LARGE pollock…

By tomconley

Just talked to Capt. Josh, who ran today’s (11/21) trip aboard the Yankee Freedom. The first anchor stop produced a true pollock slam for almost two hours–fish-a-cast doubles on jigs and teasers before hitting bottom…although many anglers who used leader material of less than 80lb test broke off a number of jigs on the brutes. And they were brutes–although fish averaged 10-15 pounds, there were at least a few dozen over 20 pounds and three confirmed 30-plus-pound beasts. Those are big pollock! I’d recommend using at least 80 lb monofilament leader for a jig/teaser rig; 100lb isn’t a bad idea.

By the time the fish finally started to become a bit finicky, still eating but only attacking jigs casted far away from the boat, most anglers had had enough of them, both in terms of meat in the box and PAIN in their shoulders, arms, and backs. Josh moved off in search of haddock, first anchoring for 45 minutes and then setting up a drift. Both stops offered a steady pick of haddock with some cusk and pollock mixed in, although the action never really got hot and heavy. Still, those who stuck with it managed to top off their coolers of pollock with a few tasty haddock. It was a very good day overall, with wide-open, excellent pollock fishing in the morning and fair to good fishing on a variety of groundfish in the afternoon.

Next trip leaves tomorrow at 7AM–now’s the time if you want to tangle with some bruiser pollock!

Willy