Bunny Clark Fishing Update

A Not so Tim Tuesday, July 12, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 67°F, the sky was cloudless for the third day in a row, the wind was blowing out of the south at ten knots and the visibility over the ocean was very good in haze. It wasn't long, maybe two hours, and we started to see clouds as a part of the skyscape. For the most part, there was more blue in the sky than there was gray or white. At 5:00 PM, the gray clouds filled most of the sky. By 6:20 PM, we had our first thunder storm with pouring rain. We had quite a bit of rain until 8:30 PM and then intermittent showers with the occasional thunder, mostly heard in the distance. The wind was the factor today. Our umbrella for the parking lot attendants flew out of it's placement and damaged two motor scooters. Luckily, it didn't hit a person or a nicer vehicle. Wind speeds were twenty-five knots out of the southwest for most of the day. Offshore, seas got to six and seven feet every six seconds. This is not a pleasant chop to be in. The air temperature got up to 83°F in Perkins Cove. The visibility was good to very good in haze. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 89°F with a low of 67°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 90°F (with a low of 64°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 79°F (with a low of 63°F).

Not a single boat left Perkins Cove today. The three sailboats for hire tried it but stopped taking passengers later in the morning. The Finestkind Scenic Tour boats tried and stopped business for the day. None of the lobster or tuna boats left the Cove. Nor did any of the recreational vessels leave the Cove. Nor did we have visitors by sea to dine at the restaurants in Perkins Cove.

I ended up working on the engine and engine room from middle morning until 3:30 PM. I was lucky enough to get Power Products down to change out an oil line for the turbo. This job was under warranty and I was just waiting to get an opportunity to get them down there. Once all that was completed and the road tech had left, I spent the rest of my time cleaning the engine room to the point where it was spotless. This so if we did have a future oil leak I could more quickly notice it.

At 6:00 PM, I went into the restaurant to work until about 9:00 PM. Actually, in the morning, I had to take my son, Micah's, truck to pick up 200 pounds of lobsters. During the ordering the night before it looked like we had plenty for both restaurants so no order was taken. In the morning we noticed that there were only twelve 1.5 pound lobsters in the tank. Ouch. So right in the middle of the engine work I had to deal with that.

Gill is still improving and looks like the dog I used to know, albeit, a bit thinner than before.

I received a $25.00 donation from Jason O'Connor (ME) sponsoring me in the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Jay has been helping me in the cancer fight for many years now. And he has always supported my work in that arena. This donation was in honor of his young daughter, too young to comprehend donating but pointing her in the right direction at an early age! Thanks so much, Jay. Very much appreciated, as always.

Below are three shots of the double rainbow over Perkins Cove after the rain at 7:45 PM.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 68°F, the sky was cloudless for the fourth morning in a row (Are we in Montana?), the wind was very light out of the southwest, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was very good in haze. The wind blew up to about seven knots out of the south in the morning just off shore. Inland, it blew out of the northwest at ten to almost fifteen knots before flunking out completely. The afternoon gave us zero wind and flat calm seas along the shore, a perfect ocean with enough wind for sailing early and flat as a pancake for most of the day. The visibility was very good, at least. The highest air temperature in Perkins Cove, that I saw, was 84°F. There was little humidity. The sky was cloudless all morning with very few clouds in the afternoon. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 88°F with a low of 66°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 85°F (with a low of 66°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 83°F (with a low of 63°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five knots or less. The ocean remained calm all day. The air temperature had to be 80°F. The boat, essentially, was setting on a mirror of an ocean reflecting the clear skies and hot sun with no respite from the wind. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The tide (current) was strong. The water temperature reached a high of 64°F.

The fishing was tough or just fair. The weather looked like it was going to promote a dogfish slaughter and it pretty much did. Ian could not get away from them. Every spot had many dogfish. And the strong tide made it that much worse with the tangles. Having only two anglers on the boat would have experienced the same thing. The catching was good, excellent if you like catching dogfish. The landings were fair. Legal landings included thirty-four haddock, two cusk, fourteen whiting mostly of the 2 pound size and six mackerel. Released fish included well over a hundred dogfish, a small halibut, a mackerel and three cod of 5 pounds or more. No small cod were seen at all. Drifting was the method. Only bait and cod flies were used.

There was so much going on deck that Ian could not discern a high hook (an angler with the most legal fish). Cobb Caron (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 12 pound halibut. Ian took a picture of Cobb with said halibut. This digital image appears on the left taken with Ian's iPhone. It was quickly released alive and only weighed without measuring. The second largest fish was a 7.5 pound cod caught by Sophia Palladine (NY). Olivia Houle (MA) caught a 4.5 pound haddock, the largest haddock we have seen for a while. Ian didn't weigh the two other cod in the 5 pound range.

Other Angler Highlights: Cheyenne Chase (GA) landed the high hurler/hard luck award today. Enough said. Sometimes it doesn't matter the sea state. Or maybe it was the sight of so many dogfish that makes me sick every time that I see them! The biopsy came back on the tumors taken out of Gill. It was no cancer after all! I think we need a new vet!

Thursday, July 14, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 64°F, the sky was overcast, it had been raining earlier, there wasn't enough wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was good in haze. We never did get any wind all day. The wind was light from the north, no wind and then light from the south. The sky was cloudless until around 10:30 AM, when the clouds moved in for a bit. These cleared before noon leaving us with a mix of sun and clouds. Inland, it was humid, not so much along the coast. It was cooler in Perkins Cove than just a mile inland, around the mid 70s. The highest air temperature that I saw was 79°F. The visibility dropped to good in haze over the ocean. At 4:30 PM, we had thunder showers in Perkins Cove and a drenching rain. This lasted for about forty-five minutes but left the sky overcast for a time into the night. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 78°F with a low of 65°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 81°F (with a low of 59°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 62°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the north at five knots or less and then died out. The surface of the ocean was calm all day. The air temperature was hot, over 80°F on deck in the sun. Like any time that there is no wind and the sun is out in the summer, it can be very hot. And it was today. The air temperature under the canopy was just under 80°F. the visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was strong. The sky was sunny. The surface water temperature reached a high of 64°F.

The fishing was fair due to the numbers of dogfish but, mostly, because the current was so strong. This made it hard to hold bottom and created more tangles with the dogfish present. The catching was good, excellent if you included the short pollock and the dogfish. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed today were cusk. Legal landings also included forty-seven haddock, two pollock, a whiting and a mackerel. Released fish included thirty-five dogfish, no cod over 4 pounds, ten small cod, fourteen sub-legal haddock, seventy-five short pollock and a sculpin. Drifting was the method, mostly because it limited the number of dogfish caught. Bait worked best.

Ian couldn't tell me who was high hook. Again, there was too much going on to keep track. Juan Lopez (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 6 pound pollock. The second largest fish was a 4.5 pound cod caught by Jason O'Connor (ME). Jay Celuba (CT) caught the third largest fish, a 4 pound haddock.

Other Angler Highlights: Oleg Raylan (MA) landed the hard luck award for being involved in almost all the tangles today. Sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Captain Ian Keniston and Kai Rosenberg ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the northwest at ten knots or so as the thunder storms passed out to sea. They were almost on the grounds when the storms passed by. For the rest of the evening and for the whole ride in, the ocean was flat calm with zero wind. The air temperature was still in the high 70s with the calm ocean and the bright sun. The visibility remained at ten to fifteen miles in haze. There was very little tide. The surface water temperature reached a high of 62°F.

The fishing was excellent. The weather was perfect, there was no current to write about and there were zero dogfish. The catching was very good. Landings were good. Legal landings included eleven cusk and twelve mackerel. Released fish included four small cod, fifteen small pollock, two small redfish and a couple mackerel. Drifting was the method. Only bait and cod flies were used.

Linda Bebe (MA) was high hook with two cusk. Her largest was an 8 pounder, the second largest fish of the evening. Her other cusk weighed 6 pounds. Nine year old William Craft (NC) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cusk. Except for an earlier trip this season when Ian and I had the boat and caught a six trophy cusk, the 10 pounder would have been the largest of the year for us. The third largest fish was a 7 pound cusk caught by Janet Tuttle (NH).

Other Angler Highlights: Brian Devarney (MA) started off the boat pool with the first fish, a cod of 1.5 pounds. Carl Tuttle (NH) caught a 5 pound cusk, his largest fish. Becky Bebe (MA) caught a cusk that weighed 5.5 pounds. Fred Spring (GA) caught a 3.5 pound cusk. Philip Craft (NC) caught a 3 pound cusk. Erica Tuttle (IL) landed a 6.5 pound cusk, the fourth largest fish of the evening. Oscar Cabrera (MA) landed the hard luck award for being teased so often about his daughter being the better fisherman. There really was no hard luck this evening. Ian ran a great trip!

I received a generous $100.00 donation from Peter & Patti Vangsness (MA) sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge today. They made the donation through the PMC site as an "eGift". I was notified by PMC headquarters via email. Peter & Patti have been very generous over the years supporting the cancer cause through me. Thank you very much. I appreciate so much your help and thoughtfulness.

Gill is doing much better and will be going for a follow-up appointment with the Vet tomorrow. I was able to jump on the road bike before work, getting home at 11:30 AM to find Gill very happy to see me. What I didn't realize immediately was that the dog being a bit too nice until I saw the Pyrex pie plate on the floor in the den. Dick & Kathy Lyle (NY) had given me a rubarb pie to take home when the SOFT, that Dick was supposed to be sailing on, was canceled. Kathy makes the most wonderful pies. Anyway, I had been slowly eating it at night while watching the Tour de France replays on Peacock. There was a half a pie left. Or there was before I got home this morning. Gill had gotten up on the counter, taking the pie plate in his mouth, jumped down and carried it into the TV room. There he set the plate down as if I had put it there for him and ate the whole half that was left over. He had completed this task so delicately that there was not a trace where he carried the plate and on the floor where he ate it. I was disappointed to not have the pie. As soon as Gill saw what I saw in the den, he slinked off to the living room where I caught him and dragged him by the collar (no command would have worked at that moment) back to the scene of the crime and showed him what he should not have done. He was a sorry dog after that. But I think that he was secretly pleased with himself and acted like nothing had happened an hour later. He also wasn't sick or needing to go out anymore than normal either. Someone else just loves Kathy's pies! And, I guess, who could blame the dog!

