Conference wahoo::fishing

    WHERE IS 101 HILL
    

    its about 5nm se of half way rock, look on the 13888 line.
    
    Capt. Codfish

Well, FyshByte got out Sunday (4/14) for the first trip of the year. We
launched at Hampton Harbor (as usual).

I can tell you where the codfish WEREN'T on Sunday: Hampton Shoal;
Hampton Ledges; anywhere along a line from three miles straight out to
the Merrimac #2 buoy. 

I burned many feet of X16 paper and never saw more than a stray. I
checked all the regular structure, plus some hang points I got from a
dragger captain. Nada. 

There were some small whales about two miles off the Merrimac buoy. Well,
we saw the fins a few times, and a couple of spouts, so I figured they
were whales.

The seawater temp is still extremely cold; I checked it a couple of
times, saw 40 to 42 or so. At one point I stepped on the edge of my
livewell lid at just the wrong time, just as a swell pushed lots of water
in, while backing down to retrieve a hung-up cod jig. The lid jumped off
the livewell and my leg went into the livewell, up to the knee in the
freezing stuff. I don't think it was "Mary Had a Little Lamb" that I said.

The air was crystal clear, beautiful blue sky, the wind was blowing
steady, seas were 3'-4'... a mixture of joy (just to be out) and
discomfort (six freezing hands, one freezing leg). We were using jigs. We
fished up to and through high tide and caught nothing. I still figure I
came out ahead, just because I GOT OUT!

Art

Bruce, myself and Mike Cinnamon combined for 19 pollock and 63 cod this Sat,
4/13 out on Stellwagon.  Some decent size pollock to 8 lbs (Mike) and a couple 
of cod in the 7-9lb range.  I caught two pollock and 1 cod on the same drop.
One batch of cod we laid into were not too long, but sure were chunky.

Tim,
aka Lucky

    I went out on the Yankee spirit 4/8/91 and the action was SLOW. Caught
    6 cod but only 2 were keepers.. I'm always looking to tag along with
    someone that has an open spot..

    Stellwagon is hot. Me and two friend fished the northeast edge and
    kept 110 cod and 20 pollock, tossed back another 60 or so. About
    160lbs in fillets. No macks yet :-), but they are due soon.
    
    I heard sat was good also and a slow down on sunday.
    
    Capt. Codfish.

	The mackerel seem to be comming in on the south side of Cape Cod.
Sunday 2 boats came back to the marina with 200 lb and 60 lb.  They said 
the Mac's were in Vineyard Sound between Quick's Hole and Devels Bridge.
The first boat returned bu 7:30 or 8:00 AM.  When we got out there at 1:00 PM
there were a couple of indications on the fish finder, but no fish in the
boat.  Oh well, over the nexe week or two it will be time to lay in some 
Tuna Bait.

	Rick

    Went out of Plum Island for some cod, and what a day between 2 people
    we caught at least 65 cod only keep 40 and 1 nice size haddock. The
    winnner of the pool was a 25lb cod. I'd say that the back of the boat
    did the best but they kept a lot of little ones, as in quality we 
    did alot better. If you plan to go this year do it soon its starting to 
    slow down. I heard saturday and sunday there were not to many fish 
    caught. By the way forget the live bait jig you will caught more.
    
    Dan
    

    The blues have arrived in a big way on stellwagon. Caught about 20
    sunday (kept only 4). They are still pretty deep, finally made
    use of my down riggers.
    
    This also explains the disapearing act of the cod and macks.
    
    Bruce

	 Friday five of us went out on the Captains Lady II out of
	Plum Island. We should have known we were in for a bad day 
	when they told us that we couldn't leave on time because the 
	boat was still resting on the bottom. After about an hour we
	were able to leave. The day consisted of mostly traveling from
	one spot to another and catching dog fish. There were a few cod
	caught but no giants. The pool was won with a 10lber. I don't 
	blame this bad day to the crew but rather to the rough weather this
	past week. I have gone out with these people before and had great 
	luck. I guess timing is everything. We did hear talk about blues
	but didn't see anything. We spent most of the day around the Jefferies.


	JK

	P.S. Dan how did you do on Sunday???

               	Wow, what a difference a little distance can make.
    I too went out Friday on a boat I chartered out of Hampton.
    Everyone caught fish and I won the pool with about a 40lber.
    One of the best days I've had in a long time.  I'm already
    planning another trip....
    
                      Bob

    We didn't go out bad weather.
    
    Skip for Dan
    

    Went out last Friday on my boat out of Newburyport.  Trolled Plum
    island nothing didn't mark anything on the recorder.  Then from Ipswich
    river ran out to Halibut point.  arrived only one other boat and blues
    5-10 lb breaking all over the place.The wife and I got 5 trolling in
    about 1/2 hour on rapalla magnums.  Lost a few more athe the boat.  and
    catch & release after we had enough for the lobsta traps on light
    spinning tackle.
    
    The wind was blowing from the NW for the past couple days and I think
    there was a lot of bait pushed up against that shore.  The fishfinder
    was marking fish everywhere from 5-50 ft.
    
    Had a slow start but finished great.
    
    Gordon
    

    I have heard that the bottom fishing cod,haddock, etc. has been real
    spotty for the past couple weeks.  Heard blues are everywhere all the
    way up to the saco river in maine and stellwagon bank.  Have also heard
    rumors of tuna, a lot of the tuna boats are already rigged and ready to
    go.
    
    Looks like things are 2-3 weeks early this year.
    
    Gordon
    

Went out last monday out of Salisbury/Clipper Fleet for the all day deep sea
trip and picked up 5 cod and a cusk, all around 4-6 lbs.   Pretty slow day,
but caught enough for 5 meals for the family which made me happy enuf.

The captain avoided the usual spots on Jeffries due to the dogfish, which
were bad but I've seen much worse.    We'd get to a rocky spot that looked
like it would hold fish, a couple cod/cusk/wolfs would be pulled up, and
then the dogfish would arrive and we'd leave.  They seemed to follow the 
boat around...   I caught no dogs, using a jig most of the time and otherwise
leaving the bait on the bottom.

According to the captain, the dogs will be around for another couple of weeks
and then they leave.  Is this true ?  

Ken (who is dying to go tuna fishing someday)

    Did anybody go out over the 4th weekend for cod or since it seems we
    are running about 3 weeks ahead of schedual for blues is it even worth
    going for Cod anymore until the fall?? July 4th that is..
    
    

    About two and a half weeks ago my girls brother bought in a 108
    pound Halibut, and last week brought in 60 pound cod. You should
    see the picture of the 108 pound halibut.
    Well the big ones are still out there.
    
    See Ya later
    
    Dan