SUBJECT: STELLWAGEN BANK,MA-Cod & Haddock-4/19/2008

Submitted by B-FAST CHARTERS/Capt. Mike Bartlett (66.82.9.81) from MASSACHUSETTS on

STELLWAGEN BANK, MA-Cod & Haddock 4/19/2008

After a relatively slow start, both the weather and the cod fishing have reached their typical spring potential. Acres of sand eels and herring are on the shoal-water on top of the bank with gannets and seabirds diving making for easy fishing in the 100-150 ft depths. Limits of cod have been the rule using jigs and teaser rigs. These 8-15 pound codfish are coming over the rails with full bellies, and spitting eels and blue-back herring on the decks. There is so much bait the that bite has been shutting down early as the fish gorge themselves. Haddock are in the deeper water to the east, and that fishing should steadily improve.
Dave Killiany`s group from Winchester, CT and Norman Sharp`s group from E. Orange, NJ had great trips on Saturday jigging in the shaol-water and filling the coolers with cod fillets. This blitz has been going on for a few weeks, everyone is on the fish including the headboats from Hyannis and Gloucester, and as long as the bait holds this easy shaol-water jig codfishing should continue.

Capt. Mike Bartlett
B-Fast Charters
www.bfastcharters.com