Friday, July 15, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 61°F, the sky was clear, there wasn't enough wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was very good in haze. The ocean along the shore stayed calm all morning. If there was a wind it was out of the northwest. And it went flat calm for a while with no wind. The ocean along the shore was a mirror. After 3:00 PM, the wind, which was already blowing out of the southwest, increased to over ten knots. The sky was clear all day, cloudless all morning. The air temperature got up to 81°F. The visibility was very good with some haze. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 80°F with a low of 66°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 84°F (with a low of 53°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 57°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the northwest in the morning at five knots or less, went calm and then hauled out of the southwest at noon and blew up to five knots. The ocean's surface was calm. I believe it increased on the trip back to Perkins Cove but I never did confirm that with Ian. The air temperature never got out of the 70s. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The tide was moderate to reaching running river status. The sky was clear and sunny. The surface water temperature reached a high of 66°F.

The fishing was fair to good. The dogfish were back with a vengeance and the current was strong near the end of the fishing. The catching was very good, excellent if you included dogfish. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were pollock, by far and for a change. Legal landings also included twenty-four haddock, a whiting and twelve mackerel. Released fish included one hundred and fifty (more or less) dogfish, fifteen small cod, twenty-four cod of 5 pounds or more, ten sub-legal haddock, fifty-five or so small pollock and a mackerel or two. Drifting was the method. There were only ten anglers who used jigs and flies exclusively. This would also point to the lower haddock landings and the higher pollock landings today.

Dan Maynes was high hook with most legal fish. He would have also captured the Ace (the three biggest fish) had it not been for Rob Peeters. Dan's largest fish included a 9 pound pollock, an 11.5 pound pollock, a 13 pound pollock and a 12 pound pollock, the second, third and fourth largest fish of the trip. Rob Peeters won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 24 pound pollock, the Bunny Clark's largest pollock of the fishing season to date. Ian took a picture of Rob trying to hold the pollock up for a picture (after having surgery on his hand). This digital image appears on the left.

Other Angler Highlights: Tyler Pratt caught a 7 pound pollock and a 10 pound pollock, his two best fish. Robbie Peeters landed a 7.5 pound pollock. Eric Noble had an 11 pound pollock as his largest fish. Ian also weighed an 8 pound pollock and a 9 pound pollock for him. Eric landed the hard luck award t-shirt for losing a jig on the process. Derek Limoges caught two pollock of 10 pounds each.

Gill went to the Vet's for a status report. The doc said he was doing well but still had to wear the t-shirt for a little while longer. Gill isn't liking the t-shirt but it isn't too much of a burden either. He seems the happiest he has been since surgery.

Saturday, July 16, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 64°F, the sky was 50/50 clear & clouds, there wasn't enough wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was very good in haze. The sky was a mix of sun and clouds in the morning, a thin milky overcast with some darker clouds after noon. We often saw the sun but it was a very hazy orb in the sky. The visibility was good in haze. The wind was light from the south southwest. The highest air temperature that I saw was 81°F. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 85°F with a low of 64°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 84°F (with a low of 54°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 81°F (with a low of 58°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots. Seas were calm to start and, then, about a foot in chops. The air was in the mid 70s but it was hotter on deck. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was strong. The sky was overcast. The surface water temperature reached a high of 64°F.

The fishing was just fair. It could have been worse but the weather was very nice. It was the larger than normal (what is normal anymore?) number of dogfish and the strong tidal current that kept the fishing in the lower category. The catching was good, excellent if you love to catch dogfish. Landings were just fair. Legal landings included twenty haddock, nine pollock, ten cusk, two whiting and fifteen mackerel. Released fish included over one hundred and fifty dogfish, four cod of 5 pounds or more, eight small cod, over a hundred small pollock, ten sub-legal haddock, a sculpin and a mackerel or two. I don't believe you could have caught any more dogfish than they did as the dogfish tangled lines so badly that it prevented anglers from getting more dogfish! They anchored and drift fished. All terminal gear worked equally well. All terminal gear caught dogfish.

Ian couldn't tell me who was high hook. There was just too much going on. Ian Croteau (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8.5 pound cod. Ian also caught the second largest fish, an 8 pound cod. The third largest fish was a 6 pound pollock caught by Ron Croteau (ME).

Other Angler Highlights: Paul Feeney (VT) landed the hard luck award for losing three jigs, one to a blue shark! The blue sharks are just starting to show up.

Captain Ian Keniston and Kai Rosenberg ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at ten knots. Seas were one to two feet in chops. The air temperature settled into the low 70s. The visibility remained at ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was strong. The sky remained overcast. The surface water temperature reached a high of 60°F.

The fishing was good. They did have some dogfish but they weren't as thick as they were offshore. And they did have a strong tide but, this time, it helped with the drifting - which gained them more legal fish than if they had tried to anchor. The catching was good to very good (dogfish do count on the afternoon trip when kids are involved who have never seen a small shark before). Landings were good. Legal landings included ten cusk, one pollock, six whiting and eight mackerel. Released fish included fifty dogfish, three small cod, thirty-four sub-legal pollock and six small redfish. Drifting was the method. Everyone used bait this evening.

Dorene Jackman (ME) was high hook with two legal fish, both cusk. One weighed 2.5 pounds. The other weighed 3.5 pounds. Nine year old Maxwell Alicea (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 5 pound cusk. The second largest fish was a 4.25 pound cod caught by Josh LaFond (ME). Tristan King (QC) caught the third largest fish, a 4 pound cusk. He was also the sole hurler and landed the hard luck award t-shirt!

Other Angler Highlights: Tom Coleman (MA) caught a 3 pound cusk. Ronda Hogan (ME) landed a whiting that weighed 2 pounds.

Deb was away in Connecticut for our daughter, Halley's, baby shower. So I had Gill at the house and a good friend grabbed Gill for a walk while I was at the restaurant. He seems back to his old self; wanting a job, excited to see me, ready to eat anything and everything and giving me the eye, wanting to do anything that involves him. He's a good boy!

Sunday, July 17, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 65°F, the sky cloudless but hazy and certainly not crystal clear, there was a very light wind from the south southwest, the ocean along the immediate shore was calm and the visibility over it was good in haze. The sky was sunny all morning, the air temperature a bit too warm and humid. The wind was light from the south all day. I don't believe that we ever saw wind speeds above nine knots. After noon, the clouds moved in around Ogunquit in the form of thunder showers. These showers actually formed closely in back of us. After 2:00 PM, we had pouring rain at times but not so much thunder and lightning, except in the distance. By 5:00 PM, it was all over. The sky became cloudless, the air temperature dropped to 74°F from a high today of 81°F and the wind, through all this, stayed light out of the south. The visibility was good to very good all day except in the heavy rain showers. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 86°F with a low of 67°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 87°F (with a low of 59°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 85°F (with a low of 62°F).

I spent the day at the restaurant. I tried to avoid looking at the Bunny Clark on the float. It was a fairly busy day until the rain came and put a damper on everything.

Our border collie, Gill, is very much his old self. By the end of the day his t-shirt came off and he didn't seem to be bothered to lick the sutures from the operation. I had brought my motor scooter to work after leaving the truck at the Cove in it's advertising position. So after I came home to drop the scooter off, I took Gill for a walk to the Cove to grab the truck. He was happy to see all the employees at the restaurants but mostly paid attention to the girls near the cashier at Barnacle Billy's, Etc., whining and sneezing as he normally does when he really likes the attention. I had him off leash until we got to the more crowded Cove area. When I put the leash back on him he became subdued as he always does. But I think he enjoyed his walk. It's good to have Gill back.

Monday, July 18, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 65°F, the sky was hazy clear with few clouds, the wind was blowing out of the south at eight knots and the visibility over the ocean was good to very good in some haze. At about 8:00 AM, fog moved in along the shore near Nubble Light in Cape Neddick. They had fog there most of the morning and afternoon. The wind was out of the south at five to ten knots, increasing to fifteen knots by 7:00 PM. The sky was clear until 11:00 AM when overcast skies became the norm. It started raining at 1:00 PM. It rained on and off into the night. No lightning was detected. No thunder was heard. And it wasn't particularly windy in the early afternoon with the rain. The air temperature reached a high of 79°F. By 7:00 PM, it had dropped below 70°F. The visibility was never as good as it was at 5:00 AM. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 82°F with a low of 68°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 80°F (with a low of 67°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 79°F (with a low of 62°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south southwest at ten to fifteen knots. Seas were chops of about two feet, more or less. The air temperature was about 70°F, maybe more. The tide (current) was moderate. The visibility ranged from a quarter of a mile in fog and haze to five miles. The sky was overcast all day. They ran into the rain on the way back to Perkins Cove. The surface water temperature reached a high of 66°F.

The fishing was fair, primarily due to the dogfish. When you have a dogfish on the line you do not have the desired species on the line. It's as simple as that. The current wasn't too bad. The weather wasn't too bad either. The catching was very good, excellent if you included the dogfish. Landings were good, maybe better than that. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. The haddock cull was about 60/40 favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included fifty-three pollock, eleven cusk, a whiting, a monkfish and five mackerel. Released fish included over one hundred dogfish, twenty-eight cod of 5 pounds or more, thirty small cod, over a hundred small pollock, a sculpin and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. Jigs and cod flies caught the lion's share of the fish today.

Shawn Rosenberger (PA), Matt Luce (ME) or Buzz Leonard (ME) was high hook according to Ian. He couldn't differentiate between the three. He told me that one other person might have also been in the mix. If Shawn was the man then he was also the fisherman of the day as he also won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 12 pound pollock. Shawn also tied with Buzz Leonard for the second largest fish of the trip at 11 pounds. Both fish were pollock. Matt Luce tied for fifth place with a 10 pound pollock.

Other Angler Highlights: Bob Meskell (MA) caught an 8.5 pound pollock and a 10 pound pollock, his two best fish. Mike Wicks (NY) caught a 10 pound cod, his best fish. Dick Lyle (NY) caught the largest cod of the trip at 10.5 pounds. Dick almost always catches the most good sized cod and the biggest. Matt Luce also landed the hardest luck of the day award by getting the most and the worst tangles.

I received three generous thoughtful donations from anglers sponsoring me in my cancer fund raising project with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Steve McGrath (NH), long time supporter, fellow captain and friend, donated $50.00, Jim "Chip" Chiapponi (CT) donated $80.00, also a long time supporter, and Dick & Kathy Lyle (NY), who have helped me in numerous ways including in this cancer project, donated $100. Thank you all so very much for your support and generosity. It's very kind of you and very much appreciated by me, the researchers and the recipients of the nice things that will happen without being able to put a name on those nice things!

