For a small state, Delaware sure packs in a lot of fishing reefs. All told, the First State now has 14 permitted artificial reef sites in Delaware Bay and along the Atlantic Coast, making it a good place to catch fish this month. The coolers of most anglers fishing Delaware reefs will be tautog heavy, though it’s possible to catch striper or sea bass, and even a meandering bluefish who didn’t get the memo to swim south. (Check regs for all species.) For the past two decades, the Delaware Reef Program has used a multi-tiered approach, specifically comprehensive fisheries management combined with reef design that enhances fish habitat. And since much of the near shore bottom along the Mid-Atlantic region is devoid of coral reefs or natural rocky outcrops like our neighbors to the south and north, respectively, sinking clean, non-toxic material, including subway cars, concrete, and decommissioned ships makes sense. Managers believe artificial reefs can increase fishing opportunities for anglers and improve fish habitat. You may recall a few years ago Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey teamed up to sink the 563-foot former U.S. Navy warship Arthur W. Radford. They dubbed it the “Del-Jersey-Land Reef,” and it has been called one of the largest artificial reefs in the world. Perhaps more important to area sport anglers, scuba divers, and spear fishermen, the reef sits equidistant — about 26 miles — from the inlets of Cape May, Ocean City, and Indian River Inlet. Tog chasers have options to fish Delaware, and one reef that’s close to shore is Site 10. Not to be confused with Area 51, this fishing spot isn’t an alien landing base but a collection of all kinds of fish-attracting stuff — small tugs, barges and concrete materials — sunk by Delaware’s Artificial Reef Program, part of the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. I spoke with Captain Chuck Cook of First Light charters (firstlightcharters.net) who loves to fish for tog this time of year. He fishes Delaware waters year-round and often launches his Jones Brothers Cape Fisherman center console from Lewes and Indian River Inlet. One of his “go to” spots in December is Site 10, which from Indian River Inlet is a fairly easy, 5.5-mile run as long as the weather is fit. Travel another 10 miles or so, and you can fish Site 11, another popular reef. Some of the natural wrecks Captain Cook likes to fish includes the Nina, Elizabeth Palmer, and Washington. In the warmer months, triggerfish, bluefish, and flounder congregate at Site 10. Captain Chuck says, “Fishing at Site 10 this month is 100 percent tautog fishing.” Like real estate, tog fishing is all about location. Using his GPS and fishfinder, Captain Chuck likes to drift the structure to figure out the current and determine the best place to set the anchor. Once in the right position, he’ll deploy a wreck anchor to place his boat right on top of the piece of Site 10 he wants to fish. When you’re tog fishing, he says, several feet can mean the difference between catching fish or not. “If you’re not right on the structure, you’re not catching fish. Sometimes you’ll notice fishermen on one side of the boat will have a hot bite, while on the other side it’s slow,” says the Delaware captain. That’s why he recommends using minimal scope. Also, be prepared to pull back on and adjust the rode so you hit that sweet spot, even anchoring off a side cleat if necessary. Tog occupy the nooks and holes in the man-made reef like snowbirds packing a Florida condo. Notoriously finicky, you sometimes have to hit tog on the head with bait. And there’s no doubt bait is king for tog. I’m sure somebody somewhere has caught a tautog on a lure, but I’ve never witnessed it. It’s exclusively a bait game, the experts tell me. Green crabs, sand fleas, and clams are three entrees that will usually get a tog to eat. “Green crabs are a great bait but it has to be fresh,” says Captain Chuck. He also notes that the tog bite can be off if the water is dirty. At Site 10, expect to use sinkers as light as three ounces up to 12 ounces. It all depends on the strength of the tidal current. Tog sharpies know the less weight the better because it allows you to feel the often subtle take of the tog, as well as reduces chances of getting fouled in the structure. “You want to fish (your bait) straight up and down.” A medium or medium-heavy boat rod is adequate. Captain Cook uses a St. Croix musky stick matched to a Penn 310 conventional reel that’s loaded with 50-pound braided line. Some tog anglers will go with a double hook setup, but Chuck keeps it to a single 3/0 offset Mustad hook on a 50-pound mono leader. The dropper loop holds the weight, and the snap swivel connects the leader to the running line. If you’re a DIY, trailer boat guy, you can get to Site 10 by launching at Mathews Landing and then run Indian River Inlet. When I spoke to Captain Cook before writing this column, he cautioned that the buoys leading to the Inlet get pulled before the winter months, so you need to be careful because there are lots of shoals. Dropping in at the inlet is more straightforward. Leaving and returning to the Indian River is usually without too much drama. However, be prudent when confronted with an ebbing tide boosted by an east wind. If you aren’t comfortable when those conditions are present, reschedule when conditions are more favorable. Or better yet, hire a professional like Captain Cook or one of the part boats that run out of Indian River. That’s my game plan.