Bunny Clark Fishing Update
Written & Edited by Tim Tower
September 7, 2010, 3:15 AM EDT
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Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 64°F, the sky was clear, the wind was light out of the south southwest, the ocean was calm and the visibility was excellent. We had light southerly or south southwesterly winds on the ride to the fishing grounds. Seas were chops of a foot or more. As the day progressed the wind kept hauling clockwise until, on the ride home, winds were out of the west southwest at ten knots (more or less) with seas in chops of a foot or two. The sky was clear on the ride out but started to cloud over around noon. We had a light shower just before it was time to head home. This didn't last but two minutes. The air temperature was perfect and the visibility was very good. The highest surface water temperature I observed on the fishing grounds was 67.7°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 81°F (with a low of 63°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 87°F (with a low of 68°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 86°F (with a low of 59°F) today.The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were, by far, cod. Legal landings also included twenty-six cusk, sixteen pollock, five haddock, two redfish, a cunner and four dogfish that were released. We drift fished and anchored. Bait was by far the best - even better than flies.
Phil Woznuk (NJ) was high hook with between twelve and fifteen legal. His largest fish was a cod just shy of 10 pounds. Bryan Lewer (FL) was second hook with eleven keepers. Bryan had the best double keeper catch of the day. His catch included a 10 pound pollock and an 8 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Don Austin (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 17 pound pollock. The second largest fish was a 13.5 pound pollock caught by Halley A. H. Tower (ME). I just happened to have the camera ready when she landed her fish. So I took a shot of her holding her prize. The picture appears on the left. When Halley was nine years old she captured the IGFA world record pollock in the "Small Fry" (under 11 years old) division with a 12 pounder. She still holds the record today - although she is no longer a small fry - as you might be able to tell from the digital image. Tyler Wright (IRE) caught the third largest fish, a 13 pound cod.
Other Angler Highlights: Cassi Brooks (ME), an avid cyclist herself (she has a Trek - great choice!), caught an 11.5 pound pollock. I believe this is the largest pollock she has ever caught. Christian Harrison (ME) caught a 10.5 pound cod, his best fish of the trip. David Pass (ME) caught an 11 pound pollock. Rhys Harrison (ME) boated a 12 pound cod. Mike Peloso (NH) landed an 11 pound pollock. Joe Belanger (NH) caught a cod of 10.25 pounds. Mandy Bisson (ME) landed the hard luck award for being our high hurler of the day. She was the first to pop and drop. And, although she didn't have much color in her face, when I handed her the award, she smiled! Always a good trip on the Bunny Clark?
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind hauled back out of south southwest and blew about five knots for most of the evening. On the ride home it piped up to ten knots or a little more. Seas ranged from one to two feet in a chop swell mix. The tide ran up into the wind all night. So, on anchor, the fishing lines ran forward. The sky was hazy clear and the visibility was probably fifteen miles or so. The air temperature was perfect.
The fishing was fair or maybe a little better than that overall. Almost all the fish were on the smaller than normal scale but we did have a good mix of species. Legal landings included four cod, one haddock, three redfish, four cusk, five white hake and seven dogfish (released unharmed). There were also a couple sub-legal pollock that were released. We anchored for every stop. Bait and flies caught the most fish.
We had three anglers who had two legal fish each. So no one really stood out in the high hook arena. Mike Cohn (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8 pound cusk. The second largest fish was a 6.5 pound cod caught by Chad Hoffart (NY). Deb Longto (NY) boated the third largest fish, a 6 pound cod.
Other Angler Highlights: David Walther (VA) caught the first legal fish of the evening, a 5.5 pound cusk. George Stark (NY) caught a 5 pound cod and a 2.5 pound haddock. Russell Stark (NY) boated a 5 pound cod. Larry Streeter (NY) landed a 5 pound white hake. Tom Pulsifer (ME), no relation to Jolly John in Saco, caught a 5 pound cusk. Bob Clohosey (FL), long time Bunny Clark angler, caught a 5 pound white hake. Clair Fallis (NY) landed the hard luck award for being the highest of hurlers. She didn't want the award; she just wanted to "get home"!
Don Austin donated $35.00, Bob Cary (MA) in an "egift" donated $100.00 and Wes DeSousa (NH) donated $20.00 to help me with my cancer fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thanks very much for the kindness and support in this venture. I really appreciate it.
The fishing was good overall. The reverse happened from what we did yesterday. In other words, they caught the same number of pollock that we caught cod yesterday. So the pollock was, by far, their most prevalent species. Legal landings also included twelve cod, nine haddock, six cusk, two wolffish (released) and not a single dogfish. They anchored for every stop. Flies caught the most fish.
Zach Freitas (MA) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with ten legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 17.5 pound cod. Zach's largest pollock weighed 12.5 pounds, the third largest fish of the trip. Brett Abbey (NY) caught the second largest fish, a 14.5 pound wolffish. This ties for the fifth largest wolffish of the Bunny Clark fishing season to date.
Other Angler Highlights: Bob Mease (NY) caught an 11 pound pollock. Lee Harris (NY) caught a pollock of 10.5 pounds. Ian had to invent a new category for the hard luck award: losing all your money overboard! It wasn't good day (financially) to be Mike Richards (NY)!
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at ten knots. Seas were chops of one foot over rolling southwest sea swells of two to three feet. The sky was mostly clear, the air temperature was warm but not too warm and the visibility was very good.
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cod. Legal landings also included one haddock, five cusk, three white hake and approximately thirty-five dogfish that were released - alive. They anchored for every stop. All terminal gear worked well.
Bryan Lewer (FL) was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with four legal and he caught the three largest fish of the trip. He would have had an "ace" (the three largest fish) but Tim Golden (NY) caught a 6 pound cod that was equal in weight to Bryan's third largest fish making Bryan's triple a "false ace" instead. Bryan's three largest fish included a 7.5 pound cusk, a 7.25 pound cusk and a 6 pound cod. Tim Golden won the boat pool for the largest fish with the third largest fish, the cod I just mentioned. Bryan was not entered in the boat pool.
Other Angler Highlights: Steve Thompson (VA) boated a 3.5 pound white hake. Lisa Thompson (IN) caught a 5 pound cod and a 5.25 pound cod. Connor Cunningham (VA) landed the largest hake at 4 pounds. Jeff Thompson (VA) caught a 4 pound cod. Craig Carlos (NH) caught a cod of 5.25 pounds. Adam Klier (MA) won the hard luck award in yet another unknown category. Adam lost the boat pool fish on the surface before he could get it near enough to gaff. I have no idea what kind of fish it was.
I was very fortunate in receiving quite a few great donations today sponsoring my bicycle ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge (I leave for Boston on Friday morning - yikes, is it that time already?). These donations include: $25.00 from Steve Guilmet (MA), $250.00 from Richie & Barbara Jeffers (MA), $250.00 from Bob Foley & family and $100.00 from Ken & Carolyn Erikson (ME). Thank you all so very much for your support and help. Collectively, this is a very sizable donation and will go a long way in helping others, some of whom I will see along the road cheering me on as I ride the 192 stretch from Sturbridge to P-town! Hell, one look at me and I would be wondering if the old guy was going to make it! At any rate, these donations put my fund raising total past $16,000.00 to date, the largest total I have ever acquired at this time of year. Thanks again - and many thanks to all the previous donors who got me here! Fact is, I can't thank you enough.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 76°F, the sky was clear, the wind was blowing out of the southwest at ten knots and the visibility was good in some haze. On the fishing grounds, it was thick of fog. At times they had as much as a quarter of a mile to a half of a mile visibility. Other times there wasn't much visibility at all. The wind blew out of the south southwest at five to ten knots over rolling sea swells of two feet. The air temperature was good, bordering on a little too warm. The sky was mostly overcast. The surface water temperature on the fishing grounds reached a high of 66.0°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 80°F (with a low of 68°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 90°F (with a low of 75°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 84°F (with a low of 65°F) today. The fishing was good overall, no better or worse than that. There were many more fish there than did bite today. Ian told me it was a sluggish bite. Most legal fish landed were pollock. Legal landings also included eight cod, one haddock, one redfish, four cusk, six white hake and about forty-six pain in the neck dogfish. They drift fished for the trip. Flies caught the most fish.
Ian couldn't tell me whom was high hook. George Roberts (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 27 pound Maine state trophy pollock. This is the Bunny Clark's first trophy pollock of the fishing season, the largest pollock of the season to date and the largest pollock that George has ever caught. Ian took a picture of George with his prize. The picture appears left. George also caught a 12.5 pound pollock. The second largest fish was a 14.5 pound pollock caught by Tucker Altomer (NY). Carmen Daniane (NY) caught the third largest fish, a 13 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Steve Moore (VT) caught an 11 pound pollock. Ryan Worthen (VT) caught the first decent double keeper catch. His catch included a 7 pound pollock and an 11 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Jim Renardson (MA) boated a pollock of 11.5 pounds, his best fish. Tom Wayne (NS) caught a 12.5 pound pollock. Daniel Fryda (ME) landed the best double keeper catch of the day. His catch included a 12 pound pollock and a 7.5 pound pollock. Bob Milne (CO) landed the hard luck award for normal reasons: he was sea sick.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. We had but two drops of rain all day but five minutes before the boat was to leave the dock it started in earnest. There was some thunder and lightning with very little wind. It was basically a rain event. And the rain continued on into the trip. Actually, the first hour of fishing was in the rain, the thunder and the lightning. Undaunted, they stayed and were treated by no rain for the last hour of fishing. The sun came out two minutes after Ian called the trip. The air temperature was perfect and, most of the evening had fog until the last half mile before getting to the gate at Perkins Cove.
The fishing was fair. Legal landings included one cod, one white hake and three cusk. They anchored for the trip.
Matt Cote (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, the third Maine state trophy cusk caught on as many evening trips this year. We didn't have as many trophy cusk on the marathon trips this year! The cusk weighed 16.5 pounds which puts it around the sixth largest of the Bunny Clark fishing season to date. Ian took a picture of this handsome man and animal. The shot appears on the right. The second largest fish was a 7.5 pound cusk caught by Shannon Pierce (NJ). Eleven year old Olivia Houle (MA) caught the third largest fish, a 6.5 pound cusk.
Other Angler Highlights: Ten year old Jarred Beroneau (MA) boated the largest cod at 5 pounds. Rabia Bajwa (MA) caught the only hake. It weighed 4 pounds. Emily Bell (FL) landed the hard luck award for getting soaked to the bone and for landing not a single fish. Hey, Cap, are there any fish in this ocean?
Jim Renardson donated $20.00, Leslie Goulet (ME) donated $200.00 (sadly, her father and husband died from cancer but she still continues to fight by helping me to help the DFCI), Rick & Sue Towne (NH) donated $100.00, Jessica Hammond (MA) donated $100.00 and my darling daughter, Halley Tower, donated $100.00 to help sponsor my ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge today, a ride to find a cure for cancer. Thank you all so very much. I really appreciate it!
