Great day at Block yesterday (Friday)

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Don't have the numbers handy (they are on the boat) but most of the wrecks are on the north edge. Many of them have collapsed.

If any point you can write them down for me I'd appreciate it greatly.
If you prefer not, either for fishing or other reasons, I understand.

That aside, I am curious as to your thoughts why codfishing was so slow last friday. There seemed to be plenty of bait and seabass, as well as plenty of boats which I take as a sign fishing had been decent (although I suppose it might just be RI guys targeting seabass instead........but that seems like a long way to run for that).
Are the cod on the move off the ledge into closer/shallower waters (i.e., brown's, swledge, east grounds, sw shoal) as the water cools? I remember catching them by the dozen while trolling for bass at cuttyhunk years ago and used to jig for them later in October on SW shoal.
Does competition now with seabass drive them off into deeper water?
Are the cod there and it is just that the seabass get to the jigs/bait first?
Or is it just cod being cod and simply not biting on the day in question.

Fishing for seabass the last several years has reawakened my zest for vertical jigging. Although I have the wrong boat for it I had hoped to pick away at codfish this fall when weather permits.

[Rappin Mikey]

My grandfather (God rests him easy) held me by the feet over the gunnel when I was 5 or so to bring one of those turtles (obviously a baby) on deck. Cutest thing I ever held. I bet Ricky remembers that. He was probably 8 then.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by numbskull

If any point you can write them down for me I'd appreciate it greatly.
If you prefer not, either for fishing or other reasons, I understand.

That aside, I am curious as to your thoughts why codfishing was so slow last friday. There seemed to be plenty of bait and seabass, as well as plenty of boats which I take as a sign fishing had been decent (although I suppose it might just be RI guys targeting seabass instead........but that seems like a long way to run for that).
Are the cod on the move off the ledge into closer/shallower waters (i.e., brown's, swledge, east grounds, sw shoal) as the water cools? I remember catching them by the dozen while trolling for bass at cuttyhunk years ago and used to jig for them later in October on SW shoal.
Does competition now with seabass drive them off into deeper water?
Are the cod there and it is just that the seabass get to the jigs/bait first?
Or is it just cod being cod and simply not biting on the day in question.

Fishing for seabass the last several years has reawakened my zest for vertical jigging. Although I have the wrong boat for it I had hoped to pick away at codfish this fall when weather permits.

Remind me in the spring and I'll send you some numbers, they are on the boat and I don't intend to get back to her until springtime.

Were you jigging? For some reason, during the summer bait outproduces jigs out there by about 10 to 1. I don't usually fish out there after the middle of Sept., that's when the doggies move in and make bait fishing impossible. You're right for sea bass you'd have to be nuts to run to Cox's from RI, they are all around Block Island right now. But in the end who really knows why fish do what they do? If I had to speculate, I'd say that the doggies are harassing them and the sea bass are beating them to the jigs.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Remind me in the spring and I'll send you some numbers, they are on the boat and I don't intend to get back to her until springtime.

Were you jigging? For some reason, during the summer bait outproduces jigs out there by about 10 to 1. I don't usually fish out there after the middle of Sept., that's when the doggies move in and make bait fishing impossible. You're right for sea bass you'd have to be nuts to run to Cox's from RI, they are all around Block Island right now. But in the end who really knows why fish do what they do? If I had to speculate, I'd say that the doggies are harassing them and the sea bass are beating them to the jigs.

Thanks. The guy I was with fished bait but to no avail. No dogfish, however. I jig but use small wide butterfly jigs. Did pretty well on decent sized cod with them relative to the boats around me the prior trip at the end of August. Think I'll retry closer in (i.e., SW shoal) in a week or so.