I'm not much of a cod fisherman - I think I'm probably gonna spend the cold weather months gettin' ready for bass - my warm-up is usually trout until the striped ones show.
On the other hand, fresh cod is pretty danged tough to beat...
"There is no royal road to this heavy surf-fishing. With all the appliances for comfort experience can suggest, there is a certain amount of hard work to be done and exposure to be bourne as a part of the price of success." From "Striped Bass," Scribner's Magazine, 1881.