Hell-en H Offshore Cod Trip, Sat. 12/15/07

[fishpoopoo]

what was the skipper thinking, going out on saturday? maybe i should have listened to bassmaster, who beseeched me not to got out on this trip.

we caught fish, but was it fun? i don't know.

boat left at 4 a.m. saturday morning for george's bank and came back at 8 p.m. none of us got any sleep on the way to the boat.

it was billed as an "extended trip," whatever that means.

in the morning, seas were about 5-10 feet, with the wind coming at you at a nut-chilling 15-20 MPH (20-30 deg F w/o the wind).

the wind, according to the skipper, was supposed to lay down by the afternoon.

it didn't happen. later in the afternoon, as a noreaster was creeping in, we had waves that were easily 15-20 feet in height, with the wind gusting to at least 30 mph. well before that time, i'm guessing half of the 50 or so fares got sick and called it a day, seeking refuge inside the boat.

i felt somewhat bad for a father and his whiny 10 year-old kid, who gave up earlier in the trip and were basically confined to the inside. i wonder what that father was thinking bringing a young kid like that on an ordeal like this. he said "the captain personally PROMISED him the wind would lay down." i made the mistake of sitting near the kid, he on me. thank God for Grundens.

how bad was it? the bow was buried on a number of times. we got banged around on the increasingly slippery deck like rag-dolls.

anyhoo, it was a steady pick if you were able to work at it. i fished every drift and managed about 30 fish for myself (22 inch min, no bag limit) and threw back another 10 undersized fish. mostly cod - no haddock etc. a few tinker macks brought over the rails. the cod were spitting up sand eels.

i was eyeing some guys who were consistently getting double headers. they appeared to be using chartreuse colored jigs and teasers. BTW, you needed at least 20 oz to stay on the bottom, any less than that you were wasting your time.

FWIW, the mates were awesome and very attentive to calls for "gaffs!" and were adept at fixing tangles. Kudos to them.

the 4.5 hour ride back was pretty uncomfortable, with the bow rising and dipping 10-15 feet, i felt like i was on a roller coaster. i hate roller coasters.

the cabin was freezing on the way back. everyone felt cold and clammy despite layers of dry warm clothing. we were never so happy to get back to the dock.

i don't honestly know if i had "fun," like i did with Captain Mike B. on the Ave Maria in prior fall trips (that was FUN!). sure, the thrill of the first fish was awesome and that kept me warm throughout the afternoon.

but it seems this trip was (literally) a trial of intestinal fortitude rather than a recreational pastime. and i am a winter party boat veteran. you had to prepared to deal with cold, violent seas, confinement in close quarters for 18 hours, motion sickness, even boredom. if freezing and getting banged around on the deck living through a mini version of "The Perfect Storm" is anyone's idea of fun, i'd have to say they're masochists.

after the trip, i was so beat up and exhausted i couldn't drive all the way home. i had trouble keeping my eyes open after i got off the dock at 8:30. Sorry Dave, I was so beat I didn't have the energy to swing by like I said I would.

i went, i fished, i may have gotten my money's worth.

was it worth the $195 fare, considering we didn't get an extended trip out of it? i don't know.

i think the captain made a big mistake to go out in this weather, and just about everyone i spoke with on the boat concurred.

anyhoo, hope you find these notes helpful.

my takeaways:

Don't rely on what the captain says. Assume he's wrong. If he says it's going to be okay, plan on the weather being lousy. Plan accordingly.

1). Don't, under any circumstances, bring young kids on these kinds of winter extended offshore trips. When your son is screaming "I HATE I HATE I HATE IT" and you're only 1 hour into a trip, you are in for a long day.

2). Take precautions for motion sickness. I don't think dramamine or bonine helped that much for the people who took it. the Rx transderm scop patch is worth every penny you spend on it.

3). You can't layer enough. Long underwear, fleece top and bottom and thermal socks are a must. So are Grunden's slickers!

4). On windy days, a hat / balaclava is a must have.

5). My Aquaskinz gloves acquitted themselves wonderfully on that trip. Stayed reasonably warm and dry, and even after handling piles of fish guts, my hands were surprisingly clean underneath. I'm definitely getting another pair!

6). Everybody is cold, sick and miserable. You're stuck there, make the most of it. Fish. It will take your mind off of the pain.