Hello Everyone !There is not much going on in the fishing world except some cod fishing when you can get out. The Miss Jillian is out of the water for the winter anyway. Soon I am going to pull out the mechanical steering and install a new hydraulic system. Along with the new steering will be a top of the line autopilot that I hope to interphase with one of my Northstar GPS trackplotters. For the guys that want to go cod fishing, head up to the area off Cape Ann (Gloucester, Newburyport, Marblehead). I have heard the boats there have been doing extremely well. So well in fact, that the MA Division of Marine Fisheries has taken emergency action to restrict the commercial fishermen there. Apparently, there are huge aggregations of cod there and even though the commercial guy sets only one net, the potential to catch over the trip limit allowance for one day is quite real.
Yesterday, I heard male Red Wing Blackbirds calling in the pampas grass at the edge of Pochet Marsh. I guess they are staking out their territories, as are also the male cardinals. Seeing and hearing them perched atop the high points in their territory indicates to me that our winter is officially over. Within a month the first reports of striper schoolies and the "rumours" (the undocumented catches) will have started. I'm ready !
I have been taking deposits and booking charters at a steadily increasing rate lately. Yesterday, I mailed out a bulk postcard mailing to my customers and contacts from the last few years. The idea of the card is to remind folks to reserve their fishing days before they come down to the Cape for their vacations. It seems that a large number of folks are turned away because I am booked solid during the week that they are down. So when your postcard comes in the mail, stick it on the fridge door as a reminder, until you can sit down to decide which days you want to go. Once you know when you are coming for sure, call or email me to set up the day and time of departure. Remember tide is important, and we must plan the time of departure to make sure that we are fishing when the tide is running strong enough to get a good "bite". Then I will need a deposit of one third of the trips cost to reserve the date and time. Once you are in my book, you are ensured you will have the chance to go fishing with me. Of course there is always the chance that wind or mechanical failure will try to mess up our plans, but that is out of our control.
Thanks, and have a great day !
Bruce & the "Miss Jillian"
