Conference wahoo::fishing

    Hi,
        I have good luck Jigging for cod when I cast that 12 to 16oz
    and drag the bottom, and then jig about 3' off bottom for about 
    5 min and try again. This seems to work good to for large pollock
    
    P.S boat is anchored...           Mike
    

    Where about do you fish? I don't like to anchor since I usually
    fish 80-120 ft of water and pulling an anchor up from that depth
    is not my idea of fun, also I like the idea of covering more bottom
    when I drift fish. Florescent orange teasers are killers for steaker
    pollock.
    
    
    bruce

Jigger Joe Amato and I made a trip out around the Isle of Shoals and
    cleaned up on Cod. Took home about 22 from 3-8 lbs a piece. Throw
    in some macks, a cusk and other assorted bottom dwellers and it
    was a hell of a day. Couldn't beat the weather for end of oct!
    
    Capt. Codfish

    Have you tried the mouth of the Merrimack? On an incoming tide you
    can clean house if you drift from the buoy at the mouth in to the
    beginning of the jetty on the Plum Island side.

    Guy (without a boating buddy)
    

    Well...Capt. Codfsih and Capt. Joe set a new opening day record
    for cod in 1988. We played hooky on friday and it was worth every
    minute. We put the "Sweet Dream" at danvers and within an hour the
    first fish of '88 was in the barrel. About a 4lb cod (also the
    first ever on the "sweet stik". Total for the day was 18 keepers
    from 3-7lbs and one Blue Back Herring Joe is keeping for tuna bait.
    Also had a couple of throw backs. Weather was a good as it could
    be for April 1st, Wind NE 5-15, sea's less that 2ft all day. A little
    drizzle at 2:00 but by then we were cleaning fish. I got first
    first fish and Joe nailed largest. The one bad thing was the number
    of gill nets. Every set of numbers I came up on had a least 2 gill
    nets within 100 yrds of the bottom I wanted to fish. If these
    guys did not have their gear there the inshore outlook would be
    great, but with that many nets the fish don't stand a chance.
    
    Bruce 
                           

	I went to a bottom fishing seminar last night put on by the Saco 
Bay Tackle Co. It was very informative and covered everything from what
to wear through how to care for the fish. As usual I managed to pick up
something new in the process. 
	One thing is they had a custom rod with a Penn 40GLS reel on it. 
(Ref our discussion in note 409) I hefted it and boy was it nice. A lot 
lighter than the standard 4/0 and lever drag too. I know what I am going
to ask Santa for this year.
	Another thing I picked up on was they recommended Dacron line with
about a 5' mono leader. (Ref our dicussion in note 625) They claim that
the mono will stretch up to 2' if you have 200' over the side.
	Someone in the audience brought up using downriggers for bottom fishing
and it was mentioned that that might be a good way to use light tackle on
bottom fish. I myself wouldn't try it unless I was anchored so I could be
sure that the ball stays in the right location with repect to the bottom.
	One of the Captains who spoke at the seminar brought up what the 
draggers are doing to the bottom at such places as Jeffries, Tantas etc.
He said that he feels that they do much more damage to the fishery than 
gill netters. Apparently they remove vegetation and actually change the
topography down there.
	Another speaker talked about Winter Cod fishing. He goes out all
year round. Now that is dedication. He claims he gets over a hundred pounds 
per trip.
	All in all it was a good way to spend an evening. I've gone to 
three of these seminars so far and two out of three were good - this one
and one on shark fishing. One recent one on Tuna fishing missed the boat 
(pun intended). It covered big bucks sport boat fishing and missed the 
audience all together. There are more coming up. Next month will cover 
blue fishing and the last one in June will cover off shore fishing. Saco
isn't too far up the coast so it may be within reach of some of you (I
travel about 1.5 hrs south to get there). If anybody want to know more 
about the upcoming seminars send me mail.
Paul

