cod close to Gansett shore
 

I did a tautog trip out of Pt Judith today. First stop was just off the mouth of the Narrow River, not quite a mile offshore. Had a decent pick of tog and sea bass, when I hooked what I hoped was a 10 pound tautog, but was a nice legal cod. Caught one other there. I wasn't even thinking about cod for this trip.

Is this rare?

Making stock for tog chowder right now, using a tog carcass and a seabass carcass,

Used to catch cod from shore pretty regularly north of the cape before the stocks crashed. Don't know how common it is down there though
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I've caught them in the surf in ma, usually in spring. From what I've read/heard it used to be possible to get them in surf in ri late fall and winter. With stocks now, I'd say it's rare.
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Guys used to fish Q with atom 40's early early spring and catch cod. Also used to get them in matunuck /deep hole on clam bellies.
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Couple years ago early spring put in at Brant Rock hit every rock pile I seen on the chart all the way up to outside barhston,,,, not a touch :as::as:

Every fall they are regularly landed by anglers seeking tog in close to shore off the RI coast. It is nowhere near what it used to be, I have pics of cod in excess of 60 pounds landed from shore in SoCo, but it is still a welcomed by catch.

Every year I say I am going to give it a go, and every year I come with another excuse not to go. But it's stories like this one that keep it in the back of my mind... http://www.thefisherman.com/index.cf....1BfiayGb.dpbs

If you read the Frances Fleet reports they say they catch them almost every day.

For the past half dozen seasons its been more commonplace to catch them while fishing for tog near shore... but not from shore. Like Toby mentioned there was a time long ago when we targeted them from shore - best months were always late February through March. Quonny beach in south county, Sachuest Point in Middletown were the most popular locations. All nighttime action - fishing clams or squid on the bottom. My late casting partner Zeke Silva's largest surf fish for many years was a 41 pound cod from Sachuest. When he hooked it we thought he surely had an early cow bass. Nothing like illuminating a large cod in the wash with your neck light. Most fish were market size - under 10 lbs.

How bout we try to plan a cod fishing outing this spring. I don't know what tides or moon phase they prefer. Lets pick a date with favorable conditions and give it a shot.

Oh I'm in Rob. Years ago my old partner RJ and I fished for Cod on the beach West of Quonny in Feb. We never got any but it was a way to break up the Winter.

Lets face it there is not much to attract cod that close to shore in the dead of winter. Conditions we looked for were immediately after a good surf or hard onshore wind. Those conditions would expose and wash up surf clams which set up a natural chum slick would then serve as a reason for the cod to come close to shore. When the wind died out or turned northerly we fished. Two rods apiece spiked with fish finder bottom rigs and 5/0-7/0 hooks. Used a coleman lantern for light and hand warmth. Normally fished just after dark until 8-10pm or so.

Late 70's and early 80's did pretty good on market cod from the surf on PI.....miss that tasty fishing.
Barrel fires and cod, good times.
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Here is the cod caught by my good friend, less than a mile from shore. Other one we caught was almost a carbon copy. Had a nice mix of cod, tog, and sea bass on the c-devil, a great 6-pack boat and crew.

what a beautiful fish.
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It really is, isn't it?. How I wish I could have experienced the good old days. The one I caught yesterday was my first ever.

Go to Iceland ... Cod galore up there.
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just got a picture from a buddy with a nice cod taken from his kayak, not far from shore locally this morning.....you should get out the Eben

For reals ?!

Oh man. I should. I should... However I am in glass making frenzy mode until January.
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yeah, he was pretty psyched, first from his yak

4 ounce Hopkins NoEqls jigged when drifting between the R2 and R4 bouys were the ticket for cod back when I was permitted to fish in a boat ;)