|
By Dave Grant and Cindy Buff  Diving in the Navesink River last summer, we had a memorable encounter with a very aggressive toadfish (Opsanus tau). Conditions were surprisingly good for river diving: water 68° F, visibility 10-feet. Entering the water at slack tide, just after noon, we explored some rip-rap and pilings in search of local treasure (Hopkins lures, fishing weights and the like). Passing across a patch of clean coarse sand in about 15-feet of water we found a shallow pit approximately 3" x 18" that was occupied by a large, surely toadfish. Being well acquainted with the ugly temperment of these creatures, I normally avoid them when I can. This fish seemed particularly our-of-place however; far from the crevices and beer cans that toadfishes normally inhabit since it is an ambush predator. Intrigued, we attempted to coax it at of the pit. This was simple enough except rather than fleeing, the fish raced towards us. Things appear a third larger underwater - but a foot-or-so of angry toadfish, butting your face mask and nudging its way up and down your arms and legs quickly assumes monstrous proportions. Retreating to the limits of our visibility, we continued to observe the fish, which for 30-seconds, hovered at eye-level, five feet off the bottom and quivered in a most unnatural (For toadfishes) vertical posture. It then returned to its pit and nestled in to its original position. It appears that we intruded within the jurisdiction of this fish and witnessed a territorial defense in the form of the vertical posturing. While toadfishes will often defend small hiding places and rocky crevices, we have never observed aggressiveness on a scale like this or encountered such displays as the quivering and vertical hovering. Since the toadfish is a year-round and perhaps life-long resident of the same area, it may be a matter of survival for them to be especially territorial. Also, this occurred on July 2 which is the during their spawning season. Although we were not able to see its clear eggs in the sand, this fish may have been defending a nest. NOTE: The author/note-takers dive often along the beaches of Sandy Hook, NJ and in nearby rivers. (Drawing by Kim Tater) |