I welcomed Ed Bramer , his son Ed Jr, and Bob aboard the Lady Diane for a ground fish charter to Stellwagen Bank on today.  The haddock bite has been fantastic for the past two weeks and we all held high hopes for a repeat performance.  I met Ed a few years ago while mating on another boat and I knew what an experienced crew I had on board today.  I decided to make a run for cod in the morning and then go after haddock when  the tide started running later in the day.

0545 saw us  run past Eastern Point at 25 knots as the ocean was as calm a fresh water pond.  The forecast was for light winds in the morning but increasing to 20 knots in the afternoon.  My plan was to put as many fish in the boat as soon as possible before the wind came on.  Early in the season I found a pile of codfish in area I had not fished since.  That day they would not bite but something told me to go there this morning.

After a quick 30 minute ride Ed and the guys dropped their jigs on what appeared to be a large school of cod. Jigs were taken as soon as they hit bottom and the game was on.  As has been the pattern this year, a lot of short fish were mixed  in with the keepers.  The guys fought through them and began to put nice market fish  in the box.  Ed Jr.  did win the pool for the smallest cod fish taken this year that actually ate a jig.

I find it amazing that a cod that small would actually eat a jig that is much bigger than himself.

The cod bite got stronger as the tide began to run and the box was filled in short order by the crew. 

During the bite Bob nearly had the rod ripped from his grip as my new pet "Beagle" made a quick appearence.  Unfortunately he got away with a clean bite off today and stole another jig from me.  He must have known I had both the 50 class rod and poon waiting for him as he made no return appearances the rest of the day.  Sooner or later I am going to stick that puppy!

Ed has a very aggresive jig technique and on the codfish he used that to full advantage.  During the morning he put many quality makets in the box including this fine specimen.

WIthin 2 hours the guys had filled their cod limits so we decided to head to the haddock grounds about 5 miles away.  As I approached the numbers, a fleet of 75 boats greeted my eyes. Secret spots dont stay secret for very long in this day of GPS and radar.  We worked our way in to the fleet, marked some fish and lowered the jigs.  NADA...the haddock would not feed.  I watched other boats catching the same ..NADA. Did not matter if you anchored or drift they would not bite.  We moved around in this area for an hour or so and did manage to put a few suicidal bugeyes in the box but it was SLOW fishing.  I decided to pick up and run to the southern grounds about 10 miles away to see if I could fine some haddock that would be more cooperative.

Got down south and the same story...plenty of marks but no bite.  I pulled the plug and headed to a cod fleet on the other side of the bank which  I could see on my radar.  We came onto  a great cod bite of SHORT fish.  We watched other boats catch and release hundreds of short cod and we did the same for 30 minutes.  I do no like sticking small fish so I headed back  north to finish the day on the northern edge hoping to put few more  fish in the box. 

On our last stop Bob nailed a doubler header of haddock but that was the only ones that would oblige,  so we stowed the rods and headed home at 1430 on a slow cruise as I filleted cod and a dozen haddock for the guys.  Flat calm seas all the way home as the wind never came..imagine that an incorrect forecast again...but I like this kind of mistake.

On the dock at 1601, Ed and the guys loaded 120 lbs of cod fillet and 10 lbs of haddock into their cooler.  It was a great day Fishing with this guys and a Decent day catching.  We made plans for future charters and the gang headed west for their long drive home. 

The haddock are still here and I attribute the lack of bite today to the screaming tide we encountered all day.  Speaking with other Captains confirmed the haddock never bit anywhere on Stellwagen Sunday...you cant make them bite and that was case today.

Ed has a favorite saying that is spoken through out the day on all his trips..."You Gotta Hook Em to Cook Em" and never truer words were spoken.  I am sure the frying pans will be running hot in Connecticut the next few days however as these guys sure know how to HOOK EM!

Tight Lines

Capt George