March Cod/Ling/Pollock Trip - NE

[coastal_dan]

Well tried to get out last weekend, but was quite sick.  So, my wife being amazing said, "How about you go this weekend, I'll watch the kids"  Boom, don't have to tell me twice  

Trip ended up being just over 18 hours, temperatures were in the low to mid 40's.  Fishing...well it basically sucked as far as catching keeper eating fish.  But we caught hundreds of spiny dogfish, conger eels, a few random sea bass...and I caught a small blackfish on a spro jig...WTF?  Final tally for the fish we were aiming to catch for the whole boat...2 keeper cod, 1 throw back cod and 2 keeper Pollock.  I caught one of the Pollocks, it was 19 1/4", just over the 19" keeper size; the other was a beauty at 15+ pounds.  Both Pollock shared the pool prize as the other two guys weren't in it...I won $45 so it paid the tip and a bit of petrol  

I'm hooked on this style of fishing, the boat was awesome, weather was amazing.  I saw some whales in the distance, as well as a crazy brown colored shark surfing a wave...hey, even sharks want to have fun  

Here are a few pictures, some are horrible as low lighting and old cellphones don't mix.  Also, my waterproof camera is stuck on magic mode, hence the vignette, haha!  No pictures of my Pollock, except for the filets on my counter  

[Dominick]

Good report Dan, although 40 degrees does not sound like awesome weather.  The seas did not seem too rough.  Better luck on your next trip. Dominick

[Marcq]

Looked cccccold! How many anglers?
Cool pics 

Marc..

[Big Tim]

Dan, fly out here and go fishing with us. Guarantee more than 2 fillets  Thanks for sharing.

BT

[BMITCH]

Jamaica...heated rails ALWAYS help. Sorry you guys didn't hook um up. You'll get them next time Dan. I've been on the big Jamaica many,many times. They do tuna trips in the fall. They turn and burn from sept. To maybe mid December. You can set your watch by capt. Howard's schedule.

Bob

[coastal_dan]

The heated rails were life savers!  Funny, everyone would run into the cabin when we moved, I went up on the bow for about 45 minutes at one point and just sucked in the fresh cold air, that was a moment of inner peace for sure.

There were between 30 - 35 anglers, many seemed pretty disappointed. But, fishing isn't always catching.  The captain was cool enough to give everyone a $20 off next trip voucher for the poor conditions he had no control over, so he gets an A+ in my book.

This head boat fishing is, for me, becoming my best option to head out deep.  Also, you get to meet some neat individuals.  

[Big Tim]

This head boat fishing is, for me, becoming my best option to head out deep.  Also, you get to meet some neat individuals.  

Head Boat fishing, I guess this is the same as we call Party Boat fishing. Definitely a good option for getting out deep

BT

[coastal_dan]

Tim - Yeah, same thing.  Heading out to CA for a multi-day is on my bucketlist.

[Aiala]

Heading out to CA for a multi-day is on my bucket list.

I grew up fishing East Coast head boats from New London, NYC, Montauk & Fire Island down to NJ and the Chesapeake Bay. Great memories and lots of fish. 

Having said which, Dan, when you make it out here and board one of the luxury San Diego long-rangers, you'll just about pass out, LOL! Nothing like 'em anywhere else on the planet.   

~A~

[FatTuna]

I admire the ambition Dan. Fishing in March is not for the weak. I will be getting ready for flounder in a few weeks.

It's sad what is happening with the cod fishery.... We aren't even allowed to keep them up here anymore.... Well it's proposed that we can keep one fish per person during Aug. + Sept. They went from a limit of 8 per person to zero and now back to one. It was the main fishery here. Now we only have haddock which there has been plenty of. Haddock are really good eating though. It kills me to throw back a big cod. I made a swim bladder puncture tool to test out this year. Hopefully that will help with catch and release cod.

Pollock on the the other hand are really plentiful up here. Perhaps too plentiful. I think the fed has a limit but state doesn't.

Watch out for parasites in those bottom fish. Cod and haddock are notorious for cod worm. Best way to check is to hold them up to a light bulb and look for strings. You can pull them out with a needle. Once they are cooked it shouldn't be an issue but I do it for piece of mind.... A decent percentage of cod, whiting, and haddock have it. Not sure about pollock. This is why you will never see cod or haddock on a sushi menu.

[Tightlines667]

Dan,

This marks you as a truly 'Hardcore fisherman'.  Thanks for sharing the magic.

[coastal_dan]

Haha, I just realized my spell check changed it to pollack and capatilzed it...my bad it is Pollock. Dumb smart phone.

[coastal_dan]

I did check the pollock for worms but it passed the light test.  From what I read they are harmless once cooked, but it's good to remove them for the yuk factor, haha.  Interesting about the Cod, it was once an insanely dominate species in the NE, there is a good book I need to pick up called Cod, it was recommended by a friend; it has a lot of the history of the fish and our unsustainable harvesting practices back in the day.

[Dominick]

Dan, fly out here and go fishing with us. Guarantee more than 2 fillets  Thanks for sharing.

BT

Guarantee??? "Man plans God laughs."    Dominick

[Alto Mare]

Dan, if it was that easy, you would lose interest on fishing...you'll get more next time .
You were on the water, I was cleaning the yard...don't complain .

Sal