Conference wahoo::fishing-v2

    
    
    Hi John,
    
         I have never really heard of anyone catching COD from shore.
    I dont think the water is deep enough or cold enough. The only 
    place that ever made suggestion to catching COD from shore,
    was when I was down the Cape in Feb. and they said try live bait
    at the mouth of the Canal.
    
          Stripers and blues are always alot of fun! But that is later
    in the season.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Wildman

    	Cod can be caught in the surf during the winter, in fact they're
    caught as incidental catch while Striper fishing the outer Cape Cod 
    beaches in early November.  I believe they also get some from Plum
    Island and February should be a good time for either location.  I'm
    more familiar with the Cape, but I'd start by calling the bait shop
    closest to the spot that you plan to fish.  I'm sure someone in here
    can suggest one on Plum Island and for the Cape I'd recommend calling
    Goose Hummock in Orleans.
    	Good luck and dress WARM!
    					B.C.

    Although I have never done it, there are a lot of surf fishing for cod
    on Plum Island.  This time of year they come right into the surf.  Most
    guys fish at night, but they do catch them during the day.  Call
    Surfland and ask them how the fishing is.
    I have heard that cod are a different fish inclost to shore.  The put
    up a good fight and even hit plugs and bucktails in the surf.
    
    You have to go before the water warms up, I would guess before the end
    of March.
    
    Gordon

There is COD off the serf on Plum Island even it your not trying to catch them.
I've never fished for COD from the serf but was staying at a cottage on
the Island some time ago. (don't ask) My son was with me and wanted to do some
surf fishing at night even though we were normally fishing for Blue's & Stripers from
boats during the day.  I took my 7-1/2' SouthWick Rod with a Penn 704
and some leftover SeaWorms.  I figured we either would catch nothing or
some small schoolie's.  We casted it out there and let it sink in the surf.
After some time doin this it was getting late and we were having an early
start so he reeled her in and  low and behold a small COD was on it.
It was about a 2# but to my son it was fantastic.  Later I talked to
Ray & Kay Moulton owners of Surfland Bait & Tackle on Plum Island and they
say you can get COD off the surf if you want to battle the chill winds and
wet spray.  But there's COD to be had off the surf on Plum Island as long
as it's "COLD"....Both in and out of the water.

Also on another occasion we were anchord right off the North Jetty 
The Salisbury Beach side of the Merrimack River mouth "GAULENT".
We fished for COD there some time ago and eventually caught over 100 
small COD 2#-10#.  This was well within casting distance of the North Jetty
but may have been a tad far to try for this from the shore?

Now you have me wanting to get the boat out soon!!!
The "FishTeaser" is all ready and so am I.....
-< Tuna Tail >-

      One of the BEST places to fish for cod from the shore on Plum Island
    is right on the jetty at the mouth of the Merrimack. The cod come in
    there in droves in the winter and there are a lot of very big ones
    caught there. It's a COOOOOOOLLLLLLD kind of fishing, but if you dress
    for it you can put a lot of chowder fish in the freezer in short order
    on a good day...... That area is fairly deep right offshore due to the
    river channel, so a half-decent surf rod can put your bait in some
    pretty deep water. This area used to be a great striper location too..
    
    JM

 Is the fishing best on high or low tide?

    I'd bet it's best on an *incoming* tide.

    
    Isn't there a minimum length on cod ?
    
    Been a lo - oong time since I've been out for them.
    
    Fred

    I believe that the size for cod is 19"
    
    The mouth of the Merrimac is about 12-15' at low tide in the channel
    and it changes constantly due to sand movements.
    
    I think that both the incomming and outgoing tides would be good. 
    There is a lot of bait moving during the tides.  If you fish the rip
    that shouldbe good since there is always a lot of bait caught in it.
    
    Good luck
    
    Gordon
    
    

      Re last few.. I agree that it's good most all the time in the mouth
    of the Merrimack....the river brings a constant supply of all sorts of
    interesting feed material into the sea here, and it almost seems like
    the fish congregate there waiting for it. There can be some decent
    fluke and flounder fishing in that spot as well..
    
    JM

    Not to throw water on anyones enthusiasm but how long has it been
    since anyone has actually caught cod in the surf at plum island
    (or else where)? What I am poking at is not that you can't but that
    the fact the inshore fishery for Cod gets worse every year, I am sure
    once you could catch many cod in the surf. When I was a kid you
    could catch 3-10 lb cod off the pier as castle island in boston harbor.
    I doubt you can today and its not because of the pollution....
    
    Tim and I went "surf" fishing for cod one night last Jan off the
    pier at Salem willows. We got zilch but there were 2 cod racks
    that were only a day old on the pier.
    
