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23-Oct-11
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October 23, 2011
A great October day for deep-sea fishing. The Erica Lee II left the dock at 6AM with one of our favorite regular groups of anglers - a group that knows how to fish in all conditions. Although I'm putting this on the site before they are back to the dock, Bob called and said the conditions were perfect today and they ended up with over 100 fish. We don't even have the weight of the largest codfish held up by Mike, but I should have an update shortly.
UPDATE: We ended the day with 135 fish and the cod pictured below weighed in at 41lbs.
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20-Oct-11
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October 19, 2011
Everything said to stay home on the 19th. Weather conditions were supposed to be terrible with wind and rain. However in looking at the reports late Tuesday, most of them did say our area would not receive the worst of these conditions until late in the day. So....Bob and Seth departed at 6AM and returned around 3:30 with a following sea, a boatload of fish and 12 happy anglers. A 19-lb. pollock took the pool.
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20-Oct-11
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October 12, 2011
A group of our frequent Walkaboard Wednesday anglers joined Bob and the Erica Lee II crew for a deep-sea trip. The weather was good - just a bit of a breeze and a nice warmup as the day went on. The fishing started out quite slowly and it looked like it was going to be a bad day of fishing - even though an enormous carrot cake, a huge marble cake, dozens of cookies and home-cooked chicken came along for the ride. Luckily the picnic at sea was interrupted when Bob found a great spot and everyone started bailing fish into the boat. He ended the day with just under 100 fish. A great way to spend your 65th birthday!
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29-Sep-11
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September 28, 2011
The weather looked iffy all week, but we hung in there and left the dock at 6AM with 10 anglers.
The day was almost perfect - warm, sunny and just a bit breezy - not the rain and heavy wind predicted.
Bob found a good spot, utilized the 'chute and we did a few slow drifts throughout
the day. Our 10 anglers ended the day with 121 fish - 74 haddock and the rest cod, pollock
and a few cusk. We were not bothered too much by the dogs and had no blue dog
sharks all day.
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25-Sep-11
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September 24, 2011
The Erica Lee II left her dock in Newburyportat 5 AM with 11 eager anglers.
The weather was still cloudy with a bit of drizzle, but when we got to the fishing
grounds, the drizzle