Green Harbor MA Captain’s Log

There is nothing quite like the sound of a Bluefin tuna pealing line off the reel. That sound triggers such an adrenalin rush it is hard to describe but it is nothing short of awesome. Grab your fighting belt and it’s game on. The Bluefin Tuna in the photo below was caught June 20, 2008 on Stellwagen Bank. It measured 56 inches and we estimated the weight around 100lbs. This fish dumped 300+ yards of line (23lbs of drag) in about 45 seconds. Over the next 30 minutes I battled that fish with using a Shimano TLD50 IILRSA reel. Just when I thought I had the upper hand the fish saw the boat and peeled another 150yards of line. With my knees against the stern and the rod bent nearly into the water the fish went straight down. More work still … eventually the fish is alone side the boat, line man (Tim) leads him along side while gaff man (Howard) lands a perfect shot. Celebratory high fives all around when that fish hits the deck.

Mass Bay Fishing Update!
It’s been a while since my last entry here…
mostly because I’ve been busy fishing.
Where to start…I have no more room in the freezer for mackerel
The macs are starting to thin out now in and around Cape Cod Bay. Schools of pogies (menhaden shad) are around now. If I can do as well with the menhaden I’ll be needing another freezer. Schoolies bass have been easy to come by but the big ones are around too. The lobster traps are producing nicely. I’ve been lucky enough find many hardshell 2.5-4 lb lobsters in the traps now on several occasions. The best news of all is that the Blue Fin Tuna are back. I hope to be lucky enough to get one on the deck soon. Can you say sashimi? I’ll be heading to the the bank several times in the next week in search of my first tuna. There be some photos here if I’m successful. For now these fathers day bass will have to do.

You know things are beginning to heat up when the mackerel have arrived in Cape Cod Bay, because when the bait fish show up, everything else soon follows. There are many schools of mackerel in and around Cape Cod Bay now and I’m headed out soon to load up on bait. Jigging a Sabiki rig can produce as many as six mackerel at a time and as fast as you unhook the first six you’ll can catch the next six . If you can stay on top of them this process will continue until you get bored or tired.

I missed the mackerel rush last year and as a result I purchase a lot of bait throughout the 07 season. In contrast in May of 2006 I caught more macs than I could store and they lasted most of the 06 fishing season.

I’m hoping 2008 is going to be a full bait cooler kind of year. Bring on the bait!