04-03-2001, 10:52 PM
STELLWAGEN BANK, MA- Cod Fishing 4/3/01<br><br>On Sunday, 4/1, five of B-FAST’s vessels, JANET B, DECISIVE, ALLIA, SASHAMY, and HACKER dodged between to Nor’east gales to fish the bank’s shoal-water for the first time since Thursday. Gale force winds on Friday and Saturday necessitated cancellations. Sunday’s forecast was marginal at best—NE winds with seas building to 3-6 feet in the afternoon. Nevertheless, two groups of New Yorkers-- Mike Zakas of Center Port and Rich Hutter of Syosset-- and three groups from Massachusetts—Scott Winchester of Auburn, Dana Norris of Melrose and Dan Chesley of Mashpee-- braved the cold wind and snow squalls. The impact of the bottom churning exposed clams on the bank’s shoals, which the codfish took quick advantage of. Even though the cod were grubbing on the bottom on these clams, the fish aggressively took jigs and teasers, prior to the passage of the next low on Monday. Most of the cod and pollock were in the 6 to 15 pound class. Mike Johnson, one of the hardy angler’s fishing the DECISIVE with Mike Zakas’s group from Center Port, NY, called to thank me for the best cod fishing he has ever experienced. Long drifts over broken bottom was the rule. By noon, many of the anglers, not down with Mal de Mer, were throwing back keepers. <br><br>Monday’s trips were postponed due to high winds and seas. Fred Gemski and friend from West Milford, NJ headed up a “Split-Charter” on the JANET B on Tuesday, with Joe Vitiello and friend from Nanuet, NY and Bob Steinman and friend from Farmingdale, NY filling out the charter. Split-charters enable groups smaller than six to fish together on a charter. B-FAST specializes in arranging these groups. At mid-day when I called Capt. Tom and Joe on the JANET B, all the boxes were full and only High-liner Bob Steinman was left standing on the back deck hauling in doubles. Easy, shoal-water jigging was the ticket for cod from 6-15 pounds with a few Pollock mixed in. It appears that we have an open weather window for the next few days.<br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com<br><br><br><br><br>Capt. Mike Bartlett<br>B-Fast Charters<br>www.bfastcharters.com