What a storm we had here on this past Thursday night.  All rain at the house but winds topped 60 mph in gusts even though I am 20 miles inland.  Reports from Jeffreys Ledge around 2200 had a gust near 70knts, sustained winds at 50 knts and waves 28.5'.  The Isle of Shoals recorded a wind gust in excess of 100 MPH!.

On Friday I took ride to Gloucester to check on my boat.  The devastion along Rt 133 was amazing.  Huge trees snapped off at mid trunk and others just completely torn from the ground.  Most towns were without power and some areas could remain that way for many days.

The good news is the Lady Diane came through it all without a scratch and so did all the other boats at Cape Ann Marina.  This was a great relief to all of us as the season is fast approaching and storm damage is not something we need to worry about right now.

The commercial rod & reel guys continue to have GREAT fishing on the bank.  I spoke with a fellow charter captain from Green Harbor who had gone offshore to do some commercial long lining.  They had a terrible trip (weather turned bad and they had to turn around) but on the way in from offshore they stopped on Stellwagen and dropped a couple jigs for fun.  All 15lb+ cod on every drop which they had to release.  He remarked that in over 40 years of fishing the bank he has never seen so many cod stack in such a large area.  April 16th cannot come soon enough!

Charters are being booked every day...thanks to all my previous customers and the new fisherman that have already booked trips.  I still have a couple openings during the week of April 19th.  This is my vacation week from school and is the only time I can fish during the week until late June.  In May I have only a couple Sundays open but Memorial Day weekend (Sat & Sun) is still available.  Memorial Day weekend is usually slow to book as so many people have travel plans so as an incentive if you call and want to book BOTH days I will give you a special deal!  Be sure to mention this offer when you call as it will only appear in this report!

Ground fishing is great throughout the season but spring time  is your chance to catch these fish in shallow water which means a lot less work.  I know some guys like to have some fun using light tackle so I will be sure to bring along some lighter rods and jigs as these water depths allow you to use this tackle and be very effective.  As always, I am here to give you the type of fishing and service that will make your trip a memorable one.  I take pride in the catch rate my boat has enjoyed during past seasons and the good times that were had by both my guests and myself.

Tight Lines,

Capt George