By Steve Zelck
So it’s now December and football season is in full swing. I’m not just talking about the ass kicking the Patriots handed Peyton Manning and the Broncos; I mean actual footballs. For the first time in three or four years, large numbers of football tuna have made an appearance on Stellwagon bank. Fish from the 50 to 200 pound range are being taken on top wear/gear, as well as the old reliable sluggo. When the weather window allows and the wind has slacked off, guys from Gloucester all the way to the cape have managed to sneak over and do quite well with multiple hook ups, lands, misses and losses, but that’s what makes the little guys so fun! Not to mention, they are fabulous on the grill. If you get the chance on a nice day, go out there. If these fish show early enough next year, it may save the local charter industry if they continue to restrict the cod and haddock fishery. As far as the other action, I’m not hearing much – stripers and bluefish have gone south but there are still plenty of mackerel around, which is what’s keeping the tuna happy. And although there’s been a great showing of little guys, there are still plenty of giants around. Again, it’s all about having the weather window to get out.
Now an update on the closures and restrictions for next year: apparently NOAA and the rest of the bunny huggers have decided they would like to close all of Stellwagon Bank and most of Jeffreys to charter and commercial fishing or any sort. They won’t even allow whale watches in the waters. Anglers, this can’t happen. There are several meetings scheduled across the state and our voices need to beheard. If this goes through it would kill charter fishing in this state. Please attend the meetings voice your concerns.
That’s about all I have for Intel. The season is winding down and I myself am more focused on killing deer at this point than catching fish. As one last side note, I will mention that I was lobstering on the Jean Elizabeth the other day and we decided to bring in a load of 40 traps since it’s the end of the season. We were within ó a mile of Gloucester Harbor and exactly 12 of our 40 traps had at least one hefty 25 inch or bigger codfish inside. All were released, of course, but it makes me wonder, if we can catch that many in a lobster trap, how many are actually down there? Perhaps the researchers and bunny huggers are looking in the wrong place.
FORECAST BY: Steve Zelck was born and raised in Gloucester. Steve’s love of the sea lured him back to pursue his fishing passion and not a day goes by without him checking the pulse of the harbor for action. If you don’t find Steve at Three Lantern Marine, you can bet he’s out working on the F/V Jean Elizabeth hauling traps or hunting bluefin on the F/V Eagles Nest.
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