Reel Class Wednesday 8/21 Ling & Cod

[Reel Class]

Had Russ, Kathy, Fred, Phil, and Bob F onboard today for our special deepwater wreck trip (finally got it in!!)

Ran out east to start on a wreck 30 miles from our inlet, to find a dive boat setting up on the piece Capt was lucky enough to let us get a pass on the piece I wanted to hit since he was just getting in - good thing we didn't settle in because all we had there were bergall bites.

Ran to the north to another wreck in 240' - a good amount of ling came up. Moved to another piece about a mile further away in a tad shallower, even more ling of mixed sizes from little hot dogs to nice 3-4#ers.

Then hit a wreck in 140' (very high profile wreck) and again had bergalls. Hit another rockpile in about 115' and had, you guessed it, more bergalls. Finally found some cod on another pile with debris which has been very good to us in years past, and pulled 3 cod off of it, one being a "NJ" keeper of 21.5" but not a federal keeper by Kathy. Fred also pulled the biggest sea raven off this piece I've ever seen at 4# 4oz.

We then hit another wreck further north for a few ling, and finally settled in on another wreck in 220' up further in the hole and pulled even more ling off of it, and for the first time in 6 years, I lost an anchor to a wreck and a net that was basically wound into the wreck

Wound up with a box full of ling, and the sea raven. The crew was great, they all went home with nice bags of meat. Back for more fun later this week after a day off tomorrow!

Almost forgot -- Sidebars to today (there were several):

1. We were boarded, 24 miles from out inlet, by the NY DEC checking our fish and documentation. The guys were beyond nice, and spent some time chit-chatting with us about their boat and what the hell they were doing in our area. We even donated a ling to their cause because the one officer was a trainer for recruits for fish ID purposes.

2. While we were on the hook ling fishing at the last piece, we had a 12' hammerhead circling the boat. No pics

3. WMB Fred is on the warpath killing big fish --- his lol 4# + sea raven was a beast. A doormat fluke is next for Fred!