Quick response could land big fish

If you're wondering what a tilefish looks like or how it tastes, fights and what it wants for bait, I'd suggest you head to beach pronto - and not for sunbathing. Offshore from Ocean City, headboats are catching them in fairly good numbers along with some big tautog - and maybe by weekend some sea bass. It could be your best chance in ages; don't miss it.

Tilefish are a deepwater fish generally found in depths of 275 to 1,200 feet; they can weigh 50 pounds or more. One of 46 inches weighed in at 35½ pounds, according to Perlmuter's Guide to Marine Fisheries. It is most abundant from Nantucket to Delaware Bay, but can be found in...