In helping Danny put the Bunny Clark on the float from the main town dock, I slipped and fell, landing on my side and holding myself from falling in the water between the Barnacle Billy's float and the stern of the boat. I laid in that position on my arm hanging on until Danny dropped the dock line to yank me on to the float. In the process my shoe came off, which really created the problem in the first place. The arm above my elbow was swollen and very painful. That area of my arm stayed on ice for most of the night until I went to bed. That to me adds insult to injury; I was denied my most favorite trip of the year and get an injury like a rubber stamp on my decision!

Gill spent another night without his t-shirt on and was a much happier dog for it.

Not so Tim Tuesday, July 19, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 71°F, the sky was cloudless after a very windy and rainy early morning and previous night, the wind was blowing out of the south southwest at fifteen knots and the visibility over the ocean was good to very good. The wind blew out of the west at twenty knots with higher gusts. Later, the wind hauled more northwest. Winds continued at twenty knots or more until late afternoon, when it backed off a bit. [Offshore, where we would have gone, was twenty knots out of the west or west southwest at twenty knots, more or less, not horrible but not what I needed to do what we normally do for this trip. A lost opportunity for sure. From now on the blue sharks will rule that area and make it impossible to visit.] The sky stayed cloudless all morning and cloudless or nearly so all afternoon. The sun was bright as there was very little haze in a cobalt blue sky. The air temperature rose to a value, that I saw, of 90°F. The visibility was nearly excellent. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 93°F with a low of 73°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 90°F (with a low of 70°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 91°F (with a low of 68°F).

Since it was such a nice day with a low humidity and, although very warm in air temperature, such a clear day without showers, I decided to treat myself to an 84 mile bike ride, 50 miles of which with friends. This took up the whole morning from 7:30 AM until noon. The ride took me up past Acton and Sanford, Maine and near Waterboro, Maine. There was a part leading into Kennebunk where I always go by a mirror on the side of the road. When I went by this time I took a picture of myself as I rode by. This digital image appears on the left. From 1:00 PM until 9:00 PM I worked in the restaurants, with a break in between to have dinner at home.

I received six donations sponsoring me in my cancer research fund raising drive with the Pan-Mass Challenge, made between July 8th and today. All six donations were made through the PMC site as an "eGift" using a credit card. Obviously, I don't check my personal email enough! These donors and their donations were Michael Hart (MA) for $25.00, Carole Aaron (ME) for $50.00 and Kathy Hessefort Roy for a generous $100.00, Andy Armitage for a very generous $250.00, Malcolm & Kathie Jepson (CA) for a generous $100.00 and Susan Paurwoski for a very generous $500.00. Thank you all so very much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. It always amazes me to see so many donations come from out of the blue because they read my site, see me around or just know what I do and where my heart is. I so very much appreciate these donations. But, then, I appreciate all the support that I get. Thank you!!!

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 73°F, the sky was cloudless - again, there was no wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was flat calm and the visibility over it seemed very good in some haze. The visibility stayed in the good to very good category with the haze being much more pronounced than it was yesterday. The wind stayed out of the south or some variation all day. We might have seen ten knots of southerly wind, at the most. The sky was clear, cloudless all morning, the sky dotted with cumulus clouds widely spaced in the afternoon. The highest air temperature that I saw was 91°F but it wasn't as humid as it could have been. However, it was more humid than yesterday. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 92°F with a low of 76°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 93°F (with a low of 65°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 89°F (with a low of 61°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five knots. The ocean was calm all day. The air temperature went from warm to hot, over 80°F. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was strong again. The sky stayed clear. The surface water temperature reached a high of 67°F.

The fishing was good to very good. It could have been excellent without the tide and the few dogfish that were caught. It was a great day if you don't like dogfish, the fewest that have been caught for a while. The catching was very good. Landings were good. All the fish were small today. Most legal fish landed were cusk, by far, a first for this season. Legal landings also included thirty-two haddock, two pollock, two whiting and five mackerel. Released fish included twenty dogfish, one cod of legal size (in season of course), nine small cod, twenty-five sub-legal haddock, over a hundred small pollock, two sculpins and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked about the same.

Ian couldn't tell me who was high hook. Mike Sousa (NH) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 5 pound cusk. The second largest fish was a 4.5 pound Maine state trophy whiting caught by Clinton Sousa (NH), a tie for the largest whiting of our season by weight but the longest whiting of the Bunny Clark season by an inch. Ian did take a picture of Clinton holding up this big whiting. I am planning to use this picture for the index page but I didn't have time to do this today. Ian didn't weigh any more fish.

Other Angler Highlights: Barry Balch (VT) landed the hard luck award for no known reason. Ian put his name down as the winner but gave no reason! Was it that bad?

I received the "traditional" $30.00 donation from Dave & Joanne Miller (MA) sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge this morning. They always give me this on Ultra Day, which, of course, didn't happen. Thank you both for all the support you give me on this, including all the things outside the donations. It means a lot to me and I really appreciate it!

Also, I received another large donation of $1,000.00 from Andy Barowsky (FL/ME) sponsoring me in the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Andy has been helping me in a big way since the beginning. A good rider as well, we have done many fun events together. Thanks so much, Andy. This is very much appreciated!

Thursday, July 21, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 69°F, the sky was clear with scattered high thin clouds, there was no wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was flat calm and the visibility over it was good in haze. After a very calm early part of the morning, the wind picked up out of the south. By 10:00 AM, we were seeing gusts to fifteen knots. By 5:00 PM, the southerly winds were sustained at twenty knots. White caps could be clearly seen from the parking lot at that time. The air temperature soared to a value of 90°F. It was slightly more humid than yesterday. Seri told me that we had 99% humidity but there was about a snowballs chance in hell with that one. I don't know where she gets her information. The visibility was good at best in thick haze. The sky was clear and sunny until the thunder storms came through at 5:00 PM. Thunder storms plagued the area for two hours, almost none of it affecting Ogunquit. We did get some rain around 6:00 PM. Other than that and the sound of distant thunder, Ogunquit was spared as the towns around us got it all. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 94°F with a low of 71°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 93°F (with a low of 69°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 85°F (with a low of 66°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south southwest at ten knots, increasing to fifteen knots. Seas were chops of two to three feet. The air temperature was warm, (70s) not hot, because of the wind. The visibility ranged from five to ten miles in thick haze. The sky was sunny and clear for the whole time they were fishing. The tide (current) was moderate to strong. The surface water temperature reached a high of 67°F.

The fishing was not good. The dogfish were back, the tide was strong and the sea state was not the best. Despite all this, only one angler was sea sick, they dealt with the dogs. And Ian managed the current. The catching and landings were good. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. Twenty-five percent of the haddock caught were sub-legal. Legal landings also included two pollock, four cusk and a white hake. Released fish included eighty-five dogfish or more, five small cod, no cod of 5 pounds or more and twenty-two small pollock. They anchored for every stop. Everyone used bait and cod flies today. No jigs were used.

No high hook was determined today. Austin Mather (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8 pound white hake. This is only our second, maybe third, white hake of the fishing season so far. It's also the second largest white hake. Ian took a picture of Austin holding his hake. This digital image appears on the left. The second largest fish was a 7.5 pound pollock caught by John Pierson (ME). Holden Dyer (NY) caught the third largest fish, a 7 pound cusk.

Other Angler Highlights: Phil Mather (ME) landed the hard luck award for being the sole hurler of the trip. He wasn't badly sick and did fish. But Phil gave enough of a showing to warrant the t-shirt!

I received another generous donation sponsoring my cancer fund raising program with the Pan-Mass Challenge today. This one was a generous $100.00 gift from Norm & Linda Viens (MA) through Venmo. Norm has some personal knowledge with cancer and with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the organization that I support. Norm & Linda have been very supportive of this project for years, in my behalf. Thank you so much for your generosity and thoughtfulness, Norm & Linda. I appreciate it so much!

Friday, July 22, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 72°F, the sky was cloudless, the wind was light out of the southwest and the visibility over the ocean was good or better than that in haze. The wind blew out of the southwest all morning at speeds below ten knots. The ocean along the shore was calm. In the afternoon, the wind hauled out of the south and might have blown up as high as ten knots. But it probably didn't. The visibility was good in haze, maybe better than that. The sky was cloudless all morning and mostly clear in the afternoon with no hint of a thunder shower. The highest air temperature that I saw was 90°F. It as humid but not terribly so. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 94°F with a low of 73°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 92°F (with a low of 62°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 93°F (with a low of 68°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west at five to ten knots. The ocean was calm for the fishing period and the ride in. The air temperature got up into the 80s. The sky was clear and sunny. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 67°F.

The fishing was fair. There were just too many dogfish to allow the fishing to be any better. Even the tide didn't make a difference today. The weather was perfect. There were just so many dogfish. The catching was very good, excellent if you included the dogs. Landings were good. The deck work was non-stop, one of the busiest days on deck of the year. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. The haddock cull was 75/25, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included thirteen pollock, eighteen cusk and two mackerel. Released fish included over two hundred dogfish, ten cod of 5 pounds or more, twenty-two small cod, the small haddock, over a hundred sub-legal pollock and a sculpin. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked equally well.

Ian never had the time to figure out who was high hook with the most legal fish. Mac McCormick (VT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 11 pound pollock. The second largest fish was an 8 pound pollock caught by Travis Nephew (NY). Brian McCormick (VT) caught the third largest fish, a 7 pound cod.

Other Angler Highlights: Ian Andersen (FL) caught a 6.5 pound pollock, the fourth largest fish of the trip. Bryce McCormick (VT) was the high hurler today and won the award for the hardest luck. Yes, there were a few on such a nice day. Maybe they were as sick of seeing the dogfish as we are!

I received a generous $75.00 from Marty Nephew (NY) sponsoring me in my cancer research ride in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge today. Marty always supports my cancer cause and started doing so when I first started in 2007. Thanks, Marty. I always appreciate the donation and the abuse that goes with it!

Also, I found out today that Dick Fox (CA) passed away about a week ago. His wife informed me in an email. I was so sorry to hear about this. Dick too donated to my cancer project. But, more than this, he was an excellent regular angler on the Bunny Clark until he moved out west. He was also a very appreciative person and very giving. In everything. I was looking forward to having him on the boat in the future. Now that won't happen. I feel sorry for myself and everyone who knew him. It's indeed a great loss! There are few who were like Dick on this earth. Unique, kind, giving and honest.

Gill, our dog, is back to his old self again, I'm happy to say.