The fishing was very good overall. The trip was planned as a limited time trip and they ended up going home early with more fish than they anticipated getting - always a good thing! Most legal fish landed were pollock. Legal landings also included four cod, two haddock, one cusk and a few dogfish. They anchored for every stop. Flies caught the most fish.
Tom Visconsi (OH) was the fisherman of the day. He tied for high hook with David Chittock (OH) and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 14 pound cod. David's largest fish was a 9 pound pollock. Tony Visconsi (OH) caught the second largest fish, a 12 pound pollock. The third largest fish was a 9.5 pound cusk caught by Ben Bold (OH). T. W. Gross (OH) landed the hard luck award for being the only one without a fish! That actually takes more talent than one would expect - when there are that many fish around!
Captain Ian Keniston and brother Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west northwest at five to ten knots with seas in chops of about a foot. The sky was sunny and clear, the air temperature was perfect and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were white hake (all small). Legal landings also included four cod, four cusk, a redfish and a few dogfish. They anchored for every stop.
Jason Marmor (CO) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 6.5 pound cusk. The second largest fish was a 6 pound cod caught by David Caswell (NY). There was a tie for the third largest fish. Stephanie Lafountain (NY) caught a 5.5 pound cod and Alexandra Pinsonnault (QC) also caught a 5.5 pound cod. Stephanie caught her cod as part of a double keeper catch with a 1 pound redfish, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Devon Koczur (MA) landed the hard luck award for getting the most tangled lines.
PMC Update: At 9:30 AM, Hez (Paul Haseltine - my riding mate and best friend) and I headed to Boston with our bikes to start the first leg of a most wonderful event called the Pan-Mass Challenge. In Boston, we loaded our bikes into a tractor trailer headed to the Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and then, ourselves, got into a bus headed for the same place. We met my nephew, Bryant Mitchell, on the bus (part of our "team"). Once there, the three of us found our bikes, registered for the event and went to dinner.
When I go this event, it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I average about five hours of sleep at night in the summer. So to come to a place where my mind and body knows that I won't be required to work saps the life right out of me. At 5:30 PM, I was so tired I could hardly get back to the hotel room to get to sleep. I had planned to get to bed at 6:00 PM anyway. The rest of the crew was out meeting up with riding friends we have met doing this for the last four years. I decided to take the cot and place it closest to the end of the room so, when the rest of the guys came to sleep, there would be less of a chance of being woken up. I got ready for bed, sat on the cot and fell on the floor as the cot collapsed underneath me. Great. Obviously, I should have made sure the legs were right before I got in. On my hands and knees, I adjusted the legs, got in again and promptly fell to the floor again as the cot collapsed once more. What am I doing wrong? This isn't rocket science! On my knees again, I figured I had found the solution, straightened the legs and decided to pull the sheets back far enough so I would be setting in the middle of the cot before stretching out. I sat down again. Not only did the cot collapse but I rolled backward off the cot and hit my head on the verigated edge of a floor lamp and split my head open! With blood running down my forehead and dripping off my nose I went to the mirror to assess the damages. Not good. Or it seemed that way at first. My only thought was that I was tired and now I might have to get medical help to stitch up a head wound. As it turns out, the cut wasn't as bad as first anticipated. I really couldn't see the wound; it was too far up on my head. But I could feel it and I stopped the bleeding after twenty minutes of holding a towel on my head. I had a band aid and some antifungal cream, which I applied first, and went to bed on a mattress I had taken out of the cot and placed on the floor. I was woken up once to be told that I still had my glasses on ("And where did all this blood come from?"). I don't even remember getting into bed!
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 76°F, the sky was clear, the wind was blowing out of the southwest at ten knots and the visibility was good in some haze. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west southwest at five knots with seas in chops of a foot or less. The air temperature was perfect, the sky clear and the visibility was excellent. The surface water temperature on the fishing grounds reached a high of 66.1°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 76°F (with a low of 47°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 81°F (with a low of 62°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 78°F (with a low of 45°F) today. The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cod and cusk, in that order. Legal landings also included eight haddock, one pollock, four wolffish (released) and a few dogfish. They anchored for every stop. Jigs and bait caught the most fish.
Ike Bunce (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 29.5 pound Maine state trophy cod. This is the largest fish that he has ever caught. Ian took a nice picture of Ike with his prize. The picture appears on the left. The second largest fish was a 28.5 pound Maine state trophy cod caught by Craig Bunce (PA). This is Craig's largest fish too! A picture of Craig and his trophy appears in an Ian Keniston shot on the right. The third largest fish was a 16.5 pound wolffish caught by Mike Mazzarella (MA). This ties the Bunny Clark's largest wolffish of the season to date. Ian ended up giving the hard luck award to Mike citing yet another category (I don't know if I'm going to remember them all!). Mike had wanted to catch a wolffish for thirty-five years so he could try one to eat. He finally catches one but had to let it go because of the new Federal regulation prohibiting the retention of wolffish!
Other Angler Highlights: Patrick Morris (NY) caught the first fish that Ian could weigh, a 10.5 pound cod. Thomas Engelhart (NH) landed a 19.5 pound cod. Brad Stevens (ME) boated a 13.5 pound wolffish. Eight year old Jack Karwowski (NH) caught a 15 pound cod.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots with seas in chops of a foot over two foot long rolling sea swells from the south. The air temperature was perfect, the sky was clear and the visibility was awesome.
The fishing (or I should say "catching" of legal fish) was just fair. Landings included three cod - that was it. They anchored for every stop.
Sixteen year old Brian Walsh (NJ) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 6 pound cod. The second largest fish was a 5.5 pound cod caught by John McKelvy (VT). Brian Key (ME) caught the third largest fish, a 4.75 pound cod. Benjamin Rico (ME) landed the hard luck award for being the high hurler of the evening. Ouch!
Chuck MacDonald, the General Manager of Barnacle Billy's, Etc. restaurant, an avid cyclist and a good friend of mine donated $75.00 to my Pan-Mass Challenge in an "egift" while I was on the PMC ride today. Thanks so much, Chuck. Chuck actually got me into cycling years ago and is the main reason I had kept on with it to this day. In so doing, he has been one of the biggest gift givers to Jimmy Fund as I don't think I would have become so involved had I not been riding a bike at the time. So a special thanks!
PMC Update: Back in Sturbridge, I got up at 3:30 AM (the time I normally get up anyway) and woke everyone else. My head was sore but I wasn't going to take the band aid off now - it was still in the same place I had put it the night before. As we walked out the door to go to breakfast, I ran into Steve LaPlante, one of my best regular anglers I have come to know and love from Enfield, Connecticut. Since I have been doing the Pan-Mass Challenge, he has always met me at the door of the Hotel between 4:30 and 5:00 AM, there to see us off. He is taller than most and I always can see his head above all the rest. Today was no exception. In fact, I saw him first as he was looking through a sea of riders for me. He took the customary picture of my riding team. This picture appears below. From left to right: Hez, me and Bryant Mitchell.
I warmed up for about a mile and then started getting on it. I left Hez and Bryant (they had planned to do a slower ride together) and worked my way up the ranks until I could hook on to another rider. This eventually formed into a group of fifteen (more or less) that took us to the first water stop twenty-five miles away.
The first "water stop" seemed to come up much quicker than I remembered it. I'm not sure what town it's in but there was a fairly good sized sign that read: "Go Fish". I had been pre-warned that the Don & Lisa Johnson Family would be waiting with the sign. And it was a very nice feeling to see it as I approached. I stopped and talked with them and had a fellow rider take a picture of the four of us. This appears below. From left to right are "yours truly", Lisa Johnson, Don Johnson and Bethanie Johnson. They are big supporters of mine. And it was one of the best memories of the event for me. As I told Lisa, it made me feel like I was a celebrity. They waited for me during last year's event. At the time, I was hooked up with a very fast group up near the front and I felt really good and didn't stop. That won't happen again. Sometimes you get caught up in the moment and forget about the real reasons that brought you to this point. It took a bad crash that day to bring this point home.
The fishing was good to very good overall. Most legal fish landed were cod, by far. Legal landings also included twenty-five cusk, four white hake, fourteen haddock, six pollock and a few dogfish. They drift fished for the trip. Bait worked the best.
Bryan Lewer (FL) was high hook with sixteen legal. His largest fish was a pollock of about 10 pounds (which he released without weighing). He caught ten legal cod, five of which were released back to the ocean alive. Steve Balevre (NH) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 12.5 pound cod. The second largest fish was a cod of 12 pounds caught by Mike Amorelli (NH). Bryan Lewer probably had the third largest fish - the pollock. Albert Macias landed the hard luck award for not catching a single legal fish, the only angler in that situation.
Captain Tom Parker and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out southwest at about fifteen knots or more with seas in chops of more than three feet. It was choppy and breezy. The air temperature was perfect, the sky was clear and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was poor. Not a single keeper was landed on the boat this evening. This is another new record for the Bunny Clark: two trips this year without a single keeper. Ouch! I can feel it. They did catch a couple sub-legal cod. They anchored for every stop. Only a few dogfish were caught and released.
Tim Libby (NH) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a cod of (maybe) two pounds. Marie Josée (QC) landed the hard luck award for being the highest of quite a few hurlers on the boat this night. Oye!
One interesting thing happened, though. Bryan Lewer (FL) was also on this trip and had a small bluefin tuna jump out of the water after his jig, missing it by an inch at the most. The fish might have weighed 50 to 80 pounds. Rumor has it that Captain T was up on the bow with Bryan and gave Bryan's rod a jerk just before the tuna pounced! Now I don't believe this is true but if I were in the same situation I would be damned if an angler like Bryan was going to spoil my record by catching a legal fish!
Doug Maki donated $20.00 to help in my fund raising efforts for cancer with the Pan-Mass Challenge. Thank you very much, Doug. I appreciate your help. But, more, "they" really appreciate it.
The fishing was excellent, one of the best fishing trips of the summer. Most legal fish landed were pollock followed by cod. Legal landings also included twenty-eight haddock, fourteen cusk, one white hake, a sculpin and twenty-five dogfish (released). They drift fished and anchored. Jigs and flies caught the most fish by far.
Captain Ian couldn't tell me who was high hook. I believe it! Mark Veronesi (CT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15.5 pound cod. The second largest fish was a 15 pound pollock caught by Mike Wicks (NY). Mike also caught the best double keeper catch. His catch included a 10.5 pound pollock and an 11.5 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Jay Kennedy (VT) caught the third largest fish, a 14.75 pound cod.
Other Angler Highlights: Fran Velez, Jr. (CT) boated a 12.5 pound pollock, his best fish. Don Zimmerman (GA) landed a 13 pound cod. He gave up after a count of fifteen legal! Ken McLaughlin (ME) boated a 12.5 pound pollock as his largest fish. Steve LaPlante (CT), after seeing our riders off in the PMC at Sturbridge, Massachusetts, fished today as one of my best. His largest fish was a 14 pound pollock. Charlie Spence (VT) - the Charlie Spence - caught a 12.5 pound cod, the best of his fishes. Christian Genaselli (CT) got sea sick and won the hard luck award.
