Tuna and cod on three trips on the Black Rose!
Capt. Rich Antonino
September 26, 2008
Stellwagen Bank - Saltwater Fishing Report
Sunday, September 21
Well, a run+gun tuna trip right in the middle of a tuna tournament!!! We weren't competing, but it was fun hearing the talk on the radio. We started with a great group of guys right off the bat. I knew it would be fun fishing regardless of what we saw, hooked, or caught. I made the promise to myself to do less running and more gunning--that is, to be patient and fish instead of running all over the world looking for that perfect situation to be there. If you stay in a good area, perhaps it's just a matter of timing.
Well, fishing the SW corner for a few hours without any luck...We saw nothing on the surface, but we put ourselves around birds and bait with an occasional good mark. Nothing but bluefish and dogfish and cut-off lines (bluefish). And lots and lots of boats. I decided to head south to Peaked Hill Bar/Race Point. It was deserted. Not a good sign. But there were lots of terns. Lots and lots. That's a good sign. We marked some good marks here and there, then kept moving around, seeing whaless, basking sharks, ocean sunfish. And the weather got better and better. Perfect, in fact. By the way, I've been fighting a crazy cold for a week+ and have been in bed by 7:00 each night, thus the lack of fishing reports. I think I whooped it finally. I digress.
We saw some more bird action a bit away in deeper wate (150') and saw shearwaters....Bingo! My birds. Tuna signs from above. First time we got there two tangles and a snared bird out of four lines. The fish moved on. The second time, on the second cast, Dominic hooked up big time! (Shibuki Lipless stickbait, BTW) Big, big fish. Giant in fact. 300-400 pounds and not stoppable. But we tried. And tried. And tried. The first hour was spent shagging down 400 yard runs, getting line back on the reel at any cost. The second hour was spent shagging down 200 yard runs. After three hours, we had the fish to the surface a couple of times, but not close enough to the boat to do anything. The runs were down to 50 yards. Now we're 6 miles to the east and in 350' of water. "Look at that shark following us!" A customer said. Big, big mako. It sounded, saw the tuna and the rest is history. That tuna took off like nobody's business and took almost all of the line before snapping us off. Sick feeling. Deflated is the best way to describe it. 18-22 pounds of drag for 3+ hours and nothing but sore arms. No one ever even offered to give Dom a break. Not that he would have accepted. Right guy for the job. Amazing battle. Next time.
The tuna will be in until November and I have room in October. Or you could fish for stripers, blues, or....cod/haddock!!! They're biting with wild abandon right now. Capt. Rich Antonino, 508-269-1882
Monday, September 22
Boy was the weather man wrong today!!! Yep, we were out 35 miles in a NE 15-20 with 6-8' seas. No fun for the guy driving the boat today!!! Or for the sea sick customer on a shared charter!!! Ouch. But...the fish hit better than on any trip I have ever run. It was amazing. I mean, one customer was fishing with her husband on her first cod trip ever. He hadn't fished for cod in 25 years. We hammered them. Every drop for the better part of 4 hours. Amazing day. Biggest fish was almost 20 pounds and bait or jig--they both worked great today.
It's fall fishing and the weather is an issue from time to time. Bummer about the weather and conditions, but the fishing was perfect and the people made me smile all day. I couldn't keep up with the fillets!!! See you out there this Fall---call for available October dates. 508-269-1882, Capt. Rich Antonino
Wednesday, September 24
No shark today, bummer. I think that the last week's temp drop may have moved the sharks out of the haunts that have been so good to me lately. But...the bottom fishing was amazing once again. It was great to hit the same spot in the morning and fill buckets with fillets, then have the time to head east to shoot for something much, much larger. But....not to be. That's fishing!! Great day, calmer seas, though a little swell. Nasty weather coming up, but hopefully everyone realizes that it's the fall and weather can be a bummer. But...I have time in October to do some serious fishing.... Give us a shout and we'll take you out! Capt. Rich Antonino, 508-269-1882, Black Rose Fishing Charters
Stellwagen Bank Fishing Forecast:
tuna!!! Cod and haddock should be great all October. And don't forget about Stripers!
Target Species:
bluefin tuna, cod, haddock
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