Saturday, July 23, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 71°F, the sky was mostly clear, there wasn't enough wind to blow a candle out, the ocean along the shore was mirror calm and the visibility over it was good or better than that in haze. It was hazy again all day today. There was no wind all day either. The ocean was glassy calm all morning and calm all afternoon. The sky was very sunny with some clouds, mostly of the high thin variety. The air temperature made it's way back up to 91°F, the highest air temperature that I saw. The visibility was good to very good in haze. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 94°F with a low of 76°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 94°F (with a low of 65°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 92°F (with a low of 65°F).

On the fishing grounds, there wasn't a breath of wind. The ocean was flat glassy calm for the whole period. The air temperature was hot, mid to upper 80s, but it was worse on deck. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was light. The sky was sunny with few clouds. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was good. The first stop saw a pile of dogfish. The stops after that saw very few. With a perfect drift and excellent weather, it was the best fishing day we have seen for a while. The catching was very good. Landings were good, our best day of the last couple weeks. Most legal fish landed were pollock. Legal landings also included thirty haddock, a cusk and six mackerel. Relesed fish included fifty-one dogfish, fifteen cod of 5 pounds or more, fifteen small cod, fourteen sub-legal haddock, ninety-three small pollock, a wolffish, a sculpin and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked equally well but cod flies caught the most pollock.

Ian, again, could not determine who was high hook with the most legal fish. Sue McMullen (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 12 pound cod. She also caught two pollock that weighed 8 pounds each. The second largest fish was a 10.5 pound wolffish caught by Jason Poulliot (ME). John Nerl (NH) caught the third largest fish, a 10 pound pollock.

Other Angler Highlights: Jesse Simpson (ME) started off the pool by catching an 8.5 pound pollock. That pool fish, of course, didn't last. Sam Kimble (ME) caught a 9 pound pollock, his largest fish. Eric Whitman (MA) caught an 8 pound pollock, his best. Jay Yeaton (ME) did one better with a 9 pound pollock. Kalie Yeaton (ME) also landed a 9 pound pollock as her biggest fish. Dawn Martin (ME) landed the hard luck award for catching nary a single living thing, nothing! Ouch! Please wear the shirt in good humor!

I received a very generous $1,000.00 donation from Howie & Barbara Goldenfarb (ME) sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge today. Howie & Barbara caught up with me at the restaurant, after riding over in their boat from Kennebunkport. They have been donating to my cancer project for nearly every year that I have been involved. Thank you both so very much for your thoughtfulness, generosity and support. It means a lot to me.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 73°F, the sky was cloudless with a sliver of a moon hanging high in the eastern sky, the wind was blowing out of the south at ten knots and the visibility over the ocean was good to very good in haze. The sky stayed clear with no clouds for most of the morning and then displaced clouds in a mostly clear sky. The sun was hazier than normal, not the clear sky one would see in the fall with a cold northwest wind blowing. The wind, although light in the morning (hanging from eight to ten knots for most of it), breezed up in the afternoon. Southerly winds ranged from fifteen to eighteen knots with white caps evident while looking to sea from the parking lot in Perkins Cove. Although we didn't have very much humidity today, the air temperature increased to 91°F, that I saw and it was very warm. Thankfully, there wasn't as much humidity or it would have been unsufferable. The visibility dropped as the wind increased. I could still see Boon Island but only barely. I would call the visibility good. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 100°F with a low of 72°F). The high temperature in Boston of 100°F breaks the old record of 98°F set in 1933 on this date. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 96°F (with a low of 63°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 89°F (with a low of 65°F).

Since I had no fishing trip to look after, no parking money to collect, no money box to bring home for Deb and most of my desk work at the restaurants done, I took off early for a longer ride on the bike. Sunday mornings are reserved for riding with the Maine Coast Cycling Club. So if I do a few extra miles before arriving at the Club ride, the Club ride itself will add enough miles to get me to where I want to be. The faster the ride, with few stops, the more miles. So before I even got there, I had put 29 miles on the bike. I did a fairly fast ride with the group and averaged 21 mph. So the ride home gave me a total of 90 miles as a total and I still got home on time at 11:30 AM.

The rest of the day was, of course, spent working at the restaurants, Barnacle Billy's and Barnacle Billy's, Etc. It was our second day of having corn from Chase Farm. We don't offer corn unless it comes from Chase Farm. So when the corn is ready, we have it. When it isn't or it's gone by, we don't. Corn that's only grown seven miles away is always the best. It was a busy Sunday but it wasn't crazy.

I get out early on Sunday so at 6:00 PM, I took the scooter home and then walked down with Gill to get the Bunny Clark truck. It was still 88°F at that time. He was slow moving and it took us forever to get out of the driveway. But then I don't put him on a leash until we get into the busy part of Perkins Cove. I believe that he loves this little freedom at times. But, because of this, it takes us forever to get down there. But this is okay. I get to spend more time with the dog. But on a hot day like this there was no hesitation for Gill jumping into the truck to go home. The most active part of the whole procedure is from the time I open the door and let him out of the truck to the point where I have let him in the house and he has gone to find Deb. It's almost like he's saying; "I'm home from the long walk! Look what I have done and aren't you glad to see me?" And Deb always asks; "Where have you been?" He's always excited to acknowledge that he has been somewhere.

Monday, July 25, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 79°F, the sky was a mat of high level cloud cover with few clear spots, the wind was light out of the southwest and the visibility over the ocean was good to very good in haze. By 6:00 AM, the sky could have been considered overcast. It really wasn't as there were some clear patches to the east for a good part of the morning. These clear patches were sporadic. By 10:00 AM, we saw the first drops of rain. There were dry times and times with some blue sky. But shower after shower pasted through today. Some had thunder and lightning. Some had tropical downpours. But through all of it, the air temperature stayed right around 80°F. The highest air temperature that I saw was 83°F. The wind blew out of the south up to seventeen knots. Then it backed off in the afternoon, some time around 4:00 PM. The visibility ranged from fair/poor in the rain to good in haze. It seemed the most humid day of the week. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 90°F with a low of 77°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 85°F (with a low of 61°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 84°F (with a low of 69°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots with some higher gusts at times in the rain. Seas were two to three feet in chops. The air temperature stayed in the 80s but it was also humid. The visibility ranged from five to ten miles in haze. It only rained one time while they were fishing. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was overcast all day. The surface water reached a high of 68°F.

The fishing was fair. There were too many dogfish yet again (although the jig fishermen weren't really bothered today), the sea state wasn't the best and it was a bit too warm. The catching was very good, excellent if you included the dogfish. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were pollock, by far. Legal landings also included twenty-one haddock, three cusk and fifteen mackerel. Released fish included about one hundred and fifty-five dogfish, twenty cod of 5 pounds or more, thirty-five small cod, twenty-eight sub-legal haddock, over a hundred sub-legal pollock and a mackerel or two. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked well but those using jigs made out the best.

Either Bernie Gage (VT) or his son, Justin Gage (VT), were high hook with the most legal fish. If cod counted as a legal fish to take home then probably Justin would be the man as Bernie caught an uncodly number himself. Bernie tied with Tony Tewksbury (PA) for the third largest fish of the trip at 9 pounds each. There were four 9 pounders between them. Bernie caught three of them including two pollock of 9 pounds each and a 9 pound cod. Tony caught a 9 pound pollock.

Dwayne LockBurner (PA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 12 pound pollock. The second largest fish was an 11 pound pollock caught by Dave Sands (NH).

Other Angler Highlights: Tara Greenberg (ME) landed the hard luck award t-shirt for losing a very big fish. Had she landed the fish, it would have made Dwayne's fish look like a minnow!

Bernie did me a solid by donating $100.00, an uncodly amount, to my cancer fund raising charity event called the Pan-Mass Challenge today. This is a cycling event that goes off on August 6, the day of my son's wedding. This means I will miss the actual event. However, the ride is the least important part of the event, the fund raising the biggest part and the reason that I am involved. I will do the actual ride next season. This season it's all about the money. Thanks so much, Bernie. You always come through with a donation for the cause. And I really appreciate your support and thoughtfulness.

Tim Tuesday, July 26, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 62°F, the sky was cloudless, the wind was light out of the west, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was very good in some haze.

About a quarter of a mile outside the gate to Perkins Cove, the wind ceased to exist. We had nary a breath of wind all the way to the fishing grounds. There was a short sharp swell that became more pronounced the closer to the grounds that we got. The air temperature was mild, the visibility was excellent and the sky was a mix of clear sky and clouds.

On the grounds, the wind was non-existent for the whole trip, including the ride back to Perkins Cove! The ocean surface was glassy over a short swell that ranged from three to five feet at the start to two to three feet at the time we started back home. The visibility ranged to over thirty miles or excellent. The sky was a mix of sun and clouds. The air temperature reached a high of about 78°F or perfect. The tide (current) was moderate all day. The highest surface water temperature that I saw was 68.3°F.

Ashore, these were the air temperatures in selected New England cities: In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 84°F with a low of 71°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 82°F (with a low of 54°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 58°F).

The fishing was good. There were dogfish but the anglers could handle them and they weren't ravenous, even though there were plenty. The weather was perfect and the tide was fine giving us a fishing day that was better than normal. The catching was very good, excellent if you included the dogfish. Landings were good. Most fish caught were haddock, by far. The haddock cull was 55/45, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included twenty-seven pollock, one redfish, seven cusk, a monkfish and five mackerel. Released fish included one hundred and thirty-eight dogfish (or so), two sculpins, the small haddock, a wolffish, thirteen sub-legal pollock, four cod of 5 pounds or more, two small cod and a mackerel or two. We drift fished, mostly. We tried anchoring but were decimated by dogfish. The anchor spot lasted about five minutes. All terminal gear worked well but the single jig caught the most fish as did the single jigger.

Randy MacDougall (ME) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with the most legal fish and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound cod. This is a tie for the Bunny Clark's fifth largest cod of the fishing season to date. Randy caught a couple other cod over 5 pounds. His largest pollock weighed 6 pounds. He also caught the only wolffish. I didn't weigh it but it looked to be 6 or 7 pounds.

Javien Santiago (MA) caught the second largest fish of the trip, an 11.5 pound monkfish. This is the Bunny Clark's second largest monkfish of the season so far. I took a picture of Javien holding his nice goosefish. This digital image appears on the right in this missive. The third largest fish of the trip was a 9.5 pound pollock caught by John Delage (ME). John also caught the fourth largest fish, a 9 pound pollock, and a 5.5 pound pollock.

