RIP Cod Fishing

Fishscale

Fishscale

Angler
Here’s a memorable pic from January 2011 which was the last year I can remember reading fishing reports about head boats out of Montauk blowing the 3 horns by 9am with full limits. This pic captures rush hour and it’s finest and the race to the cod grounds with heavy boat traffic dangerously positioning themselves as close as possible (well maybe not the closest but you get the drift) to eachother for the sacrifice of positition and filling an easy boat limit

Cod fishing has been non existent to me since then or at least not successfull enough to chase a report even if there is a reported boat limit.

I have not fished over the winter in the past 4-5 years because the time, energy and preparation for a long trip for very little results is just not appealing to me nowadays

Agree or nah??
 

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I tend to agree with you, Fishscale, up to a point. I too don't make as many winter Cod trips as I did years ago. Age, lack of fish, cost have all contributed to less enthusiasm on my own part.
Still, there are never any guarantees in fishing for any species; one thing is for sure, it's hard to catch them from the couch! There is no doubt that in recent years much of the Montauk fleet has curtailed the majority of their winter fishing efforts. This past December the Montauk boats were treated to something most of us have not seen in over 40 years, a resurgence of Haddock. Seeing this I managed to jump on the Blue Fin with Capt. Potts the Thursday before Christmas. True to form he put us on a decent catch of both Haddock and Cod. Yet, as a sign of the times, that was also his last trip of the season which was never the case in years gone by.

On the other side of the coin is the fact that with less pressure on the remaining fish you should be able to make a decent score form time to time. For example watch the reports from Capt. Joe Tangel on the King Cod who fishes wrecks and other pieces that don't see many other boats. He often does well when the weather cooperates throughout the winter.

I vividly remember the chaotic scene you described in you post at I also participated in many of those trips. If you remember, the Codfishing was so incredible those couple of years off of Block that boats from as far away as NJ and MA were making the incredibly long steam there to cash in. Despite catching a huge number of fish, I really only enjoyed the 6 pack charter trips I was on. The one trip I made on a Party Boat was insane with "wall to wall" anglers and nightmarish tangles.
 
Looking back there was just something special about that 2009-2011 epic cod run that made us all strap on the boots to get in on the action. As you mentioned a trip on the bluefin or kingcod would be more ideal nowadays for me considering other species will be targeted to fill a tote. Not that it can’t be done on a local Montauk party boat but i haven’t had my finger on the pulse during past winter seasons to confirm. I’m hoping the winter king makes a big return someday and I’ll be motivated to fish Block Island, and Coxes Ledge again
 
Hi Mr. K,
I am with you bro kxx. Been a while since u , Rocko, Cany and our other Noreast bros were together on the CQ with Capt Paul Risi in the wheel house during that epic season of 2011. It was silly fishing and like GEICO says, even a googan could take a limit of cod on many of those trips. Fast forward to this Jan, Feb and March 2019 and I made 5 trips for cod. I know how hard a Captain of a party boat or charter boat will work to put his fares on the fish.I will not mention these hard working and successful Captains by name that I sailed with because it's not their fault the cod fishing for whatever reason collapsed in first quarter of 2019. My catches of cod 2019 were easy to remember:

first week January, central south shore party boat -me/0 cod, boat had 2 keepers
2nd week January, western south shore party boat-me/ 2 market cod, 1 short( boat had 8 keepers)
last week january, western south shore party boat- me/ 1 short ( boat had 4 keepers)
February- took a break like the Viking fleet
Mid March - Western South Shore party boat-me/o cod, (boat had 2 keepers)
Mid March- 6 pack from Suffolk County specializing in East End Deep Water Wrecks 10 1/2 hour trip and not another boat in sight for 40 miles. me -3 market cod ( Boat 14 keepers to 8 lbs, for 7 guys)
So I averaged 1 keeper per trip this year. I will keep trying . but not until end of this year. I am starting to enjoy C& R for trout;)
 
I forgot to mention that the conditions for the 6 pack last week were seas 2 foot or less, we were off the moon and wind was from the west 5-10 I think .
we never anchored. Captain worked his butt off power drifting when needed the entire day.
 
Wow, John, I have to give you a big "A" for effort, but it is disappointing when you look at the actual results. Although it was not a killer trip at least you put some meat on the table on the last trip and that Capt. has had some better trips over this past winter. Still, I cannot deny that your observations are exactly why most of the Montauk fleet as well as other capable winter craft have given up on winter Cod. Nowadays I usually muster up enough energy to try to get out twice but that's it.

What really saddens me is that I no longer make and Cod trips on my own boat. For many years in the late 70's through around 2005 I used to launch early, try to cash in on the spring run off the SW Ledge or Hooter Buoy and then make the Coxes run at least 2-3 times each summer. The spring fish SW of Block were beautiful red, some almost orange in color living amongst the red kelp found there. Coxes, in it's heyday produced not only quantity but also many fish in the 20-30# class!

The very last Cod Charter I ran on my boat was in August of 2012 the fish were still present in good numbers on Coxes although the average size had fallen off a bit. Still the guys aboard enjoyed a solid bite for over 4 hours and I must have spent at least the last 2 hours of the trip filleting fish! The biggest shame is that Cod is also one of my all time favorites on the table.

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You have excellent memory John, that was a memorable trip on the CQ I still remember Capt Paul whacking clams like baseballs with the wooden spike. I’m happy to hear you’ve been out and active at the rail. You certainly have your finger on the pulse. Let’s do some fishing this year I am arranging a charter for 5/19 on the Gypsy for fluke if you can make it
 
I do not give up easily. Very persistent. May make one last cod trip this coming Sunday. Settle for some tasty ling but they are probably 40 miles offshore at least. Fresh cod fillets number one for my table. Now, if I could catch a winter flounder or 2, cod would be number 1A;)
 
Fishscale said:
You have excellent memory John, that was a memorable trip on the CQ I still remember Capt Paul whacking clams like baseballs with the wooden spike. I’m happy to hear you’ve been out and active at the rail. You certainly have your finger on the pulse. Let’s do some fishing this year I am arranging a charter for 5/19 on the Gypsy for fluke if you can make it
Click to expand...
I can make it. :)(y)
 
I do not give up easily, but waving the white flag until December for cod fishing trips this year. Hopped on a western central south shore party boat today for cod/ling for cod trip number 6. Broken record time. 24 fishermen with lots of desire, optimism and just lights out conditions including westerly winds, seas 2 feet , 4 days off the moon ,sunshine and warm. I was happy for my friend on my left ( 81 years young) Leslie had a nice market cod. My other friend Dom on my right had 2 green market cod and the pool
 

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