Rick & Tara "My Favorite Democrats" Rendon (MA) gave me a wonderful $250.00 to sponsor me in the Pan-Mass Challenge, a bicycle riding event to fund cancer research with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts. The event took place over the weekend (Hez and I made it unscathed) but the fiscal fund raising year doesn't end until December 31, 2010. So you all have plenty of time (if you were considering contributing - and I would highly suggest it!) to get your donation in. Thanks so much, Tara & Rick. I really do appreciate your help and support every year. Plus, I love seeing you in the restaurant! See you there - and I've got something to tell you. And, it's true, I've never been to Fenway.
That wonderful individual, Don "The Zimm" Zimmerman (GA) also donated to the cause, $25.00. Thanks, Zimm! You are a peach of a guy (a reference to your new found state). Seriously, thanks a lot. I appreciate the support you give me every year!
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 67°F, the sky was partly clear, it had been raining earlier, the wind was blowing out of the southwest at ten knots and the visibility was good. We had an easy ride to the fishing grounds. Five miles from our destination we started to see a left over chop swell of two feet or more from the south southwest. The wind, at the time, was light out of the southwest. On the grounds, this left over chop disappeared within an hour. Winds remained light out of the southwest or west with no more than five knots. The ocean remained calm throughout the day over a long sea swell of about three feet. The sky was almost cloudless and the visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles max. We went through some fog on the way out. The air temperature was a bit too warm. The highest surface water temperature I observed on the fishing grounds was 67.8°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 89°F (with a low of 65°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 84°F (with a low of 65°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 89°F (with a low of 68°F) today.The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were pollock. Legal landings also included twenty-two haddock, six cod, three redfish, twelve cusk, seven dogfish (released) and one blue shark (between 75 and 100 pounds) which was released back alive (wearing one piece of jewelry). We drift fished and anchored. Cod flies caught the most fish.
Mark Doody (CT) was probably high hook with eight legal. Mark's best fish were a 10 pound pollock and a pollock of 11 pounds. Bryan Lewer (FL) caught seven or eight legal. Bryan won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 22 pound cod. This is the largest cod I have seen in a few weeks. I took a picture of Bryan with his steaker. This picture appears on the left. The second largest fish was a 14 pound pollock caught by Patrick Kelley (CA). Sixteen year old Brian Walsh (NJ) caught the third largest fish, a 13 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Brian Tufts (VT) boated an 11 pound pollock, an 11.5 pound pollock and a 10.5 pound pollock, his three best. Tom Walsh (NJ) caught a 10.75 pound pollock, his largest fish. Zach Latimer (VT) caught the best double of the day. His catch included a 12 pound pollock and a 9.5 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time! Zach also caught another pollock of 12 pounds. Mike Guskey (CT) landed an 11 pound pollock, his biggest fish. Twelve year old Cameron Pratt (ME) caught a pollock of 11.25 pounds, his best fish. Rose Samelski (NY) landed a 10 pound pollock. Sallie Guskey (CT) probably caught the most haddock. I didn't get an exact count but I know she had at least five and probably more. Colin Abbott (ON) landed the hard luck award for losing a jig in the mouth of a blue shark after getting the fish back to the boat. I grabbed the jig and was trying to shake the jig out of the sharks mouth when it slipped out of my hand and broke off. Oh, well.
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind started the evening by blowing out of the southwest at ten knots, this mostly on the ride out. On the grounds, the wind quickly dropped to five knots and then calm just before the trip back in . We had a one foot chop at most in the beginning. It was a calm surface over a three foot long rolling sea swell out of the southeast on the ride home. The air temperature was a little too warm for long pants, oil skins and boots. The sky was mostly clear and the visibility was very good. The fishing was good overall. Legal landings included cod, mostly. Our other legal fish landed included seven pollock, one haddock, six cusk and about seven or eight dogfish (released). We anchored for three spots. Jigs and flies worked the best.
Fred Fredberger (CT) was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with four legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cusk. He also caught the second largest fish, a 9.5 pound pollock. His other two legal fish were an 8 pound cod and an 8 pound pollock. The third largest fish was a 9 pound pollock caught by Samantha Senecal (PA/NH).
Other Angler Highlights: Patty Durkel (NY) caught a 7.75 pound cusk and a 5.5 pound cod, her two keepers. Tom Franco (VA) caught a 6 pound cod, an 8.5 pound cod and a 6.5 pound cusk, his three best fish. Bryan Lewer (FL) landed three legal. His two biggest were an 8 pound pollock and a 5.5 pound cod. Kayla Cox (MA) released a 5 pound legal cod back to the ocean alive. Nolan Allen (ME) boated a 7 pound cod. Matt McLean (ME) caught the only haddock, a 4 pounder. His largest fish was a 6.5 pound cod. Michelle McLean (ME) landed the hard luck award for being the only person with a touch of the mal de mer.
Tom Walsh donated $20.00 and Sallie Guskey donated $20.00 to help me with my cancer fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thanks very much for the support. It makes a world of difference to those in need. And, I can tell you, it's making the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute the place to go. Thanks again!
Richard Fox (CA) donated $100.00 toward my involvement in the Pan-Mass Challenge via "egift" through the PMC website. Thanks so much, Dick. Even if I don't get have you on the boat, you still make my life a better place to be! Thanks again.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 66°F, the sky was cloudless, there was no wind and the visibility was excellent. Along the shore, there was no wind all morning. The ocean was flat calm. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the northeast at ten knots in the morning with seas in chops of one to two feet. After noon, the wind pooched and the ocean went calm. All day there remained a persistent two foot, long, rolling sea swell. The sky was almost cloudless all day, the air temperature was perfect and the visibility was excellent. The surface water temperature on the fishing grounds reached a high of 67.0°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 62°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 76°F (with a low of 65°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 88°F (with a low of 62°F) today. The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cusk. They caught cusk everywhere they went today. They even caught them in places that they never catch them. Legal landings also included nine cod, sixteen haddock, thirteen pollock, twelve redfish, one white hake, one monkfish, one sea raven and twenty dogfish (released alive). They drift fished for the trip. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Fred Fredberger (CT) was the star of the day as he was on the afternoon trip last night. But on today's trip, he took all the marbles. He was high hook with twelve legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 22.5 pound Maine state trophy monkfish. This is the Bunny Clark's largest monkfish of the fishing season to date. Captain Ian took a picture of Fred and his fish. It appears on the left. But, best of all, Fred took the "ace" by netting the three largest fish of the trip, the first time a customer has done so this year. His other two fish included a 17.5 pound pollock and a 13 pound pollock. The 13 pounder was caught as a double keeper catch that also included an 11 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time! So it was good to be Fred for two trips in a row. Makes one wonder how long he could keep the string of good luck going!
Other Angler Highlights: Eleven year old Ryan Wills (CT) caught a 12 pound pollock, his largest fish by far and the fifth largest fish of the day (both trips). Jake Chory (MA) caught a pollock of 12.5 pounds, the fourth largest fish of the trip. Emmanuel Dykeman (NY) landed the hard luck award for getting sea sick.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. There was no wind with a flat mirror calm ocean from the moment they left the Cove to head to the fishing grounds, on the fishing grounds and all the way back to Perkins Cove. A quiet night to say the least. The sky was mostly sunny (with some clouds), the air temperature was a little too warm and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was excellent too but the catching of legal fish was pretty slow, almost as slow as it gets. Only two legal fish were landed, both small white hake. They also caught quite a few sub-legal cod, seven sub-legal pollock (released) and fifteen dogfish (all released alive). Ian tried anchoring and drifting. It didn't make a difference.
Paul Dykeman (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 4.25 pound sub-legal cod. The second largest fish was a sub-legal cod of 4 pounds caught by Ben Harrison (ME). Roy Karlsen (ME) caught the third largest fish, a 3.75 pound sub-legal cod.
Other Angler Highlights: Harold Jensen (NY) caught a 3.5 pound white hake. Rossie Mayotte (VT) caught a white hake of 2.5 pounds. Ray Cole (ME) landed the hard luck award for getting the most tangled lines.
The fishing was fair to good, depending on your angling status with the fish. There is no question that there are a lot of fish around. But this is the time of year where the bite is off. And this is a normal year in the New England fishing scene, at least in Maine waters. Most legal fish landed were cusk. Legal landings also included twenty-one pollock, four cod, four haddock, one white hake, a sea raven and seven dogfish. They drift fished and anchored (the drift was quick even though there was no wind - a strong tidal current). Flies caught the most fish.
Thirteen year old Robert Abbott (ON) was probably high hook for the most legal fish with a count of ten total. Robert's largest fish was a 12.5 pound pollock, the second largest fish of the trip. Paul Dykeman (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound pollock. The third largest fish was an 11.5 pound pollock caught by Remington Walls (MD).
Other Angler Highlights: Steve Tomlinson (MA) caught a 10.5 pound pollock, his best fish. Chris Dow caught four legal. I mistook him for Fred Fredberger (CT) - in the dark under the canopy in the morning - who had fished with us on the two previous days. As such, I complemented him on his catch and went on and on, only to realize, when I was through, that it was Chris! If I'd had a third foot, I probably could have fit that into my mouth as well. Patrick Kelley (CA) landed the hard luck award for losing the biggest haddock of the day (This would have been his only fish) on the surface. Happy Birthday, Patrick & Brian Kelley!
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew from the east at ten knots with seas in chops of a foot over a sea swell of about two feet. The sky was partly cloudy, the visibility was excellent and the air temperature was mild (it seemed almost cool after all the exceptionally warm weather we have been having). Whatever the conditions, half the anglers on the boat were sea sick! Because of such, it was a very quiet boat for most of the trip. Very odd as it was fairly calm.
The fishing was good. Most fish caught were sub-legal cod and sub-legal pollock. Legal landings included six cusk and six cod. There were no dogfish. They anchored for three stops.
Steve Gwizdak (CT) and Luke Harrigan (MA) tied for high hook with three legal each. Steve's largest fish was a 6 pound cusk. His largest cod weighed 5 pounds. Luke caught a 5.5 pound cusk, a 5.25 pound cusk and a 5.5 pound cod. Dave Belanger (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8 pound cod. The second largest fish was a 6.75 pound cusk caught by Zach Gagnon (NH). Jen Devel (NY) caught the third largest fish, a 6.5 pound cusk.
Other Angler Highlights: Sean Gibbons (PA) was the high hurler and received the hard luck award for his efforts.
