Has Anybody Been Out On The Frances Fleet?

[fishweewee]

I'm jonesing to get outta here...

[tlapinski]

i was planning on going this weekend, but they are not sailing. they haven't been out in a while. hell-cat is running this weekend, but i have never been on that boat. a friend of mine had a bad time on a bluefish trip once with them. i guess they are running over to montauk for cod. 2+ hours each way, 5 hours of fishing. $45. i got the itch too! may have to go stare at the fish in Mystic......

[chris L]

good boats Ben and the captains are good people . Stop in at the diner right at the boat for breakfast before heading out . The Helcat is another good boat . I used to party , I mean fish on party boats for a long time before I got heavy into the surf thingamabob . I have used the Francis Fleet , super squirel , 7 b's out of RI and the mijoy , blackhawk and helcat out of Ct . The travel time is less sailing out of RI than CT even with the extra road mileage .

[fishweewee]

Thanks guys.

Toby - they aren't sailing b/c they're iced in? I tried giving them a call but got no answer.

-WW

[Scotch Bonnet]

Salt Ponds are SOLID.

[tlapinski]

FWW - yeah, that is what i was told. it will be warmer for the next few days, so it is a possibility that they will sail. are you still giving the surf a shot this weekend?

[fishweewee]

Toby - check yer pm's.

[Squid kids Dad]

I have been out with The Hell Cat several times..Never had a problem and never got skunked..But was always in warmer weather tho

[thewaterfordstriper]

did a trip with them couple years back. they do a nice job for a big boat.

[Mr. Sandman]

I have gone a few times with a big bunch of kids. Everyone has a great time.

They generally are on the ball and know exactly where to take you. I took some children in my neighborhood 1/2 day fluking 2 summers ago and it was a perfect trip...lots of big fluke and calm waters...lots of smiles...I know I created a few fishermen that day.

A year or so ago though one of the boats caught fire and they had to be rescuced a ways off of BI...CG send shot off a jet then the helo and the boat got towed in. I don't think anyone was hurt. (I think it was the one of the frances fleet)

The boats are CG inspected yearly.

[Gloucester2]

Close. It was a 'bit' off BI (like 80 NM). The Gail Frances blew a hydraulic line and sprayed fluid all over the engine. When they fired up the motors to head in (it was a Canyon Tuna trip) the fluid ignited.

The coolest part of the whole thing is they were rescued by the CG tall ship the Eagle which was on a training mission ! They were so far offshore the CG did not send another boat. Everyone was on the ship for two days until the Eagle finished its training and then brought everyone into a CT port. Frankie wanted to take the guys off the Eagle and get them home but the CG said "no, too dangerous to transfer at sea" so he towed the Gail home with everyones gear and the guys were bused from CT back to RI.

From what I heard, the crew did a great job in a difficult situation. Only injury I knew of was a guy broke his ankle when it was crushed between the tender and the Eagle as they boarded.

Best PR the CG had in a long time.

[Notaro]

Is that all Frances Fleet does? Just only fluke? But how big are they? Are you going there? Maybe? Maybe we can go on a trip together.

[Notaro]

Alternatively, you simply can charter 20-25 people for a half-day inshore fishing for seabass, scups, and flukes for $450 or for a full day fishing for blues, seabass, tautogs, flukes, and scups for $750. If you divide up either of those for 20-25 people. Then it should be great.