Other Angler Highlights: Adi Prekulaj (CT) landed the largest haddock today at 4.5 pounds. Alex Burroughs (ME) caught a 5 pound pollock, the second fish in the boat. Lee Kosiba (NY) landed a 7.25 pound pollock. Lee's biggest fish was an 8 pound cod. Jared Clark (ME) caught a 7.5 pound pollock. He caught a couple other good pollock about the same size or a little smaller. Zach Cicarelli (CT) caught a 6 pound pollock, his biggest fish. Brianna Johnston (ME) landed the hard luck award for being the most under the weather of the three, total, who were also under the weather. No one was terribly sea sick.

Jon Calivas and I ran the afternoon (4 PM to 8 PM) half day trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at five knots. Seas were chops of a foot or less. There was no significant sea swell. The air temperature reached a high of 76°F in the shade. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was mostly clear. The visibility ranged to over twenty-five miles. The surface water temperature reached a high of 65°F.

The fishing was excellent. There were no dogfish, the weather was perfect and the drift was perfect. The catching was good to very good. Landings were fair to good. Legal landings included seven cusk and eight mackerel. Released fish included a sculpin, five herring, three redfish, seven small pollock, a cod over 5 pounds, two small cod and a cunner. Drifting was the method. Only bait and cod flies were used. Bait worked best for the cusk. Everything else favored the flies.

Cale Furney (MI) was high hook with the most legal fish, a 4 pound cusk and a 7 pound cusk. He also caught a 3 pound cod. Dennis Buckley (NY) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 11.5 pound cusk. This is the Bunny Clark's seventh largest cusk of the fishing season so far. The second largest fish was a 7.25 pound cusk caught by Robert Eng (NJ). Cale and eight year old Jacob Cloutier (RI) tied for the third largest fish at 7 pounds, both cusk. Jacob also caught a 3 pound cod.

Other Angler Highlights: Ernie Stark (NH) started off the boat pool with the first fish of the evening, an 8.5 inch redfish. Michelle Cloutier (RI), Jacob's mom, caught a cusk that weighed 5.5 pounds. Howie Howe (VT) caught the largest cod at 6.5 pounds. Gary Andrew (NH) caught a 4.5 pound cusk. Cale Furney landed the hardest luck of the evening for catching the smallest redfish I have ever seen. It might have measured four inches?

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 63°F, the sky was mostly clear with some clouds, there was no wind, the ocean along the shore was mirror calm and the visibility over it was excellent. At sunrise, the wind was blowing lightly from the northwest. This died out by mid morning, not that there was much wind in the first place. The ocean stayed calm with almost a total lack of wind for most of the morning. After noon, we had a light southwest breeze pick up. This died out after sunset. The sky was clear with few clouds all day. The visibility was excellent. The highest air temperature that I saw was 83°F. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 83°F with a low of 68°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 83°F (with a low of 53°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 83°F (with a low of 58°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the northwest at five knots or less. After noon, there was no wind. The ocean was calm all day. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The air temperature rode to the high 70s under the shade top. It was hot on deck in the sun on the mirror calm ocean. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was mostly clear and sunny. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was good, at best. The conditions were perfect for fishing. The dogfish numbers dropped the rating a couple of categories. The catching was very good, excellent if you included dogfish. Landings were fair to good. Most legal fish landed were haddock. The haddock cull was 55/45, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included five pollock, nineteen cusk and a white hake. Released fish included over two hundred dogfish, fifteen small cod, two cod of 5 pounds or better, the small haddock and one hundred and eighteen sub-legal pollock. Drifting was the deal. No jigs were used today. Everyone used bait or a combination of bait with a cod fly above it.

Ny Nhath (VT) was high hook with the most legal fish. His largest fish was a 5 pound cod. Mike Thalhauser (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 6.25 pound cusk. There was a tie for the second largest fish at 6 pounds. There were two. Scott Onorato (VT) caught a 6 pound pollock. Ross Hogan (ME) caught a 6 pound cusk.

Other Angler Highlights: Darey Tobin (MT) landed the hard luck award for being involved in the most tangles.

Captain Ian Keniston and Kai Rosenberg ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to ten knots. Seas were a foot or so in chops. The air temperature settled into the low 70s. The visibility remained at over twenty miles. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was a mix of sun and clouds. The surface water temperature reached a high of 66°F.

The fishing was nearly excellent. There were few dogfish, the weather was perfect and drift was just right. The catching was very good. Landings were fair to good; a little better than last night. Legal landings included a pollock, four redfish and six cusk. Released fish included ten dogfish, three sub-legal pollock and three redfish. Drifting was the method. All bait and cod flies were used on this trip as well.

Tony Salata (NY) was high hook with the most legal fish. His fish included a 5.5 pound pollock, a 4 pound cusk and a 3 pound cusk. Derek Nadeau (VT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8 pound cusk. The second largest fish was Tony's pollock. There was a tie for the third largest fish of the trip at 5 pounds. There were two. Kathy Varda (CT) caught one, a 5 pound cusk. Roger Nadeau (VT) caught the other, a 5 pound cod. Roger also caught a 4 pound cusk.

Other Angler Highlights: Lizzie Varda (CT) caught a 3 pound cusk. Ethan Porenan (CT) landed the hard luck award t-shirt for having the most tangles.

Thursday, July 28, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 63°F, the sky was mostly clear with some very high patterned clouds, there was zero wind, the ocean was so calm that it looked like Boon Island was floating in air and the visibility over it was excellent. It was a beautiful day ashore with zero wind to start and light southerly wind in the early afternoon. The southerly wind increased to about ten knots or so in the late afternoon. The air temperature that I saw rose to a value of 80°F. The visibility was good to very good in haze around noon. The sky was mostly clear all morning and the early part of the afternoon. We had thunder showers at around 8:00 PM after two hours of overcast skies and the threat of rain. It rained for an hour. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 89°F with a low of 66°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 91°F (with a low of 58°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 60°F).

On the fishing grounds, there was little or no wind to start. Later, the wind blew out of the southwest to five knots or so. The ocean surface was calm all day. The air temperature got over 80°F in the shade, much warmer on deck. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen knots in haze. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was sunny and hazy clear all day. The surface water temperature reached a high of 68°F.

The fishing was good to very good. There were few dogfish, the weather was good and current was perfect. The catching was very good. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. And most fish were small today. The haddock cull was 60/40, favoring the legal fish. Legal landings also included two pollock, three redfish, a cusk, nine whiting and twelve mackerel. Released fish included forty-six dogfish, five small cod, the small haddock, thirty-four small pollock, a sculpin or two and a couple mackerel. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked equally well.

Mark Konish (NC) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with the most legal fish and he landed the largest fish of the trip, a 7.5 pound pollock. There was no boat pool today. The second largest fish was a 3.5 pound haddock caught by Mike Hample (ME).

Other Angler Highlights: Pierce Liebert (ME) landed the hard luck award for getting involved with tangling at all the inopportune times.

Captain Ian Keniston and Danny DellaMonica ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at ten knots. Seas were two feet in chops. The air temperature was in the mid 70s. The visibility ranged from five to ten miles in haze. The sky was overcast with the threat of showers all evening. They did get a sprinkle of rain for about a minute but just about all of the rain was avoided, the storms rolling to each side of them but not over them. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 67°F.

The fishing was good. The conditions with the overcast skies, the bit of wind, the threat of showers and the chop kept the fishing in the mid category. The catching was very good. Landings were fair. Legal fish landed included three redfish, three cusk, a whiting and twelve mackerel. Released fish included five dogfish, six small cod, twenty-five small pollock and a mackerel. They drifted the whole evening. Everyone used bait and cod flies.

Mike Libby (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cusk. I don't believe that we have caught ten cusk this year of 10 pounds or more. Julie Kramer (ME) caught the second largest fish, an 8 pound cusk. The third largest fish was a 3.5 pound cod caught by Justin Gregory (NY). He also caught a whiting that weighed 1.25 pounds.

Other Angler Highlights: Jeff Margerison (ME) landed the hardest luck of the evening award for being the first to hurl. There were a few who were sea sick.

Friday, July 29, 2022

My mother, Bunny Clark Tower, turns ninety-three years old today.

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 69°F, the sky was mostly clear with some high clouds, the wind was light out of the south southwest and the visibility over the ocean seemed except for, what looked like, a fog bank offshore preventing me from seeing Boon Island. We did have fog for just a bit but it was about a mile offshore. It was gone by 8:00 AM or sooner. The sky stayed mostly clear all day. The wind blew out of the west up to fifteen knots along the shore and inland. Just a mile offshore, the wind was out of the southwest at five knots. The visibility was good to very good in some haze. The highest air temperature that I saw was 90°F. It was not humid today. So, in the shade, it was very pleasant. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 92°F with a low of 73°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 87°F (with a low of 63°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 89°F (with a low of 67°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five to, maybe, ten knots. The ocean was calm to chops of a foot or less. The air temperature ranged in the 80s. It was hotter on deck. The visibility ranged from fifteen to twenty miles in some haze. The sky was clear and sunny. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 70°F. This is the latest that I have seen the surface water get to 70°F in years.

The fishing was good. The dogfish were much less, the weather conditions were very good and the drift was nearly perfect. If not for the dogs, the fishing would have been excellent. The catching was very good, excellent if you included the dogfish. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were haddock, the most haddock we have seen on a trip in a week or more. The haddock cull was 60/40, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included twenty-two pollock and twenty-four cusk. Released fish included seventy-six dogfish, twenty-six cod of 5 pounds or more, twenty-eight small cod, the small haddock, over one hundred small pollock and a wolffish. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked well today.

Art Kemler, Jr. (PA) was high hook with the most legal fish. There was no angler close. On every stop he started with the jig and then went to bait. His two largest fish were cod. Both fish weighed 8 pounds. Tod Benjamin (VT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with largest fish, an 11.5 pound pollock. He also caught the second largest fish, a 10 pound cod, and shared in the third largest fish, a 9 pound cod. There were two other anglers who caught fish weighing 9 pounds. Tristan Winslow (MA) caught a 9 pound pollock. Paul Esposito (MA) caught a 9 pound cod.

Other Angler Highlights: Jack Judge (CT/ME) landed an 8.5 pound pollock, his largest fish. Kaitlyn Brown (VT) landed the hard luck award for being the only angler who could not coordinate her equilibrium with the motion of the ocean.

At one point today, I went over to my mother's house to celebrate her ninety-third birthday. She was out on the porch. She was enjoying the nice weather, her birthday and the sun shining through all the green leaves of the tree and plants around her property. I know the say there is a drought going on. But the flora has never been greener at this time in July. And the Concord grapes we have at the house have never looked so good.

