Saturday morning’s 3/4 day trip was again great. We left the dock under perfect weather, smooth sailing and a eager group of anglers. We steamed to where we have been having great success most of the year. As we steamed up on the bank, the fish finder lit up with echos signaling a good group of fish. Though not where we intended to start our day, we decided to throw anchor and see what it was. Red fish, red fish and more red fish, with a few haddock in the mix, but really, we took just under 100 red’s in 45 minutes on that spot. We left the red’s biting and steamed to our original destination where we had a pick of haddock, pollock, cusk, and mackerel. Pool winner was Wayne’s 7lb bull haddock. There was a larger cusk, but was not in the pool. The steam back to port was comfortable, the last fish was cut as we passed through the bridge.

Saturday afternoon’s 1/2 day trip started as the morning ended under smooth sailing conditions. We had a fairly light crowd as we sailed to a similar location as Thursday’s very successful 1/2 day trip. The fish were there, we had a little current that negatively impacted the catching for some. Our resident jig fisherman had a fish a cast all afternoon boating 3 keeper pollock, 4 keeper haddock, a bunch of mackerel, and an assortment of cod up to 9 lbs, all released alive. Bait did not have the same appeal to these fish and the catching of keepers was a little on the slow side for most of the boat. We also caught a wolf fish to scare our younger anglers with and was released back alive. The winds picked up during the afternoon out of the southeast which made for a 2 to 4 foot chop and a couple larger rollers for the ride home.

Sunday’s Father’s Day trip was cancelled due to the remnants of TS Bill passing through the area, with heavy rain, strong winds, seas of 4-6′ and chilly conditions just didn’t seem to make sense. I just took a ride along the coast, and I am happy with our decision. 

This week, we have an All Day Trip scheduled for Tuesday and Friday and the 3/4 Day for Saturday morning.  Please call us at 978 559 1978 to make your reservation.

From the Deck of the M/V Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

Monday June 15, YES!

Today we had a private charter. We left the dock in heavy rain. We had the rain during the first half of the morning, the ocean was calm, by afternoon it was a heavy mist, light rain. We got our quota on haddock along with a few cod, nothing too big, but fun to catch and release. The haddock were some of the largest we have seen this year on a full day trip. Weather was not good, fishing was just the way we like it, more keepers than throw backs.

Thursday, June 18th  Half Day Fishing Trip!  HALF DAY SUCCESS!

We ran a rare midweek ½ day trip today and it was fantastic. Action from start to finish with over 50 keeper haddock landed and many cod caught and released to keep the activity going. The weather was perfect, the fishing great, a super combination for a Thursday afternoon.

We still have room this weekend if you are looking for something fun to do with the family.

This week we have the following trips available:

Thursday – Half Day Fishing  1:30pm – 6pm
Friday – All Day Fishing 7am – 4pm
Saturday – 3/4 day Fishing 7am – 1pm
Saturday – Half Day Fishing 1:30pm – 6pm
Sunday – Father’s Day Special – All Day Fishing 7am – 4pm

Give us a call at 978 559 1978 to make your reservations now!

From the Deck of the M/V Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

Saturday June 12th, 2015

In the morning, we had a private charter 3/4 day trip. We left the dock under cloudy, windy skies as a front moved through. We took a 2-3 foot sea out of the Northwest all the way to the fishing grounds. The first stop was a bit windy and the tide was screaming aft, but really it was a surface current, after 15 feet, everything went straight down. The bite was good for the first 2 stops. During the second stop, the wind died out, the sun came out and the bite faded. By the end of the trip, it was flat calm, bright sunshine and warm. The surface current had a big impact on our landings of legal fish and we also got inundated with those pesky cod fish (“Oh no, it’s another cod”), up to 12 lbs. Keepers included haddock, pollock, cusk, redfish, and mackerel. Not as many keepers as we like, but plenty of fishing action.

The afternoon 1/2 day trip was absolutely beautiful, weather wise. The fish were waiting for us, just not willing to bite. The calm conditions of the ocean certainly negatively impacted out catch.  A few haddock, redfish and mackerel were included in the keepers. I am sure there will be better days ahead as we settle into the summer warmth.

Sunday June 13th, 2015

The morning started with a cool chill, but very calm conditions with light winds 5-10 knts. It was overcast most of the morning with a slight 1 foot ripple on the ocean. The current was not nearly as bad as yesterday. The first stop was a pick, we had a few keepers in the mix of cod and shorts. We made a slight move up the bank and it got much better.  I forgot how much I love the 3/4 day fishing grounds because of the variety of fish we catch. The second stop produced, keeper haddock, redfish, cusk, pollock, and some jumbo mackerel. After the bite petered out, we made one more move and got some of our largest haddock of the season. A 9 lb cusk won the pool, everybody left with fish and smiles. We came within a few haddock of our limit which is fantastic for a short 3/4 day trip. Really, a very fun trip.

