Conference wahoo::fishing

    Rick.
    I like the 14-16 oz Norweigen type jigs for really deep fishing
    with a teaser on the trebble hook.
    Also rig up a 4 ft leader of 80 to 100 lb test mono with one teaser
    on a dropper loop approx 10 to 12 in above your jig.
    The teaser can be a surg tube in any color. With a trebble hook
    in it.
    
    Be sure to make good knots and use good strong swivles on both ends
    
    
    The rods and reels and especially the lin supplied by a lot of head
    boats are of dubious quality, So if you can borrow one or if you
    have your one setup bring it.
    You may want to rig up 3 or four Jigs and teasers because if you
    loose one it will ruin your day if you don't have a spare.
    
                                        Good Luck
    
                                        Walt
    

    Generally, the amount of current around the bottom in the area
    you're fishing, will govern the jig size.  I tend to use 17.5 oz.
    stainless jigs, but that's mostly because I got a deal on a dozen
    of them in Lynn.  The party boat there advised me to use 14 oz.,
    but I like the bigger jigs for use off Newburyport and Maine.
    
    I have talked to oldtimers who have told me they've even used old
    automobile door handles drilled and outfitted with double treble
    hooks.  My thinking when jigging is the bigger the jig, the bigger
    the fish that'll hit it, but I've had Cod 3 lbs. take a 1 lb. jig.
    
    Carlo

re .0

	You said the guy catching all the fish was in the front of the boat.
I'm sure no expert, but all of my limited experience has been on the party
boats.  It is my observation that most of the fish are caught by people right
at the bowsprit/anchor line and those fishing off the transom.  I believe this
phenomenon is due to the current. The boat swings down-current of the anchor.
This means the guy in the bow gets first shot at fish following the current
(therefore more chance of hooking one) and the guys on the transom don't have
to deal with 50 other jigs/baits surrounding theirs because their jigs/baits
are downstream from majority (they also spend more time fishing and less time
untangling lines).  I always get to the boat early (at least an hour before
departure) and select the starboard corner of the transom  for my position.  I
always sharpen the hooks on my bait (jig or bait hook) on the ride out, this is
especially important with jigs because it increases significantly your chances
of foul hooking a 'curious' fish as well and the 'hungry' fish.  With the
exception of my last trip, I've almost always been in contention for the
lunker-pool and I've never been completely skunked. 

	If you're going to jig, buying or borrowing a rod/reel with dacron line
will increase your chances because the monofilament line supplied on rental
rods stretches alot when you've got 250' of line out. With mono if you lift
your rod 4', you've only moved the jig 2' (if you catch my drift).  Having said
that, I have been too cheap to spend $50 - $75 for a boat rod and have so far
depended on the boat rods for my catches.

	Good luck and have a great time.
					Al

    What do you use to sharpen hooks that big? A file or some off-the-shelf
    sharpener? If a file, what size and type?

     I use a regular old triangular shaped file. It works real well
    on medium to large hooks. You can use a bastard file, or any other
    file that is reasonably compact and has enough teeth to do the job. 
    
     They sell hook sharpening files
    for about $5-6 but you can get something that will work as well
    at a hardware store for less. The only thing to keep in mind is
    the longer the file, the harder it is to sharpen small hooks 
    that bend back upon themselves.
     
     I use a 16-17 oz jig unless I'm inshore, when I use a 6 or a 9.
    Guys who go on trips to Cashes ledge tell me that they use up to
    35 oz jigs- and catch monsters! Sounds like alot of work to me-
    jigging 2 lbs of lead for hours. But I guess the results speak for
    themselves.
    
    The Doctah
    

    	I recently heard of this but haven't tried it. A person in my
    archery league was telling me he places a long shanked hook on the
    front split ring of the jig (where you tie your line to). He then
    takes some clear plastic tubing and slides it over the hook so that
    it on the shank part of the hook. He takes a lunker light (small
    cyclume (sp?) stick) and slides it in the middle of the tubing and 
    ties off both ends of the tubing to keep the lunker light in place. 
    
    	He claims that they dramatically increase his catch. I guess
    this sort of makes sense when you think about how much light there
    is in 200'+ of water.
    
    Let me know if you wind up trying it and your results.
    
    RAYJ
    	The lunker lights can probably be found in sporting goods and
    department stores and were about $2 for a few of them as I remember.

    
       RICK,
    
           I've seen you fish.  I don't think jig size, or where you
    stand in the boat will make any difference for you.  You will
    be skunked like always.  Maybe if you went to the New England
    Aquarium and stood over the tank with a big net you might have
    some luck.  If you decide to go, give me a call, I'll come and
    take pictures.  Also freshen up on your sea sickness notes.
    I hear the water in those tanks can get kinda crazy sometimes.
    
    Yank em hard Rick.
    
    Fred

    Calume or hoewever you spell it?
    
    I just bought a doz. at Spags and have yet to try them out. They
    were under a buck each so I thought they would be a good thing to
    have on the boat for the following things.
    
    1) Tie one each to a life vest in case someone falls over at night.
         ( That makes a better target for sharks and bluefish )
    
    2) Use them while night diving to locate other divers and to scare
       yuppie yachters .
    
    3) Troll behind the boat for Tuna. I've got some green ones !!
    
    4) Never thought of jigging for cod with one? maybe try it for the
       Halibut!
    
    5) Great toys for the kids to play with instead of fire works or
       flares
    6) you could even tie a red one to port and a green one to starbord
       in case your running lights burnt out, or you are too cheep to
       have nav lts.
    
    7) they would make great markers on a chunk of foam for drift fishing
       a ridge at night.
    
                                   Any other uses????
    
                                       Walt
    

    re:9
    	Sounds like you bought the bigger version of the same thing.
    The ones that I had seen where only a couple inches long and about
    1/4" in diameter.
    
    	RAYJ

    Thanks for all the reply's to my note.
    
    	Advance Networks, out of Waltham chartered the boat for it's
    customers. We left thursday morning from Plum Island (Can't remember
    the name of the boat). It was a 78 footer with about 65 people on
    board. 
    
    RE. .1   Everyone on the boat was given a cod rig with bait. Before
    I left I bought a 21oz jig and a couple lime green teaser's. I
    had the mate tie me a drop loop which I connected the teaser to.
    I used the jig most of the day.
    
    RE. .7   I never had a chance to pick up one of those florescent tube's.
             The tackle store I bought the jig at didn't have any.
     
    RE. .8   Fred, next time I go I'll take you with me to show
             you how it's done. I caught 4 cod. One was 8.5 lb, which
             was the biggest fish caught on the boat. I won the $60.00
             pool with that baby. I won't be invited when Advance Networks
             goes out next year, they want to give there other customers
             a chance. I represented DIGITAL #1 again... 
    
    Rick L.                                             
    

    I carry jigs from 6 to 17.5 ounces on the boat and use several makes
    from chrome to stainless. I have caught many cod  that were
    considerably smaller than the jig they hit (yes a mouth hook).
    If you are fishing with many other people (party boat) it may make
    sense to use a heavier jig than everyone else since you will get
    to the bottom faster and therefore catch the fishes attention.
    On small boats I fish as light as I can get away with with the tide.
    After this year I favorite the 14oz stainless fishied with two tube
    teasers. Can't wait for the water to cool off so the cod come back,
    but with how warm it has been that will take until xmas.
    
    Bruce

    
    RICK,
    
         I have pictures of you at the New England Aquarium the Wed.
    night before you went fishing.  Sounds kinda fishy????  I take it
    the big net worked.  Give me $30.00 and I won't send the pictures
    to Advance Networks.
    
    
    Fred