And, I'm happy to say, that Gill is back to his old self. The wounds from the surgery are a non-issue. And he seems the happy dog that he used to be. He is still stubborn and constantly needs a job. But that's how border collies are.

Saturday, July 30, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 72°F, the sky was overcast, the wind was light out of the west and the visibility over the ocean was damn close to being excellent. It started raining lightly at 5:30 AM. Ashore, the wind blew up to twenty knots or more out of the northwest. The wind started probably after 8:00 AM. Maybe 9:00 AM. As is typical of northwest wind, it was gusty. The sky was clear with few clouds all day. The visibility was excellent. The highest air temperature that I saw was 86°F. It was a perfect weather day ashore. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 88°F with a low of 73°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 83°F (with a low of 61°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 85°F (with a low of 63°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west at five to ten knots. Seas were calm to a foot in chops. The sky was clear and sunny for the trip. The tide (current) was moderate. The air temperature stayed in the 80s in the shade but was hot on deck. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

At the thirteen mile mark (from Perkins Cove) on the ride in, they ran into a wall of wind out of the northwest. Wind speeds were twenty knots plus, the same wind we had been experiencing ashore. The wind never reached off to the fishing grounds today. This is typical of a summer northwest wind with air temperatures in the 80s.

The fishing was fishing was good. There were dogfish but not as many, the weather was great and the tide was good for drifting. The catching was very good and, again, excellent if you included the dogfish. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were haddock. The haddock cull was two to one or for every three haddock caught, one was sub-legal. Legal landings also included three pollock, fourteen cusk and a white hake. Released fish included eight-five dogfish, two cod of 5 pounds or more, twenty-four small cod, the short haddock and over eighty small pollock. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked well.

Ryan Sheridan (SC) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound cod. The second largest fish was a 6 pound pollock caught by Kevin Mello, Sr. (MA). Caleb Mann (VT) caught the third largest fish, a 4.25 pound haddock.

Other Angler Highlights: Jake Allen (ME) landed the hard luck award t-shirt for being the sole hurler of the trip. As much as I hate to admit, there is usually one!

Captain Ian Keniston and Jon Calivas ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the northwest at ten to fifteen knots to start and ten knots to finish. Seas were a foot in chops. The air temperature was in the mid 70s. The visibility ranged to twenty-five miles.. The sky was clear and sunny. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 65°F.

The fishing was excellent. There were no dogfish, the weather was great and the tide was normal. The catching was good. Landings were fair to good. Legal landings included six cusk, two cunners and six mackerel. Released fish included a small cod and over fifty sub-legal pollock. They anchored and drift fished. Everyone used bait.

In the process of anchoring, an angler dropped his line over the side. Ian saw this and touched the engine in reverse, fearing the fishing line would get tangled in the anchor line. Instintively, Ian knew he had done something wrong and took threw the engine into neutral. But it was too late. Ian got the anchor line in the wheel (propeller). He didn't have enough scope on the anchor to play with so they tried to secure both ends before cutting the anchor line. Much went into this task including Jon hanging out of the "tuna door" in the back only in his underwear with the boat stern first into the wind. They were able to buoy the cut line from the surface to the anchor. And they got all the anchor line out of the wheel in the process. Of course, because there was not enough scope on the anchor line when the anchor was holding the boat stern first into the wind, the anchor was hung down. Ian had to work on several maneuvers but he did get the anchor back. So success! As I told Ian, things happen that you can't always control. That's boating. All's well that ends well.

Glen Nix (MA) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8.5 pound cusk. The second largest fish was a 6 pound cusk caught by Daniel Tal (TOR). Jacob Lareau (ME) caught the third largest fish, a 5 pound cusk.

Other Angler Highlights: Noah Choiniere (VT) caught a 3 pound cusk. Daniel Tal landed the hard luck award for losing the most bait rigs on bottom.

I received two donations today sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge, a ride to generate funding for cancer research. One gift was a very generous donation of $1,000.00 from Joe & Lynne Goodman (MA) who I am delighted to see at Barnacle Billy's periodically and who have supported me generously over the years. The other was a $50.00 donation from Scott & Nancy Simpson (ME). Scott & Nancy are also annual supporters of this project through me. Thank you all so very much for your generosity, help and thoughtfulness. I so appreciate this!

Sunday, July 31, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 65°F, the sky was cloudless, there wasn't enough wind to write about and the visibility over the ocean was excellent. The sky was cloudless all morning part of the afternoon. The sky was nearly cloudless for the rest of the day. The wind was very light today, all day. It was light northwest in the morning, calm at one point and light southwest into the afternoon and evening. The highest air temperature that I saw was 83°F. The visibility was excellent all day. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 85°F with a low of 69°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 85°F (with a low of 55°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 82°F (with a low of 59°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west to start. Wind speeds were, at most, five knots. Then the ocean went calm before hauling out of the southwest. The top wind velocity was less than five knots for the whole fishing trip. The ocean was flat calm all day. The air temperature ranged as high as 79°F but was much warmer on deck and in the sun. The sky was cloudless for the trip. The tide (current) was strong in the morning and moderate in the afternoon. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The surface water temperature reached a high of 70°F.

The fishing was fair to good. The extra current in the morning and the large number of dogfish kept this category low yet again. The catching was very good, excellent, again, if you included dogfish. Landings were surprisingly good. Most legal fish landed were haddock, the most haddock the Bunny Clark has seen in three weeks. The haddock cull was just as it was yesterday with a third of the haddock caught being too small to legally keep. Legal landings also included thirty-two pollock, five cusk, a white hake, eight mackerel and three whiting. Released fish included over one hundred and fifty dogfish, the small haddock, five cod of 5 pounds or more, seventy-five small cod, over one hundred and ten small pollock, a sculpin and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked well.

Art Kemler, Jr. (PA) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with the most legal fish, by far, and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 15 pound pollock. Art also caught the second largest fish, another 15 pound pollock. The third largest fish was an 11.5 pound pollock caught by Adryanna Jennints (NY). Captain Ian took a picture of Adryanna holding her great looking fish. This digital image appears on the left.

Other Angler Highlights: Silas Amlaw (NY) caught the first fish to be weighed for the boat pool, a 7 pound cod. He also landed the hardest luck of the day award by losing three jigs, all on big fish! What kind of fish? No one really knows. Karl Krueger (NY) caught a 9 pound pollock, his best fish. Dana Decormier (NH) caught a 10.5 pound pollock, his biggest fish. I expected bigger things from Dana today but, alas, that didn't happen. That's also the way fishing is; it can make you a hero or something less!

Monday, August 1, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 70°F, the sky was overcast, the wind was blowing very lightly out of the southwest and the visibility over the ocean was excellent. The wind was very light from the southwest during the morning. The ocean along the shore was calm for the most of it. Before noon, the wind started to pick but out of the south. The wind increased through the afternoon. By 6:00 PM, the southerly wind was blowing at fifteen knots, more or less. The sky stayed clear all day with few clouds. The visibility was excellent. The air temperature reached a high of 86°F, that I saw. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 85°F with a low of 69°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 87°F (with a low of 62°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 86°F (with a low of 63°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at five knots to start and then increased to about ten knots. Seas were calm to chops of a foot or two. The air temperature broached the 80°F mark in the shade but it was hot on deck. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was clear and sunny all day. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was very good today. There were many fewer dogfish, the weather was perfect as was the tide. The catching was very good. Landings were good to very good. It was another good haddock day. Most legal fish landed were haddock. The haddock cull was 60/40, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included two pollock, one redfish, eight cusk, two white hake and four mackerel. Released fish included fifty dogfish, eight small cod, the sub-legal haddock, thirty-five small pollock, a wolffish and a mackerel. They anchored for most of the trip. All terminal gear worked about the same except that bait was better for the haddock.

Andrew Zoufaly (VT) was high hook with the most legal fish. He didn't have any big fish but he did have a lot of haddock. Ed Craig (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 7.5 pound cusk. Ed also caught the largest hake at 6 pounds. Isaiah Goodwyn (VT) caught the second and third largest fish. Both fish were pollock. Both fish weighed 7 pounds each.

Other Angler Highlights: Tyler Leedberg (NH) landed the hard luck award for being the most sea sick.

My son, Micah, is getting married on Saturday. I have spent much of my free time writing the father of the groom speech. It's a thing. I didn't really think it was until Deb set me straight. So I have spent a considerable amount of time on it. It's ten minutes long. Is that too much?

My mother is not doing as well as I would like. It's her mental state with the Alzheimers. There are ups and downs. But mostly, if I go over to her house, I can get things settled. Not so much lately. I'm hoping it's just a urinary tract infection. She has all the symptoms. Regardless, we will make the best of it and try to keep her enjoying life.

The restaurants have been busy. And it has been a lot of fun talking to the patrons. That is what I like the most about the business.

I received a $50.00 donation from Bill & Marie Pimley (ME) sponsoring me in the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Bill & Marie have helped me every year in my cancer project with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. I do so appreciate the support. Thank you both very much for your thoughtfulness!

Tim Tuesday, August 2, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 63°F, the sky was nearly cloudless, there was no wind, the ocean along the shore was flat calm and the visibility over it was good to very good in haze.

The ocean was glassy calm for the ride to the fishing grounds. The was clear, the air temperature was perfect and the visibility was very good in some haze.

As soon as we did get to the fishing grounds, the wind started to blow from the southwest. The wind increased very gradually all morning and into the afternoon. A little after noon, the wind backed out of the south and increased more rapidly. It was already blowing fifteen knots before we were even half way home. Seas were two feet in chops at that time whereas we never had a wave over a foot while we were fishing. The visibility ranged to fifteen miles. The sky was mostly clear with few clouds. The air temperature ranged to the mid 70s or more. The tide (current) was light. The highest surface water temperature that I saw was 68.8°F.

When I got home at 9:00 PM, the air temperature was 80°F, the warmest evening air temperature that I have felt this year.

Ashore, these were the air temperatures in selected New England cities: In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 94°F with a low of 69°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 91°F (with a low of 62°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 87°F (with a low of 61°F).

The fishing, catching and landings were fair. There were a lot of dogfish. But even when there weren't a lot of dogfish, the bite was way off. There were a pile of bluefin tuna around. And it almost seemed like they were bothering the groundfish. There were plenty of good groundfish on the sounding machine. But every time we set up on them they would disappear. The dogfish were not intimidated by anything today and were happily biting anything that came their way. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. The haddock cull was 52/48, almost exactly, favoring, just barely, the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included two pollock, one redfish, one cusk, one whiting, two red hake and eight mackerel. Released fish included one piss pot (thorny) skate, Seventy-eight or more dogfish, the sub-legal haddock, six small pollock, a small redfish, one small cod, two cod of five pounds or more, a sculpin and a mackerel. We alternated between drifting and anchoring. All terminal gear worked about the same.

