Well, so much for keeping up with the fishing reports last season. We started off strong with a report right after our first trip, and then it stopped right there. We are definitely looking to improve on that this year.
Most importantly, heartfelt thanks to all of our customers that made the 2006 season such a great success! We had our best year yet, and again it was great to see so many groups returning from years past. Meeting so many new people was great as well and really injected a lot of life into the trips. 2006 was great on the fishing front, we saw our greatest number of plus 40" stripers, a school tuna bite that you could practically set your watch to (and 0 skunks on tuna), cod-fishing that stayed strong right through the summer, and even a Mass Junior Anglers Governors Cup win!
We had a few happenings in the off-season as well. Fin-Nor big game reels featured a classic photo of Captain Don's Father, Murray with a 910lb Giant Bluefin in their new advertising campaign. It was great to open every major fishing publication this winter and see the picture. We will also be a demo-boat this year for the new Fin-Nor Big game reels – watch out Bluefin!
Your friendly mate Jay Cianciolo finally got around to sitting for his Captain's license, and with a near perfect score on the exam, is now officially "Captain Jay". Jay will be running some of his own trips this year, but on crew days you can be sure Captain Don will make sure he still understands his place is in the cockpit!
First Mate (and also Master Captain) Skip spent some serious time scuba diving in Mexico this winter and is charged up for the season. While he still thinks our water clarity stinks up here, it does make for the best fishing around!
Finally, the Laura-Jay is the water for the season! We launched in Sandwich this morning, and we are shaking down and rigging up all week (with an "exploratory" trip or two thrown in for good measure). Our first Cod trips are this weekend, and then we are fishing full bore through November. The Canal is filled with spawning herring right now, and within two weeks the Mackerel migration should be here. Remember, some of the biggest Stripers of the year show up in the Bay in late May and June, and when they first get here they are hungry!
We are holding our 2006 rate schedule for this season, so call in soon to reserve the prime dates.
Tightlines-
Captain Don and the Laura-Jay Team
