Vinny Simms Jr. (right) and the new 22.33-pound state-record tautog caught with Captain Rob Taylor on October 21, 2024. Vinny Simms Jr.’s largest ever blackfish sat at a healthy 6 pounds when Captain Rob Taylor of Newport Sportfishing Charters positioned the Reel E-Z over a piece of structure that Rob had found on his Humminbird Side-Imaging sonar while cast-netting menhaden back in the spring. As he filled the livewell with the lively striper candy, he marked the spot on his electronics, and added it to his rotation for the coming tautog season.