STELLWAGEN BANK,MA- Cod Fishing 4/13/03
B-Fast’s JANET B, DECISIVE and HACKER were finally able to get back out the bank today, after over a week of high winds and seas. Two groups from New Jersey chanced a somewhat iffy forecast and found, for once, better than forecast sea conditions. The split-charter of Mike Szraga of So. Amboy, Ed Cumerford of Morris Plains and Mark Haskoor of Pompton Lakes, NJ were into cod in the shoal-water most of the day on the JANET B. Bait out-fished the jigs, for mostly scrod-sized cod. The shoals produced about as many throwbacks as keepers coming over the rails.
Repeat clients, Bill Jarmolinski’s group from Bayonne, NJ , fished both the shoals and the deepwater to the east, finding slightly larger cod in the deepwater and fewer throwbacks. David Webster’s group from Bolton, MA had similar results on the HACKER. Most of the cod were on the small side with a few from the deepwater in the 10-12 pound class.
It looks like will be able to get out most of next week due to a chance in the weather pattern—wind shifting to the Southwest. It may even get to the 70’s on Wednesday.
Water temps are still very low for April—upper 30’s.
Capt. Mike Bartlett
B-Fast Charters