The afternoon 1/2 day trip suffered from nice weather. We had a boat with enthusiastic kids, too bad the dog fish are not in yet, these guys would have loved that! Instead they got a few short fish and a few keepers. We tried a different 1/2 day spot today that has produced for us in the past, too bad it didn’t work out today, even with all the markings on the fish finder, it’s fishing. Talking to the kids, sounds like they had a great time, of course the adventure of an outing like deep sea fishing will create memories with or without the fish cooperating.

We are getting into our busy season at the Gloucester Fleet with many evening cruises, all day fishing, partial day trips. The boat has never looked better, we put a great deal of money toward a cosmetic upgrade. We have a little more work to do, but we are also making an investment into our rental equipment to try to improve our customer’s experience board the Lady Sea.

Trips are starting to book up fast on weekends.  Remember, we only put 40 people on the boat.  Call us at 978 559 1978 to make your reservation.  

Memorial Day

Another nice day aboard the Lady Sea. Feels like summer is here, at least on land, still need a sweatshirt on the ocean. a little bumpy again this morning with another nice ride home. Weather at the dock was warm, we felt it coming through the breakwater.

The fishing was good, catching was a little slower than it has been. The haddock were there, but the bite was a little slow. The whales from yesterday were nowhere to be found today and the amount of bait on the ledge seem to have dispersed. Fishing is strange like that, we left them biting yesterday, went back today and they just were not as interested. Most people had fish walking off the boat and better days ahead.

Some cosmetic maintenance this week, trips scheduled at the end of the week, forecast looks great summer like 80’s and calm.

From the Deck of the Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

A little bumpy out of the gate, brisk SW wind hit us on the keel making it a bit uncomfortable for some. As the day passed, the wind quit, the chop settled down and we had a nice ride home. The whales are on Tillies, we saw plenty of spouts and a few fins break the surface.

The fishing was very good all day. The first couple spots a bit north of where we had been fishing produced some great cod, we hauled anchor and moved south. We picked away at the haddock all day, just as the haddock bite took hold, the cod would reappear, so we would haul and move. Overall, it was a great day, just shy of our limit, a couple dogfish and a wolf fish visited the deck and were returned to the ocean in short order.

Monday, Memorial Day, leaving at 7am, still a few spots available.

From the Deck of the Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

Our first marathon of the year, we waited and waited for the wind to subside, but at 5 am the NW wind was a steady 20+ knots with gusts in excess of 30, it would have been a challenge to safely get the boat off the dock and the cut bridge to Gloucester harbor would have been sketchy at best. After much debate, we decided to stay tied to the dock, just not worth risking the safety of our customers and crew. We apologize to them, but 12 hours of getting beat up by the ocean just didn’t make sense today. Better days ahead.

 We still have room Monday…..

From the Deck of the Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

Fabulous Friday. Lots of smiles walking off the boat today. Boat limit on haddock, a few cusk mixed in. Lots of fun with a few good size cod caught and released. The weather was great for a comfortable day of fishing and catching.

We have a full boat Sunday, but plenty of room still available for Monday, Memorial Day. Spring fishing at it’s finest, whales and other sea creatures still in the neighbor hood. Make it a combo fishing and the possibility of seeing whales, no promises either way, but a great opportunity to get out on the ocean.

From the Deck of the Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew

Opening Day, Friday May 15, 2015

Perfect. The newly painted Lady Sea made its first exit of the year bound for the fishing grounds under sunny skies, zero wind, and an eager group of regular Lady Sea anglers. On the ride we came across fin back whales, dolphins and basking sharks. The ocean was flat calm, so viewing of these bonus sights was fantastic. On the fishing grounds we found plenty of bait and plenty of fish. The anchor never hit the water, with zero wind, drift fishing was the only option. It was a constant pick throughout the day topping off our haddock limit on the final stop. A couple Pollock and cusk mixed in made the day great for everyone aboard. The first wolf fish and dogfish of the year entertained the younger crowd on board.

Saturday May 16, 2015 Charter

Our first charter of the year ran a trip to our ¾ day grounds. An eager group of school kids and chaperones visiting the Lady Sea for the 3^rd year in a row. Again, the weather was good. The fishing was good with a mixed bag of haddock, cusk and red fish. For this group, it is always about the experience.

Sunday May 17, 2015

Full boat Sunday. We left the dock in pea soup fog with visibility about 50 feet. We carried the fog all the way to the fishing grounds and most of the morning.  By mid-day, the fog burned off, and we had a perfect ride home. Again, it was so calm, there was no use for the anchor and lines tended perfectly. The fishing was steady with mostly haddock followed by cusk and a random pollock. We came up a few fish shy of our haddock bag limit. We saw the basking sharks again, but no whales with the thick fog.

The crew of the Lady Sea could not have asked for a more perfect opening weekend. There are plenty of fish around, we think even with the new regulations, more people will walk off our boat with fresh filets than ever before. We have a little boat maintenance to do during the first half of the week, but we are right back at it this weekend and the long range forecast looks perfect.

From The Deck of the Lady Sea
Captain Mike & Crew