[Goliath]

Obviously got the idea for the thread from the previous one. Been fishing real hard for the last 7 years looking for a 50 lber. So far my best is 35 lbs. with others into the 30's. I have seen many 40+ lbers. but never had the good fortune to land one. Obviously must go north to better your chances but I am interested to hear from those who have actually done it. Pictures would be even better. Let's hear it from the diehards. By the way, if given the choice, take your pick: 50 pound linesider or 50 pound cod? I know where I go with that choice but something tells me I'd be in the minority.

Goliath

 

[614824]

may or june, north obviously, from a small piece that may only hold a couple of fish. just like blues the same size fish should be together, so if you aren't getting slobs...move. I haven't caught one over 35 either but that's what I heard from some people who did. those small pieces don't get hit as much.

I would say 50lb striper cuz: no matter where you fish thats still going to be extremely hard to do. Cod on the other hand, the further north you go the chances improve drastically. A mate from a charter boat I took once said that in Nova Scotia they don't really recreationally fish for them but divers have gone down on wrecks and seen many fish over 50..

 

[Codkiller]

Fish with a good captain in the right place at the right time and be very lucky. Fred Kunz who goes out on the Bunny Clark has 5 over fifty lbs all caught deep on a 16 oz angerman jig.
Fish deep and fish often.

 

[619627]

Goliath, one of the best codfishermen i know, CODKILLER, gave you the best advice for finding a 50lb cod. And to answer you question, what is easier to catch nowadays, i would say it is the 50lb Striped Bass. Cod over 50lb are very rare nowadays, and with topnotch wreck fishing boats such as the Viking Starship, Helen H and the Bunny Clark, having caught many fish of this size in the PAST, you best bet would be to make a number of trips with each of these boats during the season, and see how few of these trophy size fish come aboard. I have a very good friend who drags up north for cod on Georges, and he catches many cod, but very, very few fifty pound fish. Unlike years ago when Coxs Ledge gave up many of these fish everyday, now you would have to run off to wrecks, on the east side of the Great South Channel to have any chance to seeing one caught! But, you might get lucky in late November, when spawning codfishing move inshore off of Chatam. If you can find a charter boat from Hyannis to take you off, one hour from the shore, you just might get lucky!

EC NEWELL MAN*

 

[KILSONG]

I like fish from late November to January when the big cod move in to spawn. All my 5 cod over 50 lbs were caught during that time.

As EC stated big cod moves in off Chatham from late November to early December to spawn. That is where I caught a 58 lbs beauty on clam. That day I caught a dozen cod over 35 lbs. But the area has been overfished since and there are not many cod over 40 lbs anymore. Also the most of the charter boats from Hyannis, MA fish commercially during that time.

The other area I can recommend is the Wildcat Knoll area east of the Stellwagen Bank. I had a 50 lbs on jig and my friend had a 63 lbs on bait on the Big Mac from Green Harbor, MA last November. The Big Mac also had a 65 lbs two years ago at the same area. But because of the new regulation I don't know you can find any charter boat over there.

If you can not find a charter boat, the Helen H is a good choice. The Helen H produces a few cod over 50 lbs each winter.

k song

 

[Goliath]

As always, thanks guys. I do fish the Helen H about ten times per year and most of my big fish have been caught on that boat - the rest on the Starhip. What a shame the big fish of this species is on the wane. Some fish like porgies and sea bass seem to be getting BIGGER every year (I won't even whisper the name of a stubby looking buck tooth fish for fear of setting off a 13 page thread. What passion you guys have for tog! God bless ya). I'm a relatively young guy (35) but even I can remember big cod from Coxes Ledge in the 80's. I saw a few 50's back then but never caught a sniff of one myself. Hope springs eternal!

 

[Gamakatsu]

Bait or jigs for the big boys? Most of the beasts that I've seen caught came on bait. What do you guys think?

Gamakatsu

 

[Captneilf]

Hi all,

I can remember back in the 70s or 80s if your cod wasn't over 30 or 35 lbs you did not get mentioned in the fishing mags or newspapers. Nowadays 8 #ers are a highlight.

A few years back I saw the video of a cod trip to 'THE VALLEY OF THE GIANTS"!
In the middle of the winter guys fishing shirtless. Double headers, BIG COD, what slobs. They were having a ball. It looked like alot of hard work to me. This trip had Capt Paul Fosberg at the helm on the Viking.

I should buy that tape someday.

In this day and age can you imagine that the bait was lobsters!!!!! I guess that was before they became a delicacy.

Capt Neil

 

[togmaster]

60+ Cod

Well this was like in the late 80's when i used to fish commercially on the Helen H The guy holding the fish is 6'5" so this will give you an idea. He pined out my 50lbs scale with ease. The last 50+lber I took out of the south shore waters was in 1995 54lbs. They are not around anymore and if you find some there very rare! Water temps is the main culprit!

 

[Codkiller]

30 mile east of Perkins cove today in 101 fathoms,56 lb cod caught by Eric Abrams on the Bunny Clark day trip on a Norway jig. We also got many white hake to 39 lbs

 

[613084]

Awesome catch....I'm going out on the Bunny Clark this Sunday... ( Anyone else ?? )Been looking foward for this trip for a month now. Good Fishing to all !!!!!

 

[619627]

VALLEY OF THE GIANTS!

Codkiller that BUNNY CLARK cod fish is incredible. Thats a tackle buster. I happen to know the other fellow, and if anyone remembers him from his days working on the Helen H when it was in Sheepshead Bay knows, he was built like a defensive lineman. That trip Togmaster mentioned saw many big fish while fishing the Nantucket area in the eighties. It finally culminated with Joe Huck bringing his boat up north to Hyannis.

EC NEWELL MAN*

 

[Codkiller]

rogerpc, hold on to your hat and anything else you don't want to lose Sunday, looks like its going to blow!

 

[togmaster]

Great to see>>

Man are my eyes playing tricks on me or is that a 56lber.? Man great to see and great catch I would mount that baby may be the last one you see in a while or never again the way the fishing is these days. Good job Codkiller!

 

[KILSONG]

CODFISHING ON THE HELEN H AT ITS BEST

Years ago my friend who never fished before had a 68 lbs cod on the Helen H, which was weighed 24 hours after the catch. He had only 4 cod that day, but total weight was more than 200 lbs. The fish was not in the pool.

I believe the 62 lbs pool fish was caught by John from Sheepshead Bay and He also caught several fish over 50 lbs.

 

[KILSONG]

68 POUNDER ON THE HELEN H

 

[Codfisha15]

Hey roger pc i was on the bunny clark sunday. I was that kid who was sitting on the bench for the best drift of the day, but then went up to the bow and got the pool fish. And for the record, i was not seasick, I had been kept up until 3:00 am the previous morning by tim rider, a bunny clark mate, because he was really drunk and was throwing up all night. Wish I had been on that trip bob, kenton told me that ten of you got 69 trophies by 11:30.
See ya

 

[Codfisha15]

Just wanted to add that my biggest cod is a 43, and I agree that it is probably easier to catch a 50lb striper today than a 50 lb cod.

 

[619627]

Kilsong...that John you are talking about was in the picture...thats Sheepshead Bays, Johnny Pizza, who has done more cod trips with the Viking and Helen H then anyone i have known.

Thats a incredibly large codfish...was it caught in roughly 325 feet of water?

EC NEWELL MAN*

 

[616016]

50 lb cod

hey guys,
still alot of big cod up here. NH, Mass, and Maine. check out www.bunny clark.com I myself came close this year with a 46 1/2 lber. if anybody wants more info private message me as i moved up here from long island to get away from the crowds lol. good fishing to all. Dave