I found this article about cod. They are catching some nice cod in Montauk now.
Cod And Whiting-Winter Favorites
If you have never tried cod fishing you may well wonder why any angler would leave a warm, comfortable room to venture forth on rough, cold and wintry seas. Yet anglers do go out in the winter, arid they are likely to continue doing so. Cod fishing has several appeals for salt-water anglers. First, of course, codfish provide the opportunity to do some fishing in the winter. Most other fish have gone south or into the deeper waters along the northern section of the Atlantic Coast.
But cod reverse the pattern and move inshore and become plentiful when these other fish are scarce or absent. Also, most bottom fish in northern waters are on the small side, rarely going over 5 lbs., but cod are big and catches over 5 lbs. are the rule rather than the exception. Cod are also fairly easy to catch and they make excellent eating. As a result of these appeals, many salt-water anglers become codfish "regulars," sailing on open party boats at least once a week when the cod are running.
Cod usually run from November to March in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey waters. Farther north and in deeper offshore waters you can also catch cod during the summer months, but here we are mainly concerned with winter fishing.
If you'd like to try cod fishing you probably have suitable fishing tackle if you do any fishing in salt water. Any strong, fairly stiff boat rod will serve the purpose. Some anglers use surf rods because they like the extra length of the rod tip. This keeps the line away from the boat and handles the long rigs more easily over the rail. Any salt-water reel which matches the rod and holds at least 200 yds. of line can be used for cod.
Today, the most popular line for cod fishing is a monofilament nylon line testing 30 or 40 lbs. Linen and braided-nylon lines are sometimes used, but the mono lines are best. They are strong and hold bottom better in the strong tides and currents.
When it comes to rigging for cod I personally prefer to use one hook on a 2-ft. leader tied a few inches above the sinker. But most cod anglers use two hooks, one tied just above the sinker and the other just far enough above the first hook to clear it. If the cod are running small you can use hooks in sizes 6/0 or 7/0. If they are running big, hooks in sizes 8/0 or 9/0 are better. You can use any strong saltwater hook, such as the Sproat, Harrison, O'Shaughnessy or Eagle Claw.
Sinkers of the "bank" and "diamond" shapes are generally used for cod fishing. In shallow water and weak tides you can sometimes get away with 6 or 8 oz., but in deeper water and in strong tides you need anywhere from 8 to 12 oz. to hold bottom.
The preferred bait for codfish is the big sea clam or skimmer clam, as it is known. The whole insides of one or two clams are placed on the hook with the point and barb exposed. However, if there are bergalls or cunners around, they will soon clean the hook, so many codfish anglers first put a piece of whelk or conch or a strip of squid on the hook. Then they add the clam bait on the same hook to make a combination bait. The tougher conch or squid lasts longer on the hook even when the softer clam has been stolen.
Spreader
Codfish anglers use a double-hook rig as illustrated by "A." They often use spreaders like the one illustrated by "B," instead of a three-way swivel, for attaching the hooks.
You can also catch cod on chunks or strips of fish such as mackerel, whiting or silver hake, ling and so on. Small whole herring and smelt can also be used as bait.
Codfish are usually caught in waters from 30 to 250 ft. deep. In New York and New Jersey waters, the fishing is usually done over so-called banks or shallow areas, where the water is usually from 70 to 125 ft. in depth. Cod are also found around sunken wrecks, rock bottoms, mussel bottoms and over kelp beds. Most of the time you have to go well offshore to find the most productive spots, but in some northern areas and when the cod are plentiful they come close to shore. At such times even surf anglers, jetty anglers, shore anglers and pier fishermen can take them.
Your best bet for a successful codfishing trip is to board one of the party boats which leave from many ports. In New Jersey such boats leave from Brielle and Belmar. In New York they leave from Sheep’s head Bay, Canarsie, Freeport, Captree and Montauk. Other boats leave from Rhode Island and Massachusetts sport-fishing ports.
Party-boat captains know the location of the best cod fishing spots and head for these areas. If the cod are scattered in a small spot such as around a sunken wreck, the captain may choose to anchor there. While anchored it is often a good idea to chum the cod with empty clam shells which have some meat left on them. Or you can crack the whole clams and throw them overboard to serve as chum.
Whether you are drifting or at anchor it is important to feel or bounce bottom at all times. Cod will sometimes take a bait several feet off the bottom, but best results are usually obtained near the bottom. Cod may grab the bait and then tug the bait or swallow it and move away. In either case you'll usually feel the fish. When you feel the first tug give the fish time to swallow the bait. Then lift the rod sharply to set the hook. On other occasions a cod may swallow a bait and then just lie there without moving. In this case it's hard to detect a bite. That is why many cod anglers raise and lower their rod tips at regular intervals to see if a cod has taken the bait. At the same time, this raising and lowering of the bait tends to attract the cod to the baited hook. And it helps keep the rig on the bottom because you can feel the sinker bounce at regular intervals.