My son, Micah, and Brian Lewer (ME) took the Petrel to Boon Island to catch some striped bass in the morning. They reported seeing plenty of bait (mackerel & herring) and even jigged up a few. On the way out, Micah found a trap of mine that had been lost for three years and three miles from where I had lost it. Odd that I would travel so much over the ocean and never find this buoy and Micah takes the boat for a day and finds it in the first hour. Anyway, they ended up catching a couple of bluefish (one about 12 pounds) along the shore on the way back.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 57°F, the sky was clear, the wind was light out of the northeast (you could hear the bell buoy) and the visibility was good. There were hints of fog all morning but it wasn't until 7:30 AM that it came in and enshrouded the coast line like a blanket. It stayed foggy along the shore until sometime before noon. The visibility was good for the rest of the day. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the east at five knots or less all day. The surface was calm over two foot long rolling sea swells. The sky was sunny all day, the air temperature was warm and the visibility was very good. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 75°F (with a low of 56°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 73°F (with a low of 63°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 81°F (with a low of 55°F) today. The fishing was good to very good. Most legal fish landed were cod, by far. Legal landings also included three haddock, eighteen pollock, twenty-two cusk, two sea ravens and four dogfish. The drift fished for the trip. Jigs caught the most fish.
Brian Murphy (NH - www.fishtunes.net) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with fifteen legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 34.5 pound Maine state trophy cod! Yowza! Captain I took a picture of Brian "Francis Mandola" Murphy holding his fish. This digital image appears on the left. Some of Brian's other good fish included an 11.5 pound cod and a 13 pound pollock. The 13 pound pollock tied for the third largest fish of the trip. Kelly Harris, Sr. (ME) caught the second largest fish, a 15 pound cod. Kenny Lambert (NY) tied with Brian for third place with his own 13 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Dave Hutchins (ME) caught a cod of 11.5 pounds and another cod that was probably 10 pounds. Austin Allaire (MA) landed the hard luck award for undisclosed (to me) reasons.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew from the southeast but it was so light, it was as if there were no wind at all. The ocean remained flat calm. The sky was sunny, the air temperature was warm (perfect) and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was great for dogfish, our biggest dogfish slam of the year to date. These small sharks took over with a vengeance, tangled up lines, prevented most anglers from getting to the more desired species and forced Captain Ian to move more than he wanted to. To say that there were over a hundred caught would be an under statement. Amazingly enough, some did get through the dogfish and caught five legal, four were cod and one was a cusk. They anchored and drift fished to no avail.
Sixteen year old Brian Walsh (NJ) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8.5 pound cod. The second largest fish was a 6 pound cod caught by David Harrison (RI). John Mullahy (MA) and ten year old Noah Monteiro (MA) tied for third place, each catching a 5 pound cod. Andrew Hartwell (VT) landed the hard luck award for traveling the furthest to catch no fish!
Ogunquit's own David Hutchins (ME) donated $20.00 while my best buddy, Paul Haseltine (ME), donated $60.00 toward my fund raising efforts for cancer research with the Pan-Mass Challenge. Yes, the ride is over, but cancer never rests and end of the fiscal fund raising year is the end of December 2010. So there is plenty of time left if you are interesting in helping with a great cause. Thank you Dave and Hez, I appreciate the good will and support. I really do.
The fishing was good. Like the previous charter, they left the dock late (their preference) so Ian couldn't complete a normal game plan. Still, they all got fish. Most legal fish landed were small market cod, by far. Legal landings also included a couple market cod, three haddock, five cusk, three white hake and about twelve dogfish that were released unharmed. They anchored and drift fished. All terminal gear worked about the same. Most anglers used bait and cod flies.
Ian couldn't tell me who was high hook. Arthur Tenan won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cod. The second largest fish was an 8.5 pound cod caught by Arnold Francis. Adam Tenan landed the hard luck award for being at his last big social event as an unmarried man. It shouldn't be so bad. Popular opinion says that he has made all the right choices in that department. Best of luck. It's a good institution - I believe.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots with seas in chops of a foot or less. The was overcast for the most part, although there was no hint of rain. The air temperature couldn't have been more perfect and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was great but the bite was pretty slow. Even the dogfish, although present in numbers, didn't want bit. As a result they caught only one redfish and one cusk on the legal end of things. The dogfish count was eight and they did catch a sea raven. They anchored and drift fished.
Geof Ruczko (ME) would have been high hook if the legal size limit were adjusted down. He had the command over the fish but he had to keep releasing them. Noah Phillips (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 7.5 pound cusk. Vincent Rozzi (ME) landed the hard luck award for being a bachelor for just a little while longer (Ian's on a roll). There wasn't really any hard luck this evening - except collectively when considering the bite - and we can't give everyone a t-shirt!
Geof Ruczko donated $20.00 to help me with my cancer fund raising drive with the Pan-Mass Challenge. Thanks, Geof, so much. I really appreciate the support.
The fishing was good to very good overall or equal to our best full day trip of the week. Most legal fish landed were cod, by far. Legal landings also included fourteen haddock, three pollock, twenty cusk and one white hake. They drift fished in the morning and anchored in the afternoon. All terminal gear worked well.
Mark Doody (CT) was high hook with sixteen legal. I'm not sure how big his biggest fish was. Dave Kirby (VT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 13 pound cod. The second, third and fourth largest fish were all caught by Mitch Merrow (NH). They included an 11 pound cod, a 10 pound cod and a 9.5 pound cod. Mitch actually out fished his old pro of a father, Dan Merrow (NH). Brianna Grimm (VT) landed the hard luck award for being the only angler not to catch a legal fish!
Captain Tom Parker and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at twelve to fifteen knots with seas in chops of three to four feet. It was choppy and quite a few were incapacitated with sea sickness to fish at all. The sky was overcast, the air temperature was perfect (warm) and the visibility was good to very good.
The fishing was good, Tom's best afternoon trip of the season. Most legal fish were cod. As a matter of fact, most fish that were caught were cod. Legal landings also included one haddock, one wolffish (released), one white hake and a few dogfish. They anchored for every stop. Most anglers used bait.
Officially, Arnaod Rodic Nador (QC) was high hook with two legal. Both fish were cod of 6.5 pounds each, a tie for the third largest fish of the evening. Alex Dobois (VT) also caught two legal fish but one of his was a wolffish that had to be released. In fact, at 17 pounds even, it is our largest wolffish caught on the Bunny Clark to date. It was also the largest fish of the trip and it made Alex the boat pool winner. A picture of this wolffish wasn't taken as it was too rough, the fish was alive and snapping and it would have threatened the life of the fish. A quick weight and over the side it went. Alex also caught an 8 pound cod, the second largest fish of the trip. Leslie Fernandolpullo & Family (QC) were all sea sick and could not fish. Captain Tom gave out the hard luck award to both the mother and father for their part in the problem!
Jodi Walsh (RI) donated $20.00 to help me in my fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge, a ride she also completed herself. And, as such, is also trying to generate a donation total. Thanks, Jodi, I hope Jack enjoys the shirt!
The fishing was good overall. But there was also a heck of a current they had to fight in order to do so. The current never did subside. The average fish size was quite a bit bigger today. Most legal fish landed were pollock. Legal landings also included twenty-six cod, thirteen haddock, one redfish, nine cusk, three white hake and the most dogfish we have seen on a day trip in quite a while (one hundred-twenty plus). They anchored for every stop. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Bryan Lewer (FL) was high hook with fifteen legal. His three largest fish included an 11 pound pollock, a 12.5 pound cod and a 10 pound cod. Bryan released the 10 pound cod and two other legal cod back to the ocean alive. Steve Kenney (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 16.5 pound pollock. He also caught a pollock of 14 pounds. Steve LaPlante (CT) was right behind him in second place with a cod of 15.5 pounds, the largest cod of the trip. He also caught the largest white hake at 12.5 pounds. And, for the last part of the day, he put on a glow tube and became the king of the dogfish catchers. The word is that he caught them as fast as he could get his line down. Rich Baker (ME) and John Russell (ME) tied for third, each angler catching a pollock of 15 pounds.
Other Angler Highlights: Rodney Miller (MA), my stump grinding best friend, boated a 10.5 pound pollock, the first fish big enough for Ian to weigh. Matt Riegel (NJ) caught the second fish, a 10 pound pollock. Jack Henke (NY) boated the largest cod of the trip at 13 pounds. His largest pollock weighed 10 pounds. Don Somers (ME) landed an 11 pound cod and a 12.5 pound pollock, his biggest of each species. He also caught a haddock or two and four other legal fish. Paul Guenthner (MA) caught a 14 pound pollock, his largest fish of the trip. Diane Spears (NY) also caught a 14 pound pollock, her best for the day. John Baker (ME) landed the hard luck award for getting the most tangled lines.
Matt Riegel donated $25.00 to support my fund raising efforts in the Pan-Mass Challenge. My goal is to raise $29,000.00 before the fiscal fund raising year on December 30, 2010. We'll see. I appreciate all donations very much. So thank you Matt! This helps.
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 69°F, the sky was partially clear, the wind was very light from the southwest and the visibility was fair with a fog bank hanging off the coast. We did not have the easiest run to the fishing grounds. For the first two miles it was calm. At the five mile mark there was still no wind but we had a left over chop/swell of three to four feet. It was like we were in an area where the wind had just stopped the moment before we had arrived there. This condition persisted for the whole trip, despite the fact that the most wind we had was almost three knots. Most of the day we had no wind at all. The wind blew from the southwest when it did blow. It was foggy with less than a hundred yards of visibility from the ten mile mark to the fishing grounds. We had thick fog until noon. Visibility increased to twenty miles shortly after noon. The sky was sunny for the trip. The air temperature was a bit too warm. The highest surface water temperature I observed on the fishing grounds was 66.6°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 84°F (with a low of 63°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 92°F (with a low of 73°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 89°F (with a low of 60°F) today.The fishing was good to very good overall, excellent for size. Most legal fish landed were pollock and white hake, in that order. We drifted through the pollock, out over the edge and right into the hake Legal landings also included seven cod, nine haddock, four redfish, six cusk and two dogfish. We drift fished and anchored. All terminal gear worked well but jigs had the edge.
Bryan Lewer (FL) and David Yerke (NY) tied for high hook with fourteen legal each. Bryan's best fish included a 10.5 pound pollock, a 13 pound pollock, a 15.5 pound white hake, a 19 pound white hake, a 26 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 12.5 pound cod which he released back to the ocean alive. I love that guy! Dave's best fish included a 10.5 pound pollock, a 12.5 pound pollock, a 14.5 pound pollock, a 22 pound white hake and a 23 pound white hake.
Fifteen year old Sam Robichaud (FL/ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 35.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This is the largest fish that Sam has ever caught. And, although it didn't weigh as much as any in the top ten of the Bunny Clark's biggest hake, it is the third longest hake of our season so far at 49.5 inches caliper fork length. It's also the largest hake we have seen in a month. Sam also caught a 24 pound white hake and a 17 pound white hake. The second largest fish was a 30 pound Maine state trophy white hake caught by Steve Reed (ME). This is Steve's largest hake ever. Steve's son, Erich Reed (ME), caught the third largest fish, a 27 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This is the largest fish that Erich has ever caught.
