We really wanted to fly to Boston.  However, due to our usual last minute planning and preparations we ended up driving.  Rich, myself and crew member Charlie Steele braved wet roads and Memorial Day madness to arrive in the Boston area around 9pm.  The rest of our crew was at least two hours behind us.  Our guest, Pete Santini, owner of Fishing Finatics and the inventor of the Santini tube lure, invited us to his parents house for a home cooked Italian dinner.  We were treated to one of the finest meals any of us had eaten in recent memory, complete with homemade wine.  Pete told us about the incredible comeback the flounder and cod have made in the Boston area.  The harbor was once again a vital and productive place.  We went to sleep that night thinking of our earliest fishing memories, many of which involved trips with a parent or grandparent, a box of worms, a box lunch and the excitement that comes from catching your first fish. 

The harbor was quiet as we motored away from the Admiral’s Hill Marina and the only activity seemed to be the planes landing at Logan Airport.  We passed by the downtown skyline and a few minutes later we were anchored at Sculpin Ledge just off of Long Island almost a mile inside Boston Harbor.  Pete cut open a log of chum, threw it into a chum pot, dropped it down to the bottom and tied it off to the bow.   We baited each of our two flounder hooks with half a sandworm and put a strip of clam on the high hook for cod.  Our rigs hit the bottom and we proceeded to gently bounce them in and out of the mud.  It didn’t take long for Pete to hook the first fish, a fat healthy flounder weighing in at nearly two pounds.  Despite the overcast and often windy conditions, the bite remained consistent and we caught nearly 40 flounder up to 3 ½ lbs and several cod up to 10 lbs.  It was true after all, the fish were back!  

Beat that cabin fever!

The bite in Boston provides some of the most reliable early spring action inn the northeast.  Even when winter hangs on a little longer than it should, there are still fish to be caught.  The cod fishing goes throughout the winter, and as long as it doesn’t blow too hard, you will be able to get out.  The flounder bite begins in early May and continues until the waters really begin to warm up.

Locals know best

There are numerous places in and around the harbor area that hold fish.  The local tackle shops and charter captains are the best source of information.  If you have not fished the area before, make your first few trips with the local captains and get a feel for the area.  The charters are very reasonable and the fishing grounds are just a short distance from the dock.  As for most bottom fish, moving water, incoming or outgoing, produces the best results.  Most of the fish are found on or near ledges on bottom that is typically muddy, even though some of the harder bottom can also produce some good action.  Nearly all of the fishing is done at anchor.  If conditions permit, and they usually do, make a short trip offshore and get in some great cod action.  It is not unusual to catch fish in the 20-40 pound class. 

Stay chummy

Chumming is a very effective way to draw flounder to the boat and to keep them there until they discover your baits.  It seems that every local tackle has its own secret recipe.  An inexpensive weighted chum pot is the best way to keep the chum flowing.  The pot is loaded with a frozen log or block of chum.  It is then tied off to the boat and dropped to the bottom.  An occasional shake of the pot is all that is needed to keep it flowing.  If the chum has already has already thawed leave it in the bag and cut slits in the bag to release it.  The pot should be checked at regular intervals to make sure that it still has chum and that the chum is flowing.   

Cod surprise

There are nearly always good numbers of cod outside the harbor and on the local wrecks.  Many smaller fish in the 5-10 pound range can be found mixed in with the flounder especially on the pieces of bottom near the entrance to the harbor.  An additional high hook with a strip of clam is all that is needed. 

Bait, bait, and more bait

The action in the harbor is typically non-stop.  Put a couple of anglers in the boat, each with a two hook rig baited with half a sandworm and they will go through a lot of bait.  Most anglers buy an entire flat (144) of sandworms, a several chum logs and a couple of frozen containers of shucked clams.  There are plenty of other pesky critters that keep the action going.  If they get too numerous and the flounder are few and far between it is time to move to a new spot.  The sandworms are cut in half and threaded over the length of the hook.  The remaining portion of each half hangs off the hook and provides the action.  The clams are cut into pendant shaped strips and threaded a couple of times on the hook, with the bulk of the strip waving in the current.   

Rig for success

The terminal tackle rig for this type of fishing can get pretty fancy.  Some anglers use spreader bars, teasers, spinner blades and a variety of other rigs.  It seems that everything catches fish.  A simple and very effective rig consists of two 1/0 Mustad bait holder hooks on 10-12inch 50lb Fluorocarbon leaders.  Each hook is preceded by a yellow plastic bead which helps the flounder locate the rig in the murky water.  The leader of one hook is tied to the middle of the leader of the second hook.  The second hook is tied directly to the leader just above the sinker.  The sinker is attached to a 3-4ft length of 50lb Fluorocarbon leader by being slipped through a large dropper loop.  The large loop allows the angler to easily change sinkers.  Use the lightest sinker necessary to hold the bottom.  The leader is attached to the main line with an 80-130lb SPRO swivel.   A single 4/0 Mustad bait holder hook is tied to a standoff loop 2-3 feet above the sinker loop.  A pink, white or green plastic curly tail can be added to provide some additional color and action.  This rig has the minimum amount of hardware needed and will have the least amount of water resistance and the smallest chance of getting tangled.   

Braid is best

Braided lines provide and added advantage due to the thinner diameters and lack of stretch.  The thinner diameter provides less water resistance and allows the angler to hold the bottom with smaller sinkers.  The smaller the sinker, the more feel the angler has.  The lack of stretch also ensures that the angler feels even the softest bites.  However, much of the fishing is done in depths of less than 30ft and most good quality monofilament lines will work just fine. 

Tackle tossup

Both spinning and conventional reels are effective.  The conventional reels have a slight edge in that it is easier to let out small amounts of line to make sure that the bait is on the bottom.  Very little casting is done.  An occasional flip a few feet from the boat is all that is needed to effectively work the bottom.  Light tackle rated for 12-20lbs makes this fishing even more entertaining.  The cod will really push the lighter setups to their limits. 

To bounce or not to bounce

Often times a rod resting in the holder and a careful eye is all that is needed to catch these fish (including the cod!).  Most anglers prefer to bounce the sinker along the bottom and work a patch of bottom.  Each bounce of the sinker produces a puff of mud and that will attract the flounder.  Flounder typically feed on small shrimp, worms, shellfish and crabs right on the bottom.  They will investigate any disturbance or vibration to see if it is a feeding opportunity.   Flounder will often mouth the bait and the initial hit can be very subtle.  A slight, slow lift of the rod is all that is needed to detect their presence.  If any additional weight is felt, a short, sharp strike will drive the hook into their mouths.   

First timers

This is a great way to introduce new anglers to the sport.  The consistent action and minimal skill requirements guarantee a good day.  Pick the right day and save those sloppy days for the diehards.  The weather seems to have little effect on the bite, even though most of the local pros prefer the bright sunny days.   

Believe