) required
Private-vessel maximum 10 tautog per day regardless of how many anglers are aboard — the most restrictive of the per-angler or per-vessel limit applies
Only one fish per angler per day may exceed 21 inches
Hook-and-line only; tautog are a structure fish — green crabs + Asian shore crabs are the standard bait
Confirm current-year DMF notices — ASMFC may adjust the date-stepped bag in-season

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Massachusetts waters:

Buzzards Bay
16 in min; date-stepped bag; rocky reefs + mussel beds hold dense tog
Vineyard Sound
16 in min; date-stepped bag; Gay Head / Aquinnah ledges produced the state record
Nantucket Sound
16 in min; date-stepped bag; wrecks + shoals
Cape Cod Bay
16 in min; date-stepped bag; Sandwich + Plymouth structure
Cape Cod Canal
16 in min; date-stepped bag; rip-rap walls + jetty boulders
Boston Harbor
16 in min; date-stepped bag; harbor-island boulder fields + wrecks

Official source

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (freshwater) + MA Division of Marine Fisheries (saltwater) publishes the authoritative 2026 Massachusettsfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The tautog (blackfish) rules on this page are sourced from Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (freshwater) + MA Division of Marine Fisheries (saltwater)'s official tautog (blackfish) regulation page.

Visit official Massachusetts fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Tautog (blackfish) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Massachusetts trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is tautog (blackfish) season in Massachusetts?: Open April 1 – December 31 (DMF). Daily bag steps through the year: 3 (Apr 1 – May 31), 1 (Jun 1 – Jul 31), 3 (Aug 1 – Oct 14), 5 (Oct 15 – Dec 31). 16 in minimum; 10-fish private-vessel maximum. Those are the 2026 Massachusetts dates; always confirm against Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (freshwater) + MA Division of Marine Fisheries (saltwater) before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.
What is the Massachusetts bag limit for tautog (blackfish)?: The Massachusetts daily bag limit for tautog (blackfish) is Date-stepped: 3 / day (Apr 1 – May 31) · 1 / day (Jun 1 – Jul 31) · 3 / day (Aug 1 – Oct 14) · 5 / day (Oct 15 – Dec 31). The possession limit is Equal to the daily limit of the open period; private-vessel maximum 10 tautog regardless of angler count. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size tautog (blackfish) can you keep in Massachusetts?: The Massachusetts size rule for tautog (blackfish) is 16 in minimum; only ONE fish per angler per day may exceed 21 in. Trophy rule: MA state-record tautog 22 lb 9 oz off Gay Head (Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard) — Michael Horsely, 1978; the over-21-inch one-fish cap protects the slow-growing big breeders.
Do you need a license to fish for tautog (blackfish) in Massachusetts?: Yes. Massachusetts requires a valid fishing license to fish for tautog (blackfish), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Massachusetts license — compare resident and non-resident Massachusetts fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for tautog (blackfish) in Massachusetts?: Yes. In Massachusetts, tautog (blackfish) fishing carries these gear rules: MA Saltwater Fishing Permit ($10 / year, ages 16+; free for 60+ or disabled) required; Private-vessel maximum 10 tautog per day regardless of how many anglers are aboard — the most restrictive of the per-angler or per-vessel limit applies; Only one fish per angler per day may exceed 21 inches; Hook-and-line only; tautog are a structure fish — green crabs + Asian shore crabs are the standard bait; Confirm current-year DMF notices — ASMFC may adjust the date-stepped bag in-season.
Do specific Massachusetts waters have different tautog (blackfish) rules?: Yes. 6 named Massachusetts waters carry rules that override the statewide tautog (blackfish) regulation, including Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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