I couldn't tell you who caught the most legal fish. But I can tell you who caught the most fish of all sizes. And her name was Jessie Damiano (NY). She was using a jig and a fly. I can't tell you how many short haddock she caught but it was quite a few. Her father, Carmen Damiano (NY), won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8.5 pound cod. He also caught the second largest fish, a 6 pound cod. The third largest fish was probably between 3 and 3.5 pounds. I could not single out anyone with a bigger fish than that except as part of the dogfish catch.

Other Angler Highlights: Dan Goldstein (CO) landed the only keeper double today. His double included a 2.5 pound haddock and a 2 pound haddock, both fish caught on the same line at the same time. Joyce Doyle (NJ) landed the only whiting. It weighed just a little over 2 pounds, a very nice fish. Tim Burge (MA) was the first angler to hook into a tuna. It happened during the early part of the trip. He was on the leeward side of the bow. Of course, the fish screamed to windward. Tim, thinking that another angler had tangled his line, pulled and broke the fish, and jig, off! He didn't even realize that he had a bluefin on the line until I told him. After noon, his son, Kyle Burge (MA), did almost the same exact thing. The difference was that I was right there to tell him what was going on. He tried to fight the fish but was constrained by the direction of the tuna's run. By the time he got to the pulpit, the fish was gone. In this case, the tuna had inhaled the jig and had cut the line with it's teeth. Both fish were small enough to land had we had half a chance. Eleven year old Finn Doyle (NJ) landed the hard luck award for attaining higher hurler status. He was one of two anglers who were sea sick.

Jon Calivas and I ran the afternoon (4 PM to 8 PM) half day trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at five knots. Seas were chops of a foot. The air temperature reached a high of 78°F in the shade. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was partly cloudy. The visibility ranged to at least fifteen miles. The surface water temperature reached a high of 64°F. The National Weather Service called for southerly winds of twenty-five knots and thunder showers. Instead, we saw light wind conditions and no thunder showers. In fact, we saw the strongest wind on the way back in from the morning trip at fifteen knots. Indeed, when we headed back in from the end of the evening trip, the ocean was flat glassy calm for the whole ride.

The fishing was excellent. There were no dogfish, the weather was perfect and the drift was perfect. The catching was fair. Landings were fair.. Legal landings included three small redfish, two herring, four whiting and seven red hake. Released fish included one small cod, for small pollock, a tiny redfish and a herring. We drift fished mostly but did try anchoring once. The drift was nearly perfect. Only bait and cod flies were used. Both worked equally well.

Scott Hersey (ME) was the fisherman of the day. He won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 2 pound cod. And, he was high hook with the most legal fish included a redfish, a red hake and a whiting. Derek Stern (MA) caught the second largest fish, a 1.5 pound red hake. I didn't weigh any of the other fish.

Other Angler Highlights: Oli Marshall (MA) won the hardest luck of the evening award for falling down twice and almost trying it a third time. Thankfully, she didn't get hurt. But on the second fall it looked like she might have. When I assisted in helping her up, she was laughing and said she was fine.

I received a donation of $30.00 from Scott Hersey sponsoring me in the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Thank you, Scott, for the support and your thoughtfulness. Much appreciated.

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 70°F, the sky was clear with few clouds, there was no wind, the ocean along the shore was flat calm and the visibility over it was very good in some haze. Ashore, it was a beautiful day. The sun was out in a very clear sky. There was zero wind along the shore all morning. The ocean was as flat as a mill pond. We had a bit of southerly wind kick up in the afternoon which made it very comfortable with the 80°F temperatures we had today. The visibility was excellent after about 10:00 AM. the highest air temperature that I saw was 81°F. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 81°F with a low of 68°F). Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 90°F (with a low of 63°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 81°F (with a low of 68°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind was light and variable. The ocean was calm. Under the canopy, the air temperature was in the low 80s. But on deck it was hot. The visibility ranged to over twenty miles. The tide (current) was light. The sky was clear. The surface water temperature reached a high of 70°F.

The fishing was good. The weather was so perfect even the dogfish couldn't spoil the fishing. And there weren't as many dogfish today either. The catching was good and landings were fair to good. Legal landings included twenty haddock, two pollock, a redfish, twenty cusk and five white hake. Released fish included seventy-six dogfish, five cod of 5 pounds or more, eleven small cod, twelve sub-legal haddock and fifteen sub-legal pollock. Drifting was the fishing method employed. All terminal gear worked about the same.

Tommy Cooper (MD) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 11 pound cod. He caught this cod as part of a double with another cod of 5 pounds. The second largest fish of the trip was a 9 pound pollock caught by Lily Slazas (ME). Lily is Captain Ally Fuehrer's (ME) best friend. Ally, as most of you know, is one of the best deck hand's that has ever worked the Bunny Clark, has been fishing on the Bunny Clark since she was ten years old, holds two Junior Angler IGFA world records from catches on the Bunny Clark and is, currently, working as a second mate on a tanker out on the left coast. She was also fishing today with Lily. Lily also caught the largest cusk of the day at 6.5 pounds. Ian took a picture of Lily holding said cusk. This digital image appears on the right. The third largest fish of the trip was a 7.5 pound cod caught by Chris St. Cyr (MA).

Other Angler Highlights: Mike Palmer (NY) caught a 6 pound white hake. Captain Ally Fuehrer did one better with the largest white hake of the day at 6.5 pounds. Stephanie Winter (MD) landed a 6.5 pound pollock. Katie Kleinknecht (NY) caught a 5.5 pound cod, her largest fish. Chase Kleinknecht (NY) landed the hardest luck of the day award because he caught nary a single living thing by rod & reel. No short cod, no dogfish. In fact, not a single fish graced his hook!

Captain Ian Keniston and Danny DellaMonica ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the south at five knots and then died out to nothing, leaving the ocean as flat a sheet of glass. The ocean remained calm from the start of the trip until the end. The air temperature was in the high 70s. The visibility ranged to twenty-five miles.. The sky was clear and sunny. The tide (current) was light to moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was very good; the tide was perfect, there were a few dogfish but not enough to really bother and the weather was perfect. The only thing that dropped the fishing down a category was the dogfish. The catching was fair to good. Landings were poor, as they were last evening. Legal landings included one pollock, three redfish, three whiting, two mackerel and thirteen red hake. Released fish included fifty small pollock, two small cod, fifteen dogfish and a mackerel. They drift fished for most of the time but did anchor once. Only bait and a few cod flies were used. No jigs were tried.

Mike Zabawa (NY) caught the largest fish, a 3.25 pound pollock. Mike was not in the boat pool. Jason Gwozdz (VT) won the boat pool for the largest fish with one of the larger red hake, a fish that weighed a half a pound. Grace McQueeney (VT) landed the hardest luck of the evening award when she broke off a big fish that, has she landed it, would have been, by far, the biggest news of the night.

Thursday, August 4, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 66°F, the sky was completely cloudless, there was not enough wind to write about, the ocean along the shore was flat calm and the visibility over it seemed very good to excellent.Ashore, there was no wind to speak of until about 9:00 AM. The wind blew out of the and gradually increased to about fifteen knots by the end of the day. The sky was cloudless all morning and into the afternoon. The visibility was very good in haze. The air temperature reached a high, that I saw, of 88°F. It wasn't very humid which made it seem not as warm as it was. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 98°F with a low of 68°F). The high of 98°F in Boston today breaks the previous record high temperature of 97°F set on this date in 1928. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 98°F (with a low of 60°F). The high of 98°F in Concord today breaks the previous record high temperature of 97°F set on this date in 1944. The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 88°F (with a low of 63°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at ten to fifteen knots. Seas were chops of one to two feet. The air temperature started out in the high 70s and got into the 80s. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was light to moderate. The sky was clear and sunny. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was very good today, our first very good fishing day on the morning trip in a while. Why? You may well ask! There were very few dogfish, was the primary reason. The sea conditions weren't the best, which dropped it down a category and there were a few dogfish. But there was very little current. The catching was very good. Landings were good, but much better than yesterday and the day before. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. The haddock cull was 70/30, favoring the legal sized fish. The haddock still weren't very big but it seemed like all of them were legal or close to it. Legal landings also included twenty-five pollock, five cusk and six mackerel. Released fish included ten dogfish, two blue sharks, eight cod of 5 pounds or more, eighteen small cod, the small haddock, seventy-five or so sub-legal pollock and a sculpin or two. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked equally well.

Mike Kruszyna (MA) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with the most legal fish and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 13 pound pollock. Mike also caught the second largest fish, an 11 pound pollock. His third largest fish was a 7 pound cod, the largest cod of the trip and the fourth largest fish of the trip. Evan Cox (KY) caught the third largest fish, an 8 pound pollock.

Other Angler Highlights: Alex Denis (MA) landed the hard luck award for not controlling his equilibrium along with the motion of the ocean. He was the only hurler of the trip.

Captain Ian Keniston and Danny DellaMonica ran the afternoon half day (4 PM - 8 PM) trip. On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the southwest at ten to fifteen knots. Seas were two feet in chops. The air temperature was in the low 80s. The visibility ranged from ten to twelve miles in haze. The tide (current) was moderate. The sky was clear and sunny. The surface water temperature reached a high of 68°F.

The fishing was very good with the same factors that went into the day being in the same category, albeit, with a little bit rougher seas. The catching was good. Landings were fair to good. Legal landings included six cusk, three whiting, eight mackerel and a butter mullet. Released fish included ten dogfish, three small cod, forty-two sub-legal pollock, four sub-legal redfish and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. Only bait and cod flies were used.

Jim Wright (MA) was the fisherman of the day. He was high hook with two legal fish and he won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 9 pound cusk. He also caught the third largest fish, a cusk that weighed 4.75 pounds. The second largest fish was a 7 pound cusk caught by Lyla Spencer (MA).

Other Angler Highlights: Aaron Sohy (ME) caught a 3 pound cusk. Julia Spencer (MA) also caught a cusk that weighed 3 pounds. Will Casey (NY) landed a cusk that weighed 2.5 pounds. Jason Bradley (MA) landed the hard luck award for becoming the high hurler of the evening. There were a few anglers who were sea sick this evening.

