Catching tilefish is one of those things where once you know the basics, it just gets easier. That's not to say you are going to catch tilefish every outing, but your chances certainly increase. This is bottom fishing at it easiest. I say that because tilefish live in burrows dug into the thick muddy bottom. With virtually zero chance of getting your tilefishing rig stuck in the mud, you can remove concern of getting snagged. Your biggest challenge will be contending with the current and keeping bait on your hooks. Let's not joke around, bottom fishing is challenging. You can make it a lot less of a challenge if you have a good handle on the basic mechanics of dropping heavily weighted bait rigs hundreds of feet to the ocean bottom. A great way to level up your bottom fishing skillset is to learn from experts. This In The Spread fishing video features Captain Chad Raney, owner of the sport fishing vessel Old Hat. Chad has been fishing the waters off of South Florida for many years. He is arguably one the most successful fishermen in the area. His ability to make everything seem so simple is due to the fact that he has distilled his approach to fishing down to the most basic fundamentals. There is no reason to complicate yourself and what he teaches in this tilefish fishing video is just that. How do you find tilefish, how do you fish them, what fishing tackle do you need, what baits work best and what goes into dropping baits six hundred or more feet to the bottom and drifting them along until you get a bite? Chad will explain all of this, show you his rods, reels, rigs and discuss how to either manage or create current to give your baits a little action on the bottom. If you are not all that familiar with the golden tilefish, it is one of the most unique in appearance and delectable in taste. The meat of a tilefish is combination of grouper and lobster. It is dense, flaky and white. The flavor is sweet, being one of the finest eating fish in the sea. Since tilefish live in a very defined area, your first task will be to locate the muddy bottom that runs just offshore. Some fishermen know the depth to operate in and just go there, while others who know still use their bottom machine to pinpoint good bottom.
Tilefish - Bottom Fishing Techniques
(00:41:02)Fishing for golden tilefish, blueline tilefish or any type of tilefish comes down to putting baits on the bottom, several hundred feet below the surface, and drifting them along the right bottom substrate. The unique aspect of tilefish ecology is the type of bottom where that create their burrows. Yes, burrows. Tilefish hollow out a tunnel like hole in the soft clay bottom and they will do this in colonies of the tilefish neighbors. Where and how this species lives creates a few advantageous scenarios for fishermen. Because this unique fish lives in areas where the bottom is soft and relatively void of hard structure to get your bait rig snagged, you can drop with impunity. Since tilefish also live in colonies, the baits you do manage to get in the neighborhood have a far better chance of swimming past the front door of a hungry tilefish. Tiles are super territorial, so the will come out of their holes to investigate almost any disturbance. Your bait rig slamming into the bottom stirs their interest and the smell of your bait triggers the bite. It's just about that simple. The tricky part is maintaining position over the ideal bottom and dropping your bait rig 600-800 feet, up to a 1,000 feet or more depending on your location, down to the bottom. With tilefishing, your bait has to be on the bottom or you will not get action. Tilefish do not wonder far from the safety of the burrow. With you presentation on the bottom, you now must drift it thru the colony. Captain Chad Raney is one S. Florida's best fishermen. He owns and operates the custom 43 ft. sportfish Old Hat. His approach may appear cavalier, but his tactics are lethal. Chad's simple style makes learning what he has to share that much easier. He has taken the time over the years to distill his fishing for tilefish down to a base level. This fishing video puts you front and center as Chad articulates how to drop baits for tilefish under a difficult low current environment. Current is always a factor, whether you have it or not, so knowing how to manufacture current when there is very little can be the difference between success and failure. You need to cover ground with your baits. Learn how to succeed at tilefishing with the knowledge Chad Raney shares. You will learn about the type of bottom you need to fish to catch tilefish and how to find it. Once over good bottom, Chad will show the bait rig he uses, the baits and how to bait it then demonstrates the drop. Managing your drop is critical. The type of bait you use is also super important. To a large extent, tilefish are scent driven predators. You bait must have the right scent. The fishing reels, rods, how the rig is made, hooks for tilefish, rig components, how much weight to use, the mechanics of dropping and drifting. With the knowledge offered in this fishing video, fishing for tilefish is made doable by any fisherman. Take advantage of Chad Raney's expertise and level up your bottom fishing skills. Watch other [Bottom Fishing Videos](https://inthespread.com/bottom-fishing-videos) and Fish Smarter