Once a cod is hooked it is rarely lost by having the hook pulled out of its mouth. Usually, the bait is swallowed deep and the hook is either solidly imbedded in the tough mouth structure of the cod or lying deep in the stomach. A long hook disgorger is handy to have around. You can easily make one from a piece of wood with a notch on one end.
However, you can lose cod, especially big ones, if you are too anxious. When a cod is first hooked it should be allowed to run or surge a few times until it quiets down. Then you can start reeling it slowly toward the surface. If it tries to dive or surge once more let it go a few feet. Then resume reeling in. If you are fishing from a party boat do not wait until the cod appears on the surface before yelling for the gaff. Do this when you figure the cod is a little more than halfway to the top. If you do, the mate or one of the crew will get to your side just as the cod breaks the surface.
Many party boats like this one sail from New York and New Jersey ports for whiting and codfish during the late fall and winter months.
Cod can also be caught by jigging with a diamond jig. Here you use jigs weighing from 4 to 8 oz. depending on the depth and strength of the tide. You lower the jig to the bottom, then raise and lower it quickly. The cod come to investigate and snap at the lure. Some anglers even add a strip of squid or clam to the diamond jig. In general, when you hook a cod on a jig or on bait in shallow water you get a better fight than in deeper water.
You can also catch cod at times by trolling deep—near the bottom—with metal squids, spoons or other shiny lures.
Cod are usually taken by mistake by fishermen trolling for striped bass or other game fish. However, you can often troll for cod on purpose if you use weighted or wire lines and spoons. It's a good idea to add a strip of squid to the hook and troll as slowly as possible.
One of the big appeals of cod fishing is the size of the fish. Fish running from 5 to 30 lbs. are often taken and fish up to 40 or 50 lbs. are not too rare. You only have to catch one or two big cod to feed a family. If you catch more than that you can feed the neighbors and friends. Or you can stack away cod steaks or fillets in a freezer for future eating. Cod can be fried, baked, broiled or made into a chowder.
But aside from providing some good eating a cod fishing trip can be fun and sport. Many anglers hesitate to try this type of fishing because they feel it's too cold to be enjoyable. The whole secret to withstanding the cold is to dress warmly with proper clothing. Nowadays this is a cinch, what with the availability of insulated underwear, boots, windproof jackets and parkas. Add a heavy hat or cap with ear flaps and a good pair of gloves and you will be all set for several hours of cold-weather fishing.
Of course, it's a good idea to pick a day that isn't too cold or windy. Of the two, the wind is the worst spoiler of cod-fishing trips. The cold itself doesn't offer much of a threat, but the wind can make things tough and ruin the fishing. If the wind is too strong from the wrong direction it can create rough seas with big waves. Drift-fishing will be out of the question because the boat will move too fast and you won't be able to reach bottom or stay there long. It may even be tough to hold bottom while at anchor since the boat may move and drag the anchor.
That is why I personally like to fish for cod from a party boat during the winter. If the weather looks good when I get up in the morning I can drive down and board such a boat. If it looks bad or doubtful I can call it off for the day. Sooner or later, if you wait long enough you can pick a day with fine weather and little or no wind. That is the time you can go out and really enjoy cod fishing.
Another winter favorite in North Atlantic waters is the silver lake (Merluccius bilinearis), better known in New York and New Jersey waters as the whiting. It is also called frostfish, New England hake and winter weakfish. It is a member of the hake family which is closely related to the codfish family.
The silver hake is a slim fish with gray-brown back, silvery-iridescent sides which give off a golden reflection, and a white belly. It has a very large mouth and head with tiny, needlelike teeth on both the upper and lower jaws. If you are familiar with the general shape and outline of the freshwater fish known as the walleye, you'll have a pretty good idea of what a silver hake looks like.
Silver hake or closely related species are found in many parts of the world. They are present in the Pacific and in European waters. The Atlantic species are found mostly in offshore waters from the Grand Banks to the Bahamas. They also range widely in the depth they swim at and they are often found near shore, both on the surface and near the bottom in depths up to 1,800 ft.
A big cod like this 30-pounder will give you a good fight. It was taken on one of the Sheep’s head Bay, N. Y., boats.
The amazing thing about silver hake is their sheer number. They often pave the bottom over vast areas where millions of pounds are caught by both sports and commercial fishermen. They are true "pan fish of the sea"—winter variety —and they are plentiful and easy to catch. Yet, like most salt-water fish, they are subject to cycles of scarcity and abundance. During some years they will be numerous in certain areas; then they will become scarce for several years.
The real season for silver hake in New York, New Jersey and southern New England usually starts in November and lasts into December and often January. Then it slows down a bit, but party boats fishing in deep water often catch them all winter long. In these waters there's also a spring run in March, April and May. In deeper offshore waters they are sometimes caught as late as June and July. And farther north from Cape Cod to Canada silver hake are often present near shore during the summer months. They are abundant in the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy during the summer months.