Other Angler Highlights: Norm Herrick (MA) caught a 12 pound pollock and a 14 pound pollock, his two largest fish. His better half, LuAnne Herrick (MA), caught a 13 pound pollock, her best of the day. Jersey Tim (NJ) landed a 13.5 pound pollock. Ray Vaillancourt (OH) boated an 11 pound pollock. Eric Cavalieri (VT) caught a 12 pound pollock and an 11.5 pound pollock. Jeff Betts (NH) boated our first hake of the day. It weighed 10.5 pounds. John Botelho (AB) caught a 23 pound white hake and a 12 pound pollock, his two best fish of the seven he landed. Chris Cavaco (MA) landed a 21 pound white hake. Matt Dziewulski (NY) caught the largest cod of the trip at 13.5 pounds. Rick Bromley (NY) landed the hard luck award for getting a touch of the mal de mer.
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south to south southwest at almost ten knots before backing off to about two knots just before leaving to head back in. Seas were chops of a foot before the wind backed off. Essentially, the ocean was calm all evening with that left over gurge (two to three foot left over swell/chops) we experienced all day. The air temperature was a little too warm for oils, boots and long pants. The sky was mostly clear with good sun for the period. Except for a half hour of fog, we had about fifteen miles of visibility.
The fishing was good. Legal landings included seven cod, one haddock, six pollock, one redfish, two cusk, one white hake and about seven dogfish released kindly back to the ocean alive. We had about a 200 pound blue shark swimming around the boat entertaining the adults and scarring the kids. We anchored for two spots. Properly used, the jig and fly combination worked the best.
Bryan Lewer (FL), our newest bow savior, was high hook with seven legal fish. He caught the only two cusk (the largest weighed 8.5 pounds), two legal cod (he released both cod back to the ocean alive) and three pollock. His largest fish was an 11 pound pollock, the second largest fish of the trip. Julia Hersee (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 11.5 pound pollock, the last fish of the evening! She pretty much also caught the first keeper of the evening too, a 6 pound cod. The third largest fish was a 10.75 pound pollock caught by seven year old Asa Weinstein (MI).
Other Angler Highlights: Dan Jaremko (ON), technically, caught the first fish of the evening, a 6 pound cod. Dan also caught the only haddock. It weighed 4.5 pounds. Mike Solomon (NY) boated the largest cod, a 10.5 pounder. He also caught a 5 pound cod. Mike Weinstein (MI) landed a 9 pound cod. Peter Hersee (MA) caught a 6.5 pound white hake, the only hake of any species caught this evening. Meredith Griswold (MA) landed a 9 pound pollock. Ten year old Glen Mandel (VT) landed the hard luck award for losing the biggest fish of the trip. Whatever it was got hooked on the bottom and almost broke the rod in half and would have had the drag not been adjusted properly. It wouldn't come off bottom for the longest time. It was a struggle getting it moving to the surface. Part of the way up it took off up toward the bow and got tangled in the lines of others which ended up losing the fish on Glen.
Sam Robichaud donated $25.00 and Steve Reed donated $40.00 to help me with my cancer fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thanks very much for the support. Giving Dana-Farber Cancer Institute the best funding insures that they can hire the best researchers to get the job done. And we want to get the job done. Thanks again!
The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were cusk and cod, in that order. Legal landings also included ten haddock, eleven pollock, one white hake, a sea raven and seven dogfish (released). They drift fished for the trip. All terminal gear worked well.
I wasn't told who was high hook but it might have been Brian Tufts (VT) with ten legal. Brian's largest fish was a 13 pound cod. Nick Juiliano (KS) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 23 pound cod. He donated his winnings to my Pan-Mass Challenge cancer fund raising drive. That was a very nice surprise! Thank you so much! The second largest fish was a 22 pound cod caught by Chris Fraize (ME). Bobby Randall (VT) caught the third largest fish, a 14.5 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Tom Samuelson (NH) caught a 10 pound cod, the first fish big enough to weigh. Kevin Bean (VT) caught a 13.5 pound cod. Gerald Rudge (ME) caught a 10.5 pound cod. Carl Beauleau (ME) caught a 13 pound cod. And Zach Latimer (VT) found the perfect cusk jig today. It's taken years to find the perfect jig and the right movement. Look for Zach to catch my dream fish in the future, a 50 pound cusk! Jason Cole (ME) might have been the only sea sick person on the boat today. It was the only reason for him winning the hard luck award.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south southwest at five to eight knots with seas in chops of a foot or less over a two foot long sea swell. The sky was overcast for the evening, the air temperature was warm (but not too warm) and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cod of the small market variety. Legal landings also included one haddock, one cusk, one white hake and probably forty dogfish (released). They anchored for every stop. Almost everyone used bait.
I don't know if there was a specific person who was high hook but I do know that Justin Dorsey (ME) caught two legal, a 4.25 pound white hake and a 5 pound cod. Alex Cincotta (MA) landed the largest fish of the trip, a 6.75 pound cod. Alex was not in the boat pool. Malcolm Hughes (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the second largest fish, a 6.25 pound cod. The third largest fish was a 6 pound cod caught by Frank Dinardi (FL).
Other Angler Highlights: Dinon Hughes (ME) caught a 4.25 pound cod. Sean Dinardi (FL) caught a 5 pound cod. Nolan Karsok (MA) boated a cod of 5.75 pounds. Sarah Myshrall (ON) landed the hard luck award for not catching a single fish of any size and for losing a fishing rig.
I received two more donations supporting my cancer fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge. One donation came from Bob & Nancy Munroe (MA) for $20.00. The other donation came from Steve & Caroline LaPlante (CT) for $50.00 (Steve has donated three times this season alone, has supported me in other ways - showing up at the event at 4 AM for starters - and has been a donor every year that I have been involved.). This donation was given in memory of his Aunt Charlotte Rohan who just recently passed away after a long fight with the disease. Thanks for the help on this extra project of mine. I appreciate it so much.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the full day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 60°F, the sky was clear, the wind was very light out of the northwest and the visibility was excellent. Along the shore and on the fishing grounds, the wind was very light and variable all day. The ocean was calm everywhere. There wasn't a breath of wind along the shore. On the fishing grounds, the wind was either non-existent or light and variable in direction. They still had that persistent two foot long rolling sea swell. The air temperature went from warm to hot by noon. It was a bit uncomfortable for long pants and oil skins. The sky was clear and the visibility was excellent. The surface water temperature on the fishing grounds reached a high of 66.8°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 64°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 82°F (with a low of 65°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 90°F (with a low of 58°F) today. The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cusk and pollock, in that order. Legal landings also included eight cod, thirteen haddock, three redfish, one white hake and four dogfish. They drift fished for the trip. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
David Yerke (NY) was high hook again today with a count of about fifteen legal (more or less). He also caught the second and third largest fish of the trip. They were a 17 pound pollock and a 16 pound pollock. A couple other good fish of his included a 13.5 pound pollock and a 13 pound cod. Ken Robinson (NH) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 36.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This is the first and the largest hake that Ken has ever caught. Captain Ian was just drifting out of the pollock and had told everyone to reel in (to re-set the boat) when Ken hooked into his huge hake. Ian took a picture of Ken and his prize. The digital image appears on the right.
Other Angler Highlights: Brian Robinson (NH) caught a 12 pound pollock, his best fish. Mark Hamer (NH) caught a pollock slightly larger at 12.5 pounds. Russell Mott (ME) boated a 14 pound pollock and a 15 pound pollock, his two largest fish. Don Cheney (NY) landed a 14.5 pound pollock, his best. Cheryl Daigle (NH) landed the hard luck award for being the last individual on the boat to catch a legal fish.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, there was no wind. The wind, I guess, had tried to blow all day but just gave up instead. The ocean was mirror calm. The sky was clear, the air temperature was warm and the visibility was about ten miles in haze.
The fishing was fair. All the keepers were small. Legal landings included four cod, two haddock, a white hake and thirty dogfish (released). There were also ten sub-legal pollock that were released. They anchored for every stop (current).
Deryck Downey (NY) was high hook with two legal. His catch included a haddock of 2.5 pounds and a cod that weighed 4.75 pounds. Danielle Small (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 6.25 pound cod. The second largest fish was a cod of 5.5 pounds caught by John Martin (MA). Chase Armstrong (VT) tied with Deryck for the third largest fish, both cod of 4.75 pounds.
Other Angler Highlights: Mike Graham (MA) caught the better of the two haddock. Mike's fish weighed 4.5 pounds. Adam Derlin (NY) landed the hard luck award for the most tangled lines.
An anonymous donation of $40.00 was made to my cancer fund raising drive with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thank you very much, whomever you are!
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were pollock, cusk and cod, in that order. Legal landings also included five haddock, two redfish, three white hake and a sea raven (released). No dogfish were caught today. They drift fished for the trip. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Gary Nowicki, Jr. (NJ) was high hook with ten legal. Gary's largest fish was probably a 10 or 11 pound pollock. Scott Anzalone (NJ) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 17 pound pollock. Scott also caught the largest hake at 14 pounds. With the hake he tied with three other anglers for the third largest fish of the trip. The second largest fish was a 16 pound pollock caught by Vinny Izzo (NJ). Big "Richard" Lesko (NJ) caught a 14 pound pollock to tie with Scott. Bob Whitmore (NJ) caught a 14 pound cod to tie with Scott's hake. Bob also caught a cod of 11 pounds. And Peter DiClementi (CT) also caught a 14 pound cod to tie with Scott.
Other Angler Highlights: Louie Poeta (CT) caught a 12.5 pound cod. Ceasar Alan (PA) also caught a 12.5 pound cod. John Petersen (CT) landed the hard luck award for not catching a single fish, legal or sub-legal.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind and sea state were the same as on the day trip. The wind was light and variable in direction and the sea was flat ass calm. The sky was clear, the air temperature was perfect and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was great but the catching left a lot to be desired. Only three legal fish were boated and all three were caught by the same angler! Fish caught and released included seven sub-legal cod, two sub-legal redfish, one sub-legal pollock and twelve dogfish. They anchored and drift fished.
Mark Whitney (ME) was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with three legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 7 pound cod. He caught his cod as part of a double keeper catch with another legal cod of 6 pounds, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Mark's other legal fish was a redfish that weighed exactly a pound. Lynne Butler (NH) landed the hard luck award for being the first person to hurl. I guess there were a couple - even on as nice a night as this.
I received a wonderful $100.00 donation from Willy Vollmerding (NH) supporting my cancer fund raising campaign with the Pan-Mass Challenge. Thanks very much, Willy. I appreciate the help and I will look forward to seeing you this fall. Stay well!
