Stellwagen Open Boat Recommendations - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

UglyStick · #1 02-25-2016, 09:26 AM

Can anyone provide a first hand recommendation for a good charter up in the Stellwagen Bank area that runs open boat dates?

Primarily interested in school tuna and/or cod for this particular trip.

I spoke with BigFish Charters out of Marshfield Mass. and they seem decent but I would like some first hand intel.

Thanks in advance

PAMonger · #2 02-25-2016, 10:45 AM

There are 3 MA boats who are sponsors of this site. If you go under "charter boats", you'll find them at the bottom under out of state charters. I've seen very good reports posted from members who visited them. Beyond that, I don't think we can recommend anyone on an open thread here. Have you checked with those 3 first?

UglyStick · #3 02-25-2016, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the suggestion, I didn't realize any MA boats were sponsors. Unfortunately 2 of the 3 are more inshore and not what I'm really quite looking for and the third's prices are WAY higher than their competition. All 3 mention open boat but don't really give any details so I'd have to make some calls.

Seriously though... I am 100% in favor of supporting site sponsors and use them in NJ almost exclusively but if it's still frowned upon to mention / suggest non-sponsors in other states that's pretty ridiculous.

Any other suggestions? PM me if necessary - Again, thanks

CaptBob · #4 02-25-2016, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UglyStick

Thanks for the suggestion, I didn't realize any MA boats were sponsors. Unfortunately 2 of the 3 are more inshore and not what I'm really quite looking for and the third's prices are WAY higher than their competition. All 3 mention open boat but don't really give any details so I'd have to make some calls.

Seriously though... I am 100% in favor of supporting site sponsors and use them in NJ almost exclusively but if it's still frowned upon to mention / suggest non-sponsors in other states that's pretty ridiculous.

Any other suggestions? PM me if necessary - Again, thanks

While I can understand your craving for information and possible frustration, what is ridiculous is a sponsor paying good money to advertise (whether an instate boat or not) only to have others hawking a boat/business that is not paying.

Try to put yourself in the business/Captains shoes for a moment.

bulletbob · #5 02-25-2016, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptBob

While I can understand your craving for information and possible frustration, what is ridiculous is a sponsor paying good money to advertise (whether an instate boat or not) only to have others hawking a boat/business that is not paying.

Try to put yourself in the business/Captains shoes for a moment.

Thats doesn't really make sense.. I see recommendations on this board for charter boats as far away as Puerto Rico, Florida, California, Alaska, and up and down the entire eastern seaboard from anglers that have fished for them.. Those boats certainly were not sponsors... I suppose Mass. boats might be considered "local", but really that pushing it a bit far.. If we should only patronize sponsors, we should post NO recommendations here for anyone that doesn't advertise here..That would include every coastal state.....

Taxman · #6 02-26-2016, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Thats doesn't really make sense.. I see recommendations on this board for charter boats as far away as Puerto Rico, Florida, California, Alaska, and up and down the entire eastern seaboard from anglers that have fished for them.. Those boats certainly were not sponsors... I suppose Mass. boats might be considered "local", but really that pushing it a bit far.. If we should only patronize sponsors, we should post NO recommendations here for anyone that doesn't advertise here..That would include every coastal state.....

It has always been if the site has sponsors in the local being asked about, non-sponsor information should not be posted. The site has a pm option if you really want to plug a non-sponsor

UglyStick · #7 02-25-2016, 01:02 PM

Exactly, its supposed to be ADVERTISING, not exclusion... sites such as NJfishing are supposed to be a forum for open discussion and sharing on a topic, in this case salt water fishing, among it's members.

Now if NJfIshing itself (i.e. the "website") was to be openly recommending businesses other than it's sponsors, that is where I would see a conflict of interest. Individual contributors who's views do not necessarily represent those of the website owners/managers should not be frowned upon.

Gerry - no disrespect here, this is merely my opinion on the topic and in this case, I'm even limiting it to out of state vendors.

Mako333 · #8 02-25-2016, 01:33 PM

It's sad that a lot of guys rely on a computer to create business in today's day what happened to the day when you got business from your reputation and why we are on the topic what is the difference between your boat and a discount boat that is real low advertising

Flukemeister1 · #9 02-25-2016, 06:00 PM

Hey U.S.,

I have been fishing up that way since the mid 90's.
I have sailed with the Relentless, great captain and crew. I have also sailed with Dave and Sandro on the Tuna.com. He is the best at what he does. Not sure if he runs open boat for tuna and cod is shut down up that way.

I have also had the absolute displeasure of sailing with the Bigfish Two with Tom DePersia.
I am going to be a gentleman and calmly describe how I feel about the experience. I will tell you he was late getting to the boat and late leaving because he was not even close to being ready. He then had to stop several times on the way out because he had a new stuffings box that had to be adjusted. His son "the mate" had to be told on several occasions to stop fishing and shuck clams. So there we stood waiting for bait. At one point in the day I hooked a Halibut and the little punk got all smart with me with his tone and demanded as to how I knew it was a Halibut. When the line snapped I looked at the line and it had been on there forever. Had to rig it up myself because he only had six rods on the boat. Finally about 1:30 we start putting some fish in the boat, it had been very slow up to then, the captain announces we are leaving so we can be back at 3. I had set up the trip, met him at the sportsmen's show in Harrisburg, so I started to complain about leaving an hour late and wasting an hour on the way out working on the boat. He says I better not let his wife hear me talking like that or he would be getting divorced. He then fired up the boat and went home. Would never waste my time or money on him again. In fact, if you said you would pay my fare, I would respectfully decline. Oh and the pictures he has are all from the sixties and seventies. Good luck and I hope you catch big.

Doc

Blackfish Doug · #10 02-25-2016, 08:07 PM

Try Eastman's & they are sponsors plus they are great fisherman & will put you on the meat. I know all of the Mass sponsor boats are great as well but you do get what you pay for. If the charters are out of your price range Eastman's may fit your budget. Eastman's also does limited load trips where the boat is limited to the amount of fisherman they take give them a try if the charters don't work out for you.