I had several individuals sponsor me in the Pan-Mass Challenge today. Those donors and their donations are as follows: Rick & Sue Towne (NH) for a generous $100.00, Denise & Larry Green (MA/ME) for a generous $100.00 in the form of an "eGift" through the PMC site, John Haddock (MA) for a very generous $250.00 in the form of an "eGift" through the PMC site and David Smith (GA) for $50.00 in the form of an "eGift" through the PMC site. Thank you all so very much for your support and thoughtfulness. It means so very much to me but it means more to the people who need help and to the researchers themselves who are trying to figure this cancer puzzle out. Very much appreciated!!!

Friday, August 5, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 73°F, the sky was overcast, there was no wind, the ocean along the shore was glassy calm and the visibility over it seemed very good to excellent. The wind was light and variable all day. The ocean along the shore was calm all day as well. In fact, the waves lashing the shoreline were about two inches high, about as small a wave as you will see along the shore. The sky was a mix of sun and clouds with possible rain showers in the offing from time to time. We had a heavy rain around 2:00 PM that lasted about ten minutes at most. We had two other times where you could feel rain drops for a couple minutes that seemed to dry up before they hit the ground. And we had another light shower, making the road wet at 8:00 PM. The visibility was good in haze and more humidity (probably 70%) than I can remember this year so far. The air temperature reached a high of 88°F. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 95°F with a low of 73°F). The high of 97°F in Boston today ties the previous record high temperature of 97°F set on this date in 1931. Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 92°F (with a low of 71°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 87°F (with a low of 73°F).

On the fishing grounds, the wind was light and variable all day. The ocean remained calm. The air temperature got up into the high 80s. But it was much hotter on deck. The sky was sunny with clouds. The visibility ranged from ten to fifteen miles in haze. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 73°F, the highest surface water temperature of the season to date.

The fishing was good. The dogfish were back and the weather was a bit too warm. But the sea state and drift were perfect. And the catching was very good. Landings were good. Most legal fish landed were haddock again today, very many more than any other legal fish caught and more than was caught yesterday for far fewer anglers. And they were bigger. The haddock cull was five to one or, for every six haddock caught, five were of legal size to keep. Legal landings also included nine pollock, nine cusk, a whiting, a monkfish and four mackerel. Released fish included one hundred or more dogfish, eight cod of 5 pounds or more, twenty-three small cod, eighty-eight small pollock, two sculpins, a wolffish and a mackerel. Drifting was the method. Only bait was used today. Not a single jig got wet today.

Jeff Jerger was high hook with the most legal fish. He also caught the second largest fish of the trip, an 8 pound wolffish. Craig Chase won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, a 10 pound pollock. The third largest fish was a monkfish that weighed 5 pounds and was caught by Steve Eastman.

Other Angler Highlights: Eric Raymond landed the hardest luck of the trip award for being the sole hurler of the trip.

My afternoon was spent at my son's, Micah's, wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. At one point at the dinner I gave the father of the groom speech. This turned out better than I thought it would. I didn't crack. Nor did I make a fool of myself. But, above all, the time spent through the whole time was extremely rewarding and fun. It sure is amazing how fast that time flies.

I received a generous $100.00 donation from John & Sue Stebbins (MA) today sponsoring me in the Pan-Mass Challenge, where I would have been had my son not planned his wedding weekend on the same date! To me, though, the ride is great but it's the fund raising that is the high point of doing this. And the fund raising for cancer research I will keep doing, completing the annual ride next year. The donation was made through the PMC site in the form of an "eGift". Thanks, John & Sue, for your thoughtfulness and supports. This means a great deal to me.

Saturday, August 6, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 71°F, the sky was cloudless, there was no wind, the ocean along the shore was glassy calm and the visibility over it seemed very good to excellent. The sky was cloudless all morning. After noon, clouds started to show and, later, thunder storms, periodically moved by us, not hitting us directly. The wind blew lightly out of the northeast and, later, east. This little amount of wind died out late in the afternoon and carried on into the night. The visibility was very good. the highest air temperature that I saw was 88°F. It was the most humid day of the summer, so far. And it felt like it. The air temperature reached a high of 88°F. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 97°F with a low of 73°F). The high of 97°F in Boston today ties the previous record high temperature of 97°F set on this date in 1931.Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 93°F (with a low of 72°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 85°F (with a low of 70°F).

My son, Micah's, wedding went off without a problem. It was a great wedding but I am indeed biased. The process of picture taking started at noon. The ceremony happened at 4:30 PM. I left the venue at 9:30 PM, well before most everyone else. I was dead tired. There was one exception; Captain Ian & Sonia Keniston left a hour or more before I did.

I received a very generous $500.00 donation from Andy & Sue Tapparo (MA) sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge, which I couldn't attend as my son was getting married, as you now know. The donation was given as an "eGift" through the PMC website. So very thoughtful and generous, Andy & Sue have supported my ride for cancer since, probably, the first year I decided to do this. Thank you both so very much. I truly appreciate your help!

Sunday, August 7, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 76°F, the sky was cloudless, the wind was blowing out of the southwest at ten knots and the visibility over the ocean was very good, at least. The sky was mostly clear during the morning, mostly cloudy after noon. And we had rain showers after noon. These were periodic and temporary. Sometimes it was light rain. A couple times it poured. The sky cleared during the late afternoon and never rained again. The visibility was good to very good in haze. The wind blew out of the west southwest at ten to fifteen knots to calm after sunset. The highest air temperature that I saw was 91°F. It was humid today. In Boston, Massachusetts (Logan International Airport) the high was 98°F with a low of 77°F). The high of 98°F in Boston today ties the previous record high temperature of 98°F set on this date in 1924.Concord, New Hampshire's high temperature was 94°F (with a low of 68°F). The high air temperature at the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine was 96°F (with a low of 74°F). The high of 96°F in Portland today breaks the previous record high temperature of 93°F set on this date, first, in 2001 and then, later, in 2018.

On the fishing grounds, the wind blew out of the west southwest at ten to fifteen knots. Seas were chops of two to three feet. The sky was clear and sunny for the time fishing, cloudy, mostly, on the ride back in. The air temperature was in the 80s. The visibility ranged from five to fifteen miles in thick haze. The tide (current) was moderate. The surface water temperature reached a high of 69°F.

The fishing was fair, at best. The sea conditions weren't the greatest, the dogfish were many and this was the first day where the blue sharks showed up in numbers. There were at least fifteen blue shark attacks on terminal gear today. The catching was good, excellent if you included the two species of sharks. Landings were fair to good. Most legal fish landed were haddock, by far. They did catch a lot of haddock. The haddock cull was about 60/40, favoring the legal sized fish. Legal landings also included thirteen pollock, five cusk and one whiting. Released fish included all the blue sharks, over one hundred dogfish, six cod of 5 pounds or more, twenty-one small cod, the short haddock, almost one hundred small pollock and a sculpin. Drifting was the method. All terminal gear worked well.

Maranda Carpenter (VT) was high hook with the most legal fish, mostly haddock. Richard Morrell (ME) won the boat pool for the largest fish with the largest fish, an 8 pound pollock. The second largest fish of the trip weighed in at 7 pounds. There were three 7 pound fish, all caught by a different angler. Tony Morton (ME) caught a 7 pound cod. Wil Wiseman (ME) caught a 7 pound pollock. And Chris Hovey (ME) caught a 7 pound cod.

Other Angler Highlights: Gage Prezioso (MA) was the high hurler of the trip and landed the hardest luck of the trip award. There were a couple anglers who were bitten by this dreaded temporary disease.

I, of course, stayed ashore trying to get over the tiredness I felt from a weekend of festivities. After the Bunny Clark came in, I changed the oil. It could not have been any warmer in the engine room. After this ordeal, which takes me about an hour and thirteen gallons of oil, I was completely soaked with perspiration. Sundays are my early day out. So,. when I was done with the boat, I was done for the day and was able to go home, eat dinner and go to bed. I had already completed the orders for tomorrow's deliveries at the restaurants.

I received two generous donations sponsoring me in this year's Pan-Mass Challenge, bike ride for cancer research. This would have been the second day ride from Bourne, Massachusetts to Provincetown, Massachusetts, about an eighty mile ride. The donors included Stu Dunn (ME), one of my top managers at Barnacle Billy's restaurant, for $100.00 and Bruce & Sheila Wilson (FL) for $100.00. Thank you all so very much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. I very much appreciate your support.

Monday, August 8, 2022

At 5:00 AM EDT the air temperature was 76°F, the sky was clear with just a few high thin clouds, there was just a very little bit of southwest wind, the ocean along the shore was calm and the visibility over it was very good. More later.

I have decided to keep the fuel surcharge at $15.00 until I get a feeling as to where fuel prices are going to settle in at or if prices rise. I've always put in the literature and online that we would have to ask for a fuel surcharge if the prices went too high. But we have never had to ask for one until this season. I'm hoping it goes away but I'm very ambivalent about future of fuel pricing.

Also, as most of you know, the 2022 season officially started on May 1. The regional office of the National Marine Fisheries Service has not made a ruling as to when the new recreational fishery regulations will go into effect. And after talking on the phone with them near the end of April, they had not decided on what the new ruling should encompass. They will have to decide on the regulations going forward (i.e.: adopt the New England Fishery Management Council's suggestion or come up with a plan of their own that will, no doubt, mirror most of what the Council suggests.) Next, the ruling goes out to public comment, the comment period being as short as fifteen days or as long as a month. And then the decision will go from there. I suspect that we will not see the new regulations come out until at least July 1. By that time, the best haddock fishing will be over and the dogfish will be here (they are here already). The Council's proposal differs in the regulations today by the bag limit of haddock (five more per person under the Council's proposed rule) and for the cod season in the fall (one more week added to the cod season - September 1 thru October 7.). The minimum size would go up by an inch. I, of course, would like to see a slot limit on cod so that we don't take too many of the more fecund larger breeding individuals. But no one likes my ideas. And some based their thoughts on the slot as it played out with the striped bass, not a very good comparison - my opinion. So it will be a wait and see. Until the new regulations go into effect, the old regulations will remain in place, including the 15 fish haddock bag limit and four week cod season.

More regulations news: The public comment period for the proposed regulations is now upon us. It started August 1 and should last for two weeks. A ruling may be made shortly afterward. We shall see. It's amazing to me that these regulations are taking so long to implement when the new regulations were supposed to be in place by May 1! This for an industry that relies so heavily on advertising to bring in business. These proposals are all things that would generate more business in a climate that is less conducive to good business. It's very disappointing.

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