Sat Report & The Update...

After our last outing, I spent some time in the logbook looking at past seasons to try to dial this trip in for Cod but it just wasn't meant to be. This year is dramatically different with ocean temps still in the high 50's (58.5 Deg. F / Coxes) and perhaps the biggest influx of Black Seabass I have ever witnessed in my life. Saturday's plan was very basic and simple, hit the ledge and fish the time proven drops working SW to SE and finish at the Mountain (typically for Seabass and few Cod here and there). The logs have show this to typically be the last and often best time to grab a "steaka" or two from the ledge before the fish start to push into the SE Corner of Block for their annual winter migration. If anything, yesterday taught me one thing about this season...put the logbook on the shelf and leave it there. This season is different than all the rest and the strategy for a successful Cod outing is going to have to be different than seasons past. So basically, yesterday was another all out Seabass slaughter with only a few small Cod thrown into the mix. Fished 25 of my best drops and although I was getting good readings on the scope, the Cod were no match for the overly-aggressive Seabass...as soon as the jigs hit the bottom it was an instant hook-up. Spent most of the day jigging but we did try some bait and that was immediately covered-up by the dogs who were out in force as well. Overall, a great day of mixed-bag fishing, an abundance of just about everything imaginable - except for the "Winter King".

So with that being said, I am going to be spending some time working on a different strategy for our next Cod trip which "might" be the Fri or Sat after Thanksgiving depending on how much FC Bob bugs me to go...he already started on me this morning nice and early. Personally, I think the water temps really have to get down to the low, low 50's before things really start to improve, however, I will keep working at it to see if I come-up with a better game plan during this Seabass invasion. If we do get a trip in during the Thanksgiving weekend, it will have to be advertised as a "Mixed Bag" trip...otherwise I would be a bullshit artist. I will certainly be targeting Cod, but I cannot alter the ecosystem and what is going out on the grounds with these warm water temps right now...everything seems to be delayed a month or so and we are just going to have to deal with it....more to come midweek, standby.

Capt.