However, most of the fishing for silver hake is done during the winter months, when other species are absent. The fact that they are caught close to shore also makes them popular with salt-water anglers. They can be caught from piers, bulkheads, bridges, breakwaters, jetties and any other location where you can fish in a few feet of water.
For many years one of the favorite spots for silver hake has been the Steeplechase Pier at New York's Coney Island. New Jersey anglers have several private and public piers where they can catch silver hake. One of the best known is the Recreational Fishing Pier at Long Branch, but you have to pay a nominal charge to fish from this pier.
You don't need fancy or special fishing tackle to catch silver hake. In fact, not too long ago many anglers fished for them from piers with hand lines, and a few old-timers still use them, although most people now use fishing rods of various types. The most popular is a light salt-water boat rod or medium weight salt-water spinning rod. The reel, of course, should match the rod.
When rigging for silver hake you can use up to three or four hooks on snells or short leaders equally spaced above each other on the line. The best hooks are those with long shanks, such as the Carlisle, Aberdeen or Pacific Bass, mainly because the silver hake has sharp teeth and often swallows the bait.
For whiting or silver hake a multiple-hook rig is often used. If they are biting well you'll sometimes catch two, three and even four fish at a time.
When the silver hake are running small you can use 2/0 or 3/0 hooks. When they are running larger, you can use 4/0 or 5/0 hooks. The weight of the sinker will depend on the depth of the water and the strength of the tide. If you are using light spinning tackle, you can often get away with 2 or 3 oz. of lead. Heavier tackle and lines call for 4- or 5-oz. sinkers.
The best baits for silver hake are spearing or silversides and sand eels. These two bait fish are often sold by bait dealers and tackle stores where the whiting are running. Fish markets may also carry them at times. These bait fish are usually hooked once—through the eye. (Sand eels can also be pierced through the eye.) Next the bait is slipped up the shank of the hook and the point and barb imbedded into the body near the tail. Large sand eels are often cut in half before being used.
Almost any large fish like a herring or mackerel, can also be cut into strips and used for bait. In fact, most anglers wait until they catch the first silver hake, then cut it up into strips and use it for bait. It's tough and lasts a long time, and the greedy silver hake grab it, as well as practically any other bait.
The best fishing for silver hake usually takes place on cold, crisp, clear nights when the water is fairly calm. Along the Atlantic Coast this often happens when the wind is from the north, northwest or west. If the water is very rough or dirty it will usually keep the fish in the deeper waters offshore.
When fishing from a pier, bridge, dock or elevated spot try to pick a location near a light. The light will attract bait fish and they in turn will draw the silver hake, which can often be seen darting around just below the surface. Some anglers bring their own lights and suspend them near the water to draw the bait fish and silver hake.
When the silver hake are present in large numbers you don't have to wait long for a bite. You can feel them take the bait. Most anglers set the hook and reel the fish right in, but many of the more experienced set the hook and let the line remain in the water. Then when they feel another bite they set the hook again. This way they often get 2, 3 or even 4 fish at a time.
On nights when the fish are running well almost everyone can catch a good mess with little trouble. But on certain nights when the fish are scarce or wary, there's one trick which often brings more bites. This is jigging the line up and down in short, rapid lifts of the rod tip to give the bait some movement. Something else you can try is casting the bait some distance away from the other lines in the water. This way you increase your chances of getting strikes. The fish present are more apt to go for your bait if it is not surrounded by competition.
The silver hake is not a heavyweight—it usually averages less than a pound. Some may reach 5 or 6 lbs., but anything around 2 or 3 lbs. is considered a big fish. When hooked they haven't much power or speed to make long runs, and they usually circle around or run off to the side for a few feet. Most anglers haul them in without much ceremony. This is especially true if you fish from a high pier or bridge and use heavy sinkers, but if you get close to the water and use light spinning rods or fly tackle you can have more fun and sport.
In recent years more and more party boats have been sailing during the winter months from New York and New Jersey ports for silver hake, for they are usually more numerous than the cod and easier to catch. But on many trips you'll not only catch the silver hake, but cod, ling and blackfish or tautog as well. In deeper water the silver hake bite in the daytime and run larger than those caught from shore.
On the larger boats you usually have enclosed cabins, snack bars and other comforts which enable you to get away from the cold, but the best way to beat the cold is to dress warmly. Hot drinks also help to warm you up. Of course, when the fish are busy biting without too long a wait in between bites you'll soon forget about the cold. You'll be too occupied with taking them off the hook and baiting up again to pay much attention to the cold.
The nicest part of a silver-hake fishing trip comes later on or the next day when you sit down to eat your catch. Silver hake have a soft, flaky, delicately flavored flesh which is not as dry as cod or haddock. But they should be eaten as soon as possible after being caught. You can fry the small ones whole or cut the larger ones into sections. A silver hake has very few bones after you have removed the backbone. Man! After a day out in the open you can really put away a lot of fish. So eat heartily because you can always catch plenty more of these winter pan fish.
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Originally Posted by mick2360
I enjoy my marriage. It has, however, cut down on my fishing time.
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