Tuna Fishing off Cape Ann
 

Tuna fishing off of Cape Ann since the weather broke so the guys could get out on fairly calm seas this past week, proved to be a bonanza for the tuna fleet....some of the best fishing in a long time...boats were lined up waiting to take their fish out with a local dealer, averaging taking out a dozen fish or more a day....one boat took out four fish on Wednesday....a friend of mine hooked one within 5 minutes of putting his line out on southern Jeffries about 15 miles and dressed 407 pounds.....:)

It's been a good season
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That bite has been special. Most boats getting fish. Plus its a quick ride too.

I'm thinking the quota is going to close and I won't get my shot at the Hudson again.
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the mid water trawlers started last nite(friday) at midnight in this area so there goes the good tuna fishing

Well at least they let them spawn out first
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Is over.!!!!!
Many of you, like us, have enjoyed the great fishing on southern Jeffries the last few weeks. This bite as chronicled in the Gloucester Times, Salem News and Boston herald, has been one of the best inshore tuna bites in recent times. Boats from all over New England came to gloucester, buying fuel, tackle, slippage and patronizing local business. Another group of boats from all over New England converged there last night the pair trawlers and herring seiners. As a board member of ABTA in conjunction with the choir coalition, we fought long and hard to exclude these vessels from the inshore gulf of Maine for the summer and spawning season of Atlantic herring. The southern Jeffries bite is entirely predicated on the presence of these spawning herring, which arrived this year in good numbers and drew the tuna, as well as millions of cod, haddock, whiting, whales, dolphins, porpoise and seals.
After last night, when no less than eleven 150 plus foot boats descended on that bottom to catch their entire area 1A quota out of one little spot five miles off shore, there will be nothing left. This is an area where currently a recreational angler is not allowed to catch cod or haddock with a jig for fear of their stocks collapsing. This is an area where gillnetters have been forbidden to fish in the fall due to fears of interaction with dolphins and porpoise. But management thinks its fine that the entire herring fleet towing mile wide nets in 150' of water of 5/8 inch mesh at seven knots is a good way to harvest the inshore herring resource.
Disgusting. When management didn't realize the big draggers would pound the bank all winter under catch shares we all lost our ground fishery. And now we watch as their lack of foresight or care for the resource wipes clean the inshore bottom. Goodbye great heralded bite of the decade, anyone think the papers will publish a story on the heaps of dead by catch drifting around Jeffries this week?
As reported by Firstlight Anglers
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Was up there last weekend and saw the boats hanging around all day.
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Sucks to hear, but good post Buckman, that's a damn shame.
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Had a nice outing in the PH area yesterday.
lots of fish around of all sizes.
bon apetit

This interests the hell out of me. :bl:

I hope to be out there if weather holds either Tues or Wed trolling around.
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Herring boats in our area (area 1A) will be restricted to 2,000lbs a day come Sunday. they must have filled the quota
http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries...closurephl.pdf
http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries...ng2_5-8-07.jpg

Was told they are done for that area. Quota filled.