The fishing was fair overall. Most legal fish landed were cod (twenty-two keepers total). Legal landings also included twelve haddock, thirteen pollock, two redfish, fourteen cusk and nine dogfish (released). They drift fished for the trip. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Ian couldn't tell me whom was high hook but I don't believe it was more than seven fish. And I know it wasn't Kyle Santor (VT) who, instead, lost a jig and landed the hard luck award. This could possibly be a first for Kyle, normally known for his feats of angling excellence! Scott Anzalone (NJ) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 14 pound pollock. This is the second time this week (in as many trips) that he has won the boat pool with the largest fish. The second largest fish was a 13.5 pound cod caught by twelve year old Brian Newell (MA). Peter Canessa (MA) caught the third largest fish, a 12.5 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Vinny Izzo (NJ) caught an 11.5 pound pollock, his largest fish and the first fish to be weighed on the boat today. Brett Santor (VT) boated a 6.5 pound haddock (the largest haddock of the last two weeks), just a half pound shy of a Maine state trophy. Amanda Raab (VT) landed an 11 pound cod, her best fish.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south southeast at ten knots with a one foot chop. The sky was overcast, or mostly so, the air temperature was perfect and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was good but mostly for just a handful of anglers. And the fish seemed to for just a short period of time when Ian got over them. Legal landings included eight pollock, one cod and one white hake. They anchored for every stop. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Paul Blaine (NY) was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with four legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 14.5 pound pollock. This was the largest fish for both the day trip and the evening trip! His other fish were two pollock of 8 pounds each and a 7 pound pollock. The second largest fish was a 13 pound pollock caught by thirteen year old Zack Nunns (MD). Matt Riegel (NJ) caught the third largest fish, a 12 pound pollock. Cassie Evans (CT) landed the hard luck award for losing her sun glasses overboard. This isn't the first time that has happened!
Louis & Barbara Carangelo (MA) donated $25.00 to me and my Pan-Mass Challenge efforts today. Thank you Barb & Lou, I appreciate your help and support.
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were cusk, by far. Legal landings also included nineteen cod, seven haddock, one pollock, one redfish, two white hake and eight dogfish. They drift fished for the trip.
They ran three pools today. One for the first legal fish, one for high hook and one for the largest fish of the trip. Craig Sternberg won the pool for the first legal fish by catching a 6 pound cod. Jack Perry and Mike Chambers battled for high hook all day with Jack coming out on top with one fish more. Jack's count was eleven legal with Mike right behind him with ten legal. Jack also won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound cod. Thalia Pagan landed the second largest fish of the trip, a 12 pound cod. Thalia was also the youngest angler of the trip and led the pool for most of the day. Dan Haggerty landed the hard luck of the day for catching the dreaded mal de mer. He never wetted a line the whole trip!
Captain Tom Parker and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. It had been raining lightly ashore from 1:00 PM until the boat came in at 3:00 PM. They left the dock in the light rain and a southeast wind of five to ten knots. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the east southeast at ten to twelve or fifteen knots. Seas were chops of two feet. It didn't rain as much as I expected it would, scattered showers being the rule. The air temperature was warm and the visibility dropped to ten miles.
The fishing was great for dogfish. And that was just about all they caught. Of the desired species, only one cod and one red (squirrel) hake were landed. They anchored for every stop.
Aleem Aziz (TD) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cod. The second largest fish was the hake that Tom estimated at 3 pounds. This fish was caught by Joe Wood (NY).
At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 63°F, the sky was overcast, it was raining lightly, the wind was blowing out of the east northeast at twenty knots (more or less) and the visibility was fair in precipitation. An hour or two later, the wind piped up to thirty knots sustained here at the house. The wind stayed that strong for the rest of the day. Seas built but they still looked like big chops at 6:00 PM. The rain we had this morning stopped around 7:00 AM and never came back until 5:00 PM. Even then it was just spitting rain. It was odd for me to see so much northeast wind, such a cloudy sky but no rain, clear water in the Cove (you could see almost twenty feet down) and no water coming down the Josiahs River in the back of the Cove. Just very strange. The visibility was about ten miles or better and the air temperature hung around 65°F all day, very warm for this kind of wind and direction. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 68°F (with a low of 60°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 65°F (with a low of 62°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 66°F (with a low of 59°F) today.
I have already canceled tomorrow's day trip and tomorrow's afternoon trip. I dearly would love to go (I look forward to it all week) but the weather will not be good enough to make it worth while. Plus, with the full moon, the tide (current) will be running a river at best. We'll try for Wednesday. I don't believe (at this time) we will be canceling Wednesday until the morning of. It looks like Wednesday will be the next opportunity for a Bunny Clark fishing trip, albeit not perfectly calm but doable.
At 5:00 AM, the air temperature was 63°F, the sky was overcast, the wind was blowing out of the northeast at twenty knots (more or less) and the visibility was good or better than that. The wind piped up again later in the morning but blew a sustained twenty-five knots (less than yesterday) and seemed to die out more quickly. Of course, it never really died out, "died down" would be the more appropriate term. It did get down to fifteen knots or slightly less. Seas got to about ten feet at between eight and eleven second intervals at most weather buoys within our range. This is a little too much for us to safely handle. The sky was mostly overcast along the coast with some good views at the sun. However, ten miles inland, it was sunny and warm. On the top of Mt. Washington (Captain Ian took his daughter there today), it was clear, warm and cloudless! The air temperature climbed into the low seventies and the visibility was good to very good. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 73°F (with a low of 60°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 63°F (with a low of 61°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 72°F (with a low of 62°F) today.
I followed my normal morning routine (when not captaining the Bunny Clark) and took advantage of a three hour riding opportunity. I rode my bicycle up to North Berwick doing all the hills I could find including Mt. Hope in Sanford. It was a fun, dry, warm and sunny ride. After lunch, I took my list (this has been building for two months - my wife has been helping me with this list on and off) and drove around Portsmouth, New Hampshire picking up supplies, parts and boat items. Except for taking an hour out for dinner, I worked on the Bunny Clark from 2:00 PM until 9:00 PM. This involved repairing and replacing. I changed filters, chased down a wire break for one of my lighting systems behind the breaker panel, installing a new dome light (replacement light), changing out two bad switches, running light bulb, etc., etc. It was a great day to do it without the rain.
At 5:00 AM, the air temperature was 61°F, the sky was overcast, it was raining, the wind was blowing out of the northeast at twenty knots (more or less) and the visibility was fair to poor in precipitation, fog and haze. It rained all day. And it rained hard for a lot of the day. The road leading to the Cove was a river. The Josiahs River at the back of the Cove was overflowing its banks by the end of the day. The Cove water was brown from the run off. The wind blew the hardest it has blown in the last of these three stormy days. Wind gusts reached thirty-three knots at the house and the seas at the closest weather buoy maxed out at 10.8 feet every six seconds. Those are pretty steep chops. Splash over occurred at high tide along the shore everywhere it seemed. The air temperature hovered around the 65°F value and the visibility was fair to poor from daylight until dark. Portland, Maine saw a record rainfall amount today of 2.64 inches breaking the old record of 2.02 inches set on this date in 1901. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 64°F (with a low of 60°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 65°F (with a low of 61°F) today. Boston saw a record rainfall amount today of 2.76 inches breaking the old record of 2.09 inches set on this date in 1901. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 67°F (with a low of 59°F) today. Concord had a total rainfall amount of 1.49 inches today, nowhere near the record of 3.22 inches set on this date in 1990. Concord's rainfall total for the year to this date is exactly normal while both Portland's and Boston's rainfall total is well above normal at this time.
It was a normal work day at the restaurant (Barnacle Billy's) today. I was called at 2:30 AM to deal with a power outage down at the Cove which I had to deal with for an hour and another one sometime around 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM. Computer systems had to be rebooted accordingly. And I had to bail my skiff out so it wouldn't sink at the dock from the rainfall that fill it.
The fishing/catching was fair to good. The only good part was the fact that there were plenty of fish there. However, the bite was not as good as Ian (or I) expected it to be. Legal landings included mostly pollock. Legal landings also included twelve cod, twelve haddock, two redfish, eleven cusk, one white hake and one cunner. They anchored and drift fished. Jigs and flies did the best.
John Halle (NH) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 13 pound pollock. He also caught a double keeper catch that included an 11 pound pollock and a 10 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time! The 11 pounder actually tied for third place. Ted Begin (NH) caught the second largest fish, a 12 pound pollock. Chris Shouldice (IL) also caught an 11 pound pollock, the other half of the tie for third.
Other Angler Highlights: Tom Shaw (PA) also caught a good double keeper catch. His double included a 10.5 pound pollock and another 10.5 pound pollock. Claire Gaigal (VC) landed the hard luck award. She got sea sick on the way out and never really recovered enough (it was close) to start fishing.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots with seas in chops of about a foot over rolling two to three foot sea swells from the southeast. Skies were partly cloudy. They even had a brief light rain shower. The temperature was warm and the visibility was just shy of excellent.
The fishing was fair. Legal landings included six cod, one haddock and one white hake. They also caught six sub-legal pollock and zero dogfish. They anchored for every stop.
Fred Matteau (NH) was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with two legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 7 pound white hake. The second largest fish was a 6 pound cod caught by Tom Miner (ME). Brian Gallagher (MA) landed the third largest fish, a 5.75 pound cod.
Other Angler Highlights: Johonna Nolan (NY) caught a 5 pound cod. Jeremy Pratt (NY) landed a cod of 5.25 pounds. Ten year old Avery Mussen (NY) boated a 5.5 pound cod. Six year old Aidan Mussen (NY) caught the only haddock. It weighed 4.5 pounds. Ted Chmiel (NY) landed the hard luck award for getting the most tangled lines.
The fishing was good. Most legal fish landed were pollock by quite a margin. Legal landings also included thirteen cod, twelve haddock, twenty-two cusk, one white hake and not a single dogfish. They anchored and drift fished. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
I believe that Dick Basile (CT) was high hook but no one seemed to be able to confirm this. He fished up in the pulpit and continues to be one of the best fishermen that steps foot on the Bunny Clark every year (We just don't see him often enough!). Dick won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 20 pound pollock. This is the largest pollock we have seen in a few weeks. He also caught the second largest fish of the trip, a 15 pound pollock. Joe Tomas (NH) caught the third largest fish, a 14.5 pound cod. Joe's largest pollock weighed 13 pounds.
Other Angler Highlights: Gary McPherson (ME) landed a 14 pound pollock, his largest fish. Don Kotchman (MI) landed the second largest cod of the trip at 14 pounds. There were several anglers who were sea sick. Auber Holdaway (VT) was the worst and received the hard luck award.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five knots or less. It was if the wind had just given up the ghost and decided to just lay down and take it! The ocean was calm with no discernable sea swell. The sky was clear, the visibility was excellent and the air temperature couldn't have been more perfect.
The fishing was fair. They made three stops and only caught legal fish on the last one. All the legal fish were very small this evening. The legal catch included one cod, three haddock, one cusk, one white hake and two or three dogfish that were released alive. They anchored for all three spots.
Chris LeBlanc (MA), a ringer of sorts as he has been with us before, was the fisherman of the evening. He was high hook with two legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 5 pound cod. He other fish was a 3 pound white hake. Jonna Thomas (MA) could have tied with Chris for high hook. She caught an "almost legal" 4.75 pound cod, the second largest fish of the trip, and the first haddock of the evening at 3 pounds. There was a tie for the third slot by two anglers who caught a sub-legal 4.5 pound cod each. One angler was Dave Smithies (MA) and the other was Matt Alley (VT).