    Bruce

    I have had some good luck catching cod right off the surf at Plum
    Island. but not for the last 4 years. We would go out in early March
    and always caught plenty. We used regular bottom rigs with
    seaworms. The cod weren't very big (2-5 pounds) but there was always 
    plenty for a couple of meals. We would go right off the beach during
    the incoming tide. The jetty by Surfcasters Galley was a pretty good
    place. Lately it has been real slooooooww.
    
    					Big Jack

Bruce, I had no idea you were that young; they've been catching cod at 
Castle Island within the past ten years. I haven't been  down there in a 
looooong time, but it used to be good. I read reports all the time about 
people catching cod in the surf from Plum Island, but never had the desire 
to go -- too cold for me.

leo

If you take a risk and walk out on the North Jetty you'll surely be
where all the action is.

Of course that includes TIDE action.
A lot of the rocks are under water at High Tides.
If you get caught out there on a rock above the tide mark you still may
get splashed from the TIDE action.

But the fishing out there is the best.
A long walk but if you plan the TIDE accordingly you'll get something.

At the extreme end of the Jetty you'll have over 350 degrees of H2O to use.
Dress Warm

-< Tuna Tail >-

      Re Boston Harbor:
    
      
      About 20 years ago...1973-73...(Darn!! Didn't realize it was that 
    long ago until I thought about it...), I had the lucky opportunity to
    run into one of the Security Guards from the Boston Naval yard right
    near the power plant in So. Boston, and he and I used to go into the
    Navy base and fish for flounder. We'd park our cars next to the
    permanent drydock and just drop a 2-hook spreader into the drydock
    itself....he always knew when it was empty and when the outer doors
    were wide open, which would allow about 20' of water into the entire
    dock. Since this area was about half the size of a football field, and
    protected from the winds and current in the harbor proper, the flounder
    used to congregate in the dock. In fact, I think they may have been in
    there in layers. By the time your sinker would hit the bottom of the
    dock, you'd invariably feel the bite....and 9 times out of 10 you'd
    have a fish on each hook!! I can distinctly remember using 4 seaworms
    total and catching more big flounder than I really needed. Between the
    2 of us, in less than a half hour one Saturday morning we landed over
    100 fish!! Not only was this the best action I ever had, but these were
    big fish...average we'd keep was well over 1.5 feet!! We'd simply toss
    the little ones back except for one now and then that we'd throw to the
    Seagulls... But that was 20 years ago....before Deer Island became a
    sewer-valve into the waters of the harbor. Then the only thing you'd
    see floating arond would be the normal debris....not raw sewage.
    
     Too bad....Boston Harbor WAS a great fishery!! Hope it can be again
    someday...
    
    John McD

    
    Yup...I used to fish off the Northern Ave bridge and catch flounder
    by the dozen. We also use to catch mackeral off what is now
    called fan pier.
    
    Oh well....maybe if we get our act together my kids will be able to
    do this.
    
    Bruce

	I grew up in Boston and used to fish Castle Island, the "sugarbowl"
	down the street, and Moon Island all the time.  Flounder were
	everywhere.  This was probably around the same time previous
	notes listed (late 60's/early 70's).   Even as a 10 or 12 year old 
	kid I was catching flounder left and right!  I don't remember much 
	other than an _occasional_ cod, never by me.   Mackeral would show 
	up too.

	Ken

    
    you guys bring back some memories. we used to rent those wooden
    skiffs at Howes (sp/?) neck and so forth. they used to do a landslide
    business. the current mess there has certainly hurt them, i would
    imagine. but your right on, we certainly got enough fish.
    
    i remember cod and pollock as well.
    
    maybe some day it will come back....
    
    JIm.

    re: last three
    
    Help the Divers' Environmental Survey, and it you may very well see it
    all coming back sooner.
    
    John H-C

    Does anyone know where to get bait such as seaworms and clams this time
    of year in the Plum Island area????? I just talked to surfland;s and
    the only thing Kay has is frozen bait.. I want to go Saturday nite but
    I can't find any bait. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
    If I manage to find some bait I will put the results in here on Monday.
     
    
                                                    Mike

Even though I've never done this type of fishing, I have an opinion. But, 
you know what they say about them....

I would suspect that frozen clam baits would work just fine. I would also 
suspect that they would hit tin squids, like the Swedish Pimple. In fact, I 
would try that first. But then, I don't care for bait fishing.

[opinions are like a..holes.... everyone has one and they all stink, except 
your own]

leo

The only place I've been able to get bait in the winter is at Old Timer's on
Planter Street in Salem.  Call them (508-744-5742) and as for Noel.  He will
usually go digging for them if you are willing to buy enough (1/2 flat minimum)

Tim