    Hi all,
    
      With the arrival of my new boat I'm ready to start off the fishing
    season! This time of year is usually devoted to Jigging for Cod. Now the
    delema, any of you folks have any pointers to where I can pickup some
    new Jigs without taking out another loan! ! Better yet would be a
    pointer to where I could purchase a mold to make my own Jigs, or if you
    have any ideas for making jigs without a mold please fill me in. I live in
    Marlboro Mass but will travel to find some good deals. Any help will
    be greatly appriciated 
    
    Thanks for the help,
    Mike
    

    Best price on jigs I've found is NE Fishing Gear, Newington NH.
    I haven't been up there yet this year, but a 9 oz. stainless jig
    was $4.25 last year. I think they had from 1 oz to 24 oz. jigs.
    I also think you get a break on price if you buy a box.
    
    Steve

    
    	Zyla's in Merrimack, N.H. had 17 oz. lead cod jigs for $5 each last 
    year (regular price). Not sure if they're the same this year.
    
    	RAYJ
    	

    Re.9
    
    Yes they are the same price of $5 each this year. I have just bought
    some to replace some lost a couple of weeks ago.
    
    David.
    

    Can someone give me directions to N.E. Fishing Gear...the more I
    hear about this place, the more I think I should pay them a visit.
    I thought they were located in Portsmouth NH. however I recall a
    noter saying they were located in Newington NH. I lost one of the
    few Norwegian jigs I own this past weekend. I hear this place has
    reasonable prices for all kinds of tackle.
    
    /MArk

    Now remember this is New Hampshire and you can't get there from
    here...
    
    I95 North to NH/Maine. Take the Portsmouth traffic circle exit.
    Go around the circle to you see RT 4 North to Newington, Spaulding
    Turnpike. On this long on-ramp it will be a right, I think the road
    is between or near a car dealership. NE Fishing is out back on a
    hill, you can see it from the ramp. There are other ways, let me
    know if you need more info. Bring lots of money.
    
    Steve

    Thanks for the directions Steve. ...This is probably one of those
    places where you talk yourself into buying all kinds of tackle on
    impulse. I remember an old friends philosophy, "When in doubt, BUY!".
    
     /MArk

    Well its not really a tackle store, they have some. Its a commercial
    fishing store. Big boat supplies, gloves, knives, chain, rope, nets
    fiberglass cloth, resin, the list goes on.
    
    Steve

re:	<<< Note 505.7 by CADSYS::BROPHY >>>
	-< Sources for Cod jigs?? >-

>>    Better yet would be a
>>    pointer to where I could purchase a mold to make my own Jigs, or if you
>>    have any ideas for making jigs without a mold please fill me in. 
    
Hi Mike,

I found a source for jig molds. The sizes range from 1 ounce to 26 ounces. The
prices of the molds range from $22.50 to $36.50. One type per mold, some of the
types are:

	1) Norwegian
	2) diamond
	3) teardrop
	4) slab
	5) bent sand eel
	6) hammered
	7) bucktails
	8) squid

They also carry the brass eyelets needed for the hooks. $1.50-2.75/100 
depending upon size.

It took me 6 or 7 weeks just to get the price flyer, so who knows how long
it would take to get the actual item. The jigs are made of hardened rubber
and are said to be good for at least one hundred jigs.

	GD Industries
	PO Box 54
	Somerset, MA 02726


	Steve

    Hi Steve,
    
      I'll drop them a line for the cat.  I did manage to make about 30
    or so norwegian (sp) jigs approx 10 oz size this winter. They work
    great! I used plater of paris to make some molds. After a lot of
    expierimenting and broken molds I think I now have the process down
    pretty good so I can get about 20 jigs/mold before the mold is shot
    If anyone has any good ideas on cheaply chroming these suckers please let
    me know. For now I spray painted them with car chrome paint. It works
    ok but a couple of them are allready in need of another coat of paint. 
    
    Mike
    
    Steve, I'm heading out again Saturday. weather is supposed to be great
    I'll give you a call on the radio about 11 or so to see how your doing.
    
    

    Glad to hear G D Industries is alive. I sent for a catalog quite a while
    ago and haven't heard from them yet.