Other Angler Highlights: Andrew Havens, Jr. (NY) caught a 3 pound haddock, his only keeper. Chris Balukonis (MA) caught the only cusk. It weighed 3 pounds. Chris Thomas (IN) caught the largest haddock at 3.5 pounds. Andy Havens, Sr. (NY) landed the hard luck award for losing the most terminal tackle.
Jennie Colgan (VT) donated $25.00 to help with my fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge. The event is over but cancer never stops and neither does my fund raising. The fiscal fund raising year ends on December 30, 2010. Jennie, thank you very much for helping me with this. I very much appreciate it!
The fishing was fair to good overall. All the fish were small today. Most legal fish landed were haddock. That was almost all they caught. Other legal fish landed included nine cusk, two cod, five pollock, a sculpin and eight dogfish (happily released). They anchored and drift fished. Almost everyone used bait. And whatever else they used, bait was applied.
Amy Cammarata (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 7.25 pound cod. Jody Rogers (ME) landed the hard luck award for getting a touch of the mal de mer.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the afternoon half day (4PM - 8PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at ten knots with seas in chops of one to two feet over rolling sea swells of about two or three feet. The sky was clear, the air temperature was warm (perfect) and the visibility was excellent.
The fishing was very good to excellent. Most legal fish landed were pollock. As a matter of fact all the legal fish were pollock except for one cusk. They did catch cod but all were sub-legal - all six of them. They anchored. Flies caught the most fish.
Chris LeBlanc, the pride of western Massachusetts, was high hook with seven legal. His three largest included an 11 pound pollock, a 10.5 pound pollock and a 12 pound pollock. The 12 pound pollock was the third largest fish of the trip. Bob Brunelle (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound pollock. Bob also caught the second largest fish the trip, a 13.5 pound pollock.
Other Angler Highlights: Ten year old Danny Philbin (MA) caught an 11 pound pollock, his largest fish. Derek Tripp (ME) caught a 10.5 pound pollock. Harvey "Red" Breneau (VT) landed the hard luck award for the most tangled lines.
Howard Goldenfarb (ME/FL) gave me a generous $150.00 donation, Jim Sibley (CT) donated $50.00 and Kevin Murphy (CT) donated $20.00 supporting my fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge/Jimmy Fund. Thank you all so very much. The support means a lot to many.
The fishing was fair, very similar to yesterday's catch and fishing. Most legal fish today, however, were cusk. Legal landings also included six haddock and six cod. They drift fished all day. Bait seemed to work the best.
Ken Carter (ME) and Darwin Snow (NY) tied for high hook with six keepers each. Ken didn't really catch anything of size. Darwin caught the third largest fish of the trip, a 7.5 pound cod. Marina Zito (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8.5 pound cod. The second largest fish was an 8 pound cusk caught by Nick Moulton (ME). Austin Johnson (NY) landed the hard luck award for being the only individual not to catch a fish.
We didn't have enough interest to make an evening trip today.
The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were pollock, by far. Legal landings also included twelve haddock, six cod, five redfish, fifteen cusk and about eleven dogfish. They drift fished all day. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Ian couldn't tell me whom was high hook but I would say that it had to be Chip (Jim) Chiapponi (CT). He had quite a few fish to show for his day at sea. His largest fish was a 16.5 pound pollock, the second largest fish of the trip. Fritz Cybulski (CT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 18.5 pound pollock. The third largest fish was a 16 pound pollock caught by Lee Frievrich (CT).
Other Angler Highlights: Twelve year old Devon Stiering (NY) caught a 15 pound pollock and a 10.5 pound cod, his two best fish. Kyle Benwitz (NY) landed a 15 pound pollock. Rick Benwitz (NY) boated the best double keeper catch. His catch included 13.5 pound pollock and a 12.5 pound pollock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time! Leonard Ormsbee (NY) landed the hard luck award for catching nary a legal fish and for getting involved in the most tangled lines. Ouch!
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the first marathon trip of the fall season today. At 3:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 72°F, the sky was clear, the wind was light out of the west and the visibility was very good to excellent. The ride to the fishing grounds was calm, stable and uneventful, just the way I like it! On the fishing grounds, the weather couldn't have been better unless, maybe, the air temperature was a little cooler. Actually, the air temperature was perfect until after noon. And then it was a bit too warm. The ocean was calm all day except for about an hour when the westerly wind picked up to eight knots (more or less). At that time we had a chop of less than a foot. What wind we did have was out of the west and then southwest in the late afternoon and on the ride home. All morning we had long rolling sea swells of six to seven feet. These receded to two and three feet by the afternoon. The visibility was about ten miles in haze. The sky was cloudless for most of the trip. The highest surface water temperature I observed on the fishing grounds was 69.2°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 94°F (with a low of 63°F) today. The high temperature reading of 94°F breaks the record high for this date in Portland. The previous record high for this date was 92°F set in 1969. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 96°F (with a low of 75°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 94°F (with a low of 60°F) today. The high temperature reading of 94°F ties the record high for this date in Concord. The previous record high for this date was 94°F set in 1924.The fishing was very good to excellent all day, our best day of catching for weeks. Most legal fish landed were hake around the 10 to13 pound mark, by far, followed by cod. I don't know when I've seen so many smaller white hake. It's also been quite a while since we have seen so many legal cod. And the average cod size was about 10 pounds, a nice fish to catch (and eat). Legal landings also included a few big white hake, five haddock, eight pollock, twenty-six redfish, thirty-one cusk and zero dogfish. This is the first time this summer that I haven't seen a dogfish on somebody's hook! We drift fished and anchored. Jigs caught the most fish.
I would say that either Steve Selmer (NH) or Andy Chornobil (NY) was high hook with the most legal fish. I don't know how many fish Andy caught but it was a lot. Steve caught twenty-seven legal. In my mind, Andy's best fish was a 2.75 pound Maine state trophy redfish. And it wasn't so much about the weight of this fish that impressed me. What really impressed me was its frame size of 17.5 inches (caliper fork length) and girth of 14 inches. It could have easily weighed 4 pounds. And I can only remember a couple of redfish of that large a frame size. I had to have Andy pose for a picture so I could show he and his fish off to the world. This picture appears on the left. Andy caught the largest cusk of the day at 11.75 pounds, his largest cod weighed 11 pounds and his largest hake was just under 15 pounds. Steve caught the largest redfish of the trip (he also tied for the largest redfish of the Bunny Clark fishing season with this fish) at 3 pounds (It was only 16.5 inches CFL by 13 inches in girth!). Steve's largest cod weighed 12 pounds and his largest hake weighed 28 pounds, a Maine state trophy.
Jon "Griff" Griffin (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 41 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This is the second largest hake (by a half pound) that Jon has ever caught. I took a picture of Griff with his prize. This picture appears on the right. He also tied for the boat pool for the third largest fish with the third largest fish, a 36 pound Maine state trophy white hake. The angler he tied with was himself with another white hake of 36 pounds, exactly! He also caught a 33 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 28 pound Maine state trophy white hake. It was a very good day to be Griff today! Gloria Gennari (MA), from the same town that Griff is from, won the boat pool for the second largest fish with the second largest fish, a 37 pound Maine state trophy white hake. Both Gloria's hake and Griff's largest hake were exactly 50 inches caliper fork length. Two very old (and potentially) big hake. Gloria's largest cod weighed 15.5 pounds.
Other Angler Highlights: Dan Kelley (ME) caught his largest redfish of the season (so far) today by landing a 2.5 pound Maine state trophy. His largest fish was a 27.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. And he released some legal cod back to the ocean alive. His two biggest releases were cod of 13 pounds and 10 pounds. Steve LaPlante (CT) caught the largest pollock of the trip at 22 pounds. Some of his other good fish included a 21 pound white hake, a 19 pound white hake, a 12 pound cod and another pollock of 11.5 pounds. Steve released three legal cod to 10 pounds back to the ocean alive. Dave Gray (VT) lost the largest cod of the day. I would have liked to have seen that fish. His most notable boated fish included a 20 pound white hake and a 14 pound cod. He might have caught the most cod of any angler today. Tim Williams (CT) boated a 32 pound Maine state trophy white hake, his largest fish. He also caught a 17 pound white hake, a 23.5 pound white hake and a 12 pound cod (his largest of the many cod he caught). Marco Morin (ME) lost a big cod today like Dave Gray but Marco's didn't have the sounding machine signature that Dave's had - and Marco was closer to the sounding machine transducer! Marco's two best fish included a 15.5 pound white hake and a 13.5 pound cod. Steve Shugars (ME) caught the largest cod of the trip at 21 pounds. Some of his other good fish included a 19 pound white hake, a 16 pound white hake, a 24 pound white hake and a another cod of 12 pounds. He too was an angler who could have been high hook. He doesn't count his fish but is usually high hook whenever he fishes with me. He caught a lot of fish today without question. Ron Roy (NH) boated a 24 pound white hake, his largest fish. He also landed the hard luck award for losing two of the three jigs that were lost today. I can't remember how he lost his two jigs but I do know that the only other jig was lost when a blue shark grabbed another angler's fish and took the jig as well (Steve Selmer?).
Gloria Gennari donated $25.00 to help me with my cancer fund raising efforts with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thank you very much, Gloria, for another donation helping the cause.
The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were cusk and cod, in that order. Legal landings also included nineteen haddock, fourteen pollock, eighteen redfish, nine small white hake, a sea raven (released) and three dogfish (released). They drift fished for the trip. Jigs and flies caught the most fish.
Bill Hazlett (MA) almost took all the marbles. He was high hook with eighteen legal and he caught the second largest fish of the trip with a 13.5 pound pollock. On top of all this good luck he also became the most qualified for the hard luck award! He was involved in the most tangles, lost some really good fish, lost his sun glasses overboard and got sun screen in his eyes to the point where Ian thought he might have to Medivac Bill to Maine Medical! So, yes, he did get the shirt! This is what happens when you wait so long in the year before going out fishing for the first time. Mike (last name withheld) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound pollock. The third largest fish was a 13 pound pollock caught by Paul Peacock (ME). Paul also tied for the largest cod with one of 12.5 pounds. He and Tim Williams (CT) shared second hook status with fifteen legal each. Tim caught the largest white hake at 11 pounds and caught a 10.5 pound cod, his best cod. I believe he also caught a pollock or two in the 11 pound range.
Other Angler Highlights: Carl Sargent (CT) caught a 12 pound pollock. Bill Wyman (ME) caught the other 12.5 pound cod.
Jack Henke (NY) sent me a generous donation of $150.00 to support my cancer fund raising drive with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. I really appreciate the help, Jack. It's people like you that make the world a better place to live. I appreciate the donation and the way you are very much. Thank you!
Captain Ian Keniston and I ran the marathon trip today. At 3:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 75°F, the sky was clear, the wind was light out of the west and the visibility was good to very good in some haze. The wind was blowing out of the west at light speeds on the ride to the fishing grounds. On the grounds, the wind blew out of the west or west southwest up to ten knots at the most. Seas got as high as a foot in chops. The strongest winds occurred in the morning. After noon, the lightened up and kept hauling counter clockwise. We had southerly winds of five to almost ten knots with seas in chops of a foot for the ride back in. The air temperature was very warm but more comfortable than you would think with the wind. Still, out of the wind, the air temperature was much too warm. The sky was cloudless and the visibility ranged from five to ten miles in a thick haze. The highest surface water temperature I observed on the fishing grounds was 71.3°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 93°F (with a low of 67°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 95°F (with a low of 73°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 96°F (with a low of 63°F) today.The fishing was very good overall. We had a couple of excellent stops and a couple of slow stops; we didn't stay very long on the slow ones. Mostly the fishing was just very good. Most legal fish landed were small white hake, cod, redfish and pollock, in that order. Legal landings also included ten hake over 20 pounds, five haddock, five cusk, one wolffish (released), one blue shark (released) and one dogfish (released). We drift fished all day. Jigs caught the most fish.
Dan Kelley (ME) was high hook. Some were close but no one beat him. His largest fish was a 29 pound Maine state trophy white hake. His largest pollock weighed 16.5 pounds (just about the first fish in the boat) and his largest cod weighed 13.5 pounds. Dana Labbe (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 34 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This is the largest hake he has ever caught. He also caught a 7.25 pound Maine state trophy haddock, the largest haddock we have seen in weeks. This, too, is his largest haddock ever. A picture of Dana and his trophy haddock appears on the left. And he also caught a 16 to 18 pound Maine state trophy cusk but lost it on the surface where it turned and went right back down to bottom! This is one of the very few times I have seen a cusk swim back. Normally, they float on the surface until you collect yourself and go after them or until the sea gulls peck them until they sink. Dana's two biggest pollock weighed 13 pounds and 16 pounds. He caught a lot of cod. Chris Porter (MA) won the boat pool for the second largest fish with the second largest fish, a 32.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. He also caught the best double keeper catch. His catch included a 24.5 pound white hake and a 14 pound white hake, both fish caught on the same jig at the same time! This is the third largest double of the Bunny Clark fishing season to date. Just ahead of him in second place is Jon Griffin (also from the same town), also with a big hake double caught on the marathon trip of June 25. Chris also caught the largest boated cusk of the trip at 11 pounds. Ray Westermann (MA) caught the third largest fish, a 30 pound Maine state trophy white hake. Some of Ray's other good fish included a 24 pound white hake and a 13.5 pound cod.
Other Angler Highlights: Wobby Barnes (MA) caught a 22.5 pound white hake, his largest fish. His largest cod weighed 11.5 pounds and his largest pollock weighed 15.5 pounds. He did have a very big fish on his line that broke his line over half way from the bottom. It was probably a big cod. Jeremy Youngman (NY) boated a 17 pound pollock, his biggest fish. Quentin Tonelli (ME) was the king of the pollock. His three best included a 14 pounder, a 15 pounder and a 17 pounder. Fred's biggest fish, a hake over 15 pounds, swam away from him on the surface and got attacked by a blue shark. And, yes, it really was over 15 pounds! His largest pollock weighed 13 pounds, his lost a big cod (by far the biggest cod of the day, had he landed it) and he boated a 12 pound cod and a 12.5 pound cod, his two biggest cod. Steve Brown (ME) boated a 29pound Maine state trophy white hake, his biggest groundfish of the year. He also caught a 12.5 pound pollock. Bob Nixon (NH) caught the largest cod at 21.5 pounds. His largest fish was a 26.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. Bob's largest pollock weighed 15 pounds. Andy Chornobil (NY) landed a 17.5 pound pollock, his largest fish. His largest cod weighed 12 pounds. Joe O'Rourke (NY) caught a 14 pound pollock, his largest fish. He also landed the hard luck award for losing three jigs. Don't ask me how; I didn't see him lose one! Carlos Shacar (MA) caught the best pollock double. His double included a 10 pound pollock and a 13 pound pollock. Carlos' largest fish was a 23 pound white hake. He also caught the second largest cod at 20.5 pounds. His two best cod weighed 10 and 12 pounds. Tim Williams (CT) caught a 25 pound Maine state trophy white hake, his largest fish today. His best cod weighed 14 pounds. Nick Harnden (NY) caught an 18 pound pollock and a 19 pound white hake, his two best fish. Norman Hart (NY) had a 13 pound cod, his largest and best of the day.
I got a lot of very nice contributions to my Pan-Mass Challenge fund raising drive today. Fred Kunz came in on top with a very generous $202.00 donation, Chris Porter donated $92.00, Carlos Shacar gave $40.00 and Ray Westermann donated another $20.00, money all ear-marked for cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Thank you all so much for your support. I so appreciate your thoughtfulness and help.
At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 75°F, the sky was clear, the wind was blowing out of the south southwest at ten knots and the visibility was good in some haze. The sunrise was brilliant and red on the horizon ("red sky in the morning, sailors take warning"). As the day progressed, the sky became more and more overcast. By mid afternoon, the sky was almost entirely occluded with clouds. At sunset, the fog came in and we got rain at dark but only very light rain and very intermittent. The wind blew out of the south during the mid afternoon to about fifteen knots, by far the most it blew all day. After, the wind lightened and worked counter clockwise around the compass so that, an hour before midnight, it was blowing out of the northeast. Winds remained light. The air temperature was a bit too warm and humid and the visibility was variable from five to ten miles in haze to a few yards in fog. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 83°F (with a low of 67°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 82°F (with a low of 70°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 87°F (with a low of 64°F) today.
We got very little rain from midnight until 5:00 AM, only about enough to pull four bailer scoops full out of the skiff this morning. This is quite a lot different from the one to five inches we were supposed to get - along with the tropical force winds and heavy seas that didn't happen. I checked the anemometer at 2:00 AM this morning (at the height of the wind) to find fifteen knots of northerly wind only. So we dodged a bullet. I wouldn't have expected the National Weather Forecasters to know the track of Earl exactly anyway. Hurricanes are fickle and predicting the weather is not much of a science these days - despite what you might hear on the Weather Channel to the contrary. Now, weather service radars and satellite images are a vast improvement over the old ways of doing things but these are still only snap shots. So we live to fight another day. And I'm happy enough about this.
At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 71°F, the sky was overcast, it was drizzling rain, the wind was blowing out of the north at ten knots and the visibility was good in some haze. By 8:00 AM, the sky was clear and the air temperature had risen to almost 80°F. The wind blew out of the northwest and then west for the rest of the day. Wind speeds along the shore blew up to twenty-five and thirty knots but this was only along the immediate shore line. The buoy reports showed only as much as twenty-three knots in gusts. The sky stayed sunny all day and the breeze let up a bit and then came on again after sunset. The visibility was excellent and the air temperature was warm and a bit humid. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 62°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 83°F (with a low of 66°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 82°F (with a low of 60°F) today.
Captain Ian Keniston and Jared Keniston ran the extreme day trip today. At 5:00 AM EDT, the air temperature was 59°F, the sky was clear, the wind was blowing out of the west southwest at twenty knots and the visibility was excellent. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west southwest at ten to twenty knots, all of the strongest wind occurring in the morning. Seas were chops of four to six feet diminishing to two to three feet by the early afternoon. The sky was clear all day, the air temperature was warm and the visibility was excellent. The surface water temperature on the fishing grounds reached a high of 64.7°F. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 73°F (with a low of 56°F) today. In Boston, Massachusetts the high was 75°F (with a low of 59°F) today. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 72°F (with a low of 46°F) today. The fishing was good overall. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. Legal landings also included twenty-three cod, twenty-four pollock, four redfish, six cusk, four white hake, a sea raven, a cunner and a dogfish (released). They drift fished and anchored. All terminal gear worked well.
Steve Kaczala (NJ) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with fourteen legal and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 24.5 pound pollock, a half pound shy of a Maine state trophy. The second largest fish was a 21.5 pound pollock caught by Sianna Ransohoff (ME). This is the largest fish that she has ever caught. Captain Ian took a picture of Sianna holding her pollock. This digital image appears on the right. Bryan Lewer (FL) caught the third largest fish, a 20 pound cod, the largest cod of the trip. His keeper count was ten.
Other Angler Highlights: Marian "Merv" Murphy (NH) was second hook with twelve legal. Some of her better fish included a 12 pound pollock, a 10.25 pound cod and a 17 pound pollock. Her dory mate, Brian Murphy (NH - www.fishtunes.net), was aboard as well but spent most of the day "riding the pine plank". Normally, Brian takes Steve Kaczala's position. Sue Utterstrom (ME) caught a 12 pound pollock and a 16.5 pound pollock, her two biggest fish. Buzz Leonard (ME) caught a 13.5 pound pollock and a 13 pound pollock. Ron Fields (OH) caught a 12 pound pollock. John Warden, Jr. (ME) caught the largest white hake at 14 pounds. Gleason Allen (ME) boated an 18 pound pollock, his largest fish of the trip. Mark Hesselink (NJ) landed the hard luck award for breaking his fishing rod. And that's all I'm going to say about it.
The fishing was good overall and better than yesterday's trip by a fraction. The fish were smaller overall but there were more of them. Most legal fish landed were cod followed closely by haddock. Legal landings also included eighteen pollock, four redfish, twenty-four cusk, four white hake, four dogfish (released), a sculpin and a sea raven (released). They drift fished and anchored. All terminal gear worked well.
Norm Herrick (MA), Robert Herrick (MA) and Zach Freitas (MA) probably all tied for high hook with about fifteen legal each. Zach won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 13.5 pound cod. He also tied with Robert and Norm for second place in fish size. All three had fish of 13 pounds. Zach's fish was a pollock, Robert's was also a pollock and Norm's was a white hake. Norm's largest pollock weighed 12 pounds. Robert caught a 12 pound cod which he released back to the ocean alive.
Other Angler Highlights: Matt Freitas (MA) caught an 11 pound cod, his best fish. Nick Juiliano (ME) caught a 10 pound cod. Fran Sweenor (NY) boated a 12 pound pollock. Tom "Lil' Buck" Fale (NH) caught the largest haddock at 6.5 pounds. Tom's haddock should have been a trophy fish. It was all of twenty-nine inches long but very thin and all head. If it had been anything close to normal for girth matching length, it would probably have weighed 9 pounds. Walker Fleming (ME) landed the hard luck award for being the only angler not to catch a fish!
Don Jensen (MA), not to be confused with Jackie Jensen the Red Sox right fielder/slugger in the '50's to 1961, donated $25.00 to my Pan-Mass Challenge fund raising bicycle ride today. Thanks so much, Don. Great talking with you today.
We have several future dates in September on the Bunny Clark where spaces are available on some of our best trips (the extreme day trips and the marathons). First, the extreme day trips:
September 8: Seven spots available
September 21: Seven spots available
September 23: Thirteen spots available
September 28: Two spots available
September 30: Seventeen spots available
For September marathons:
September 22: Five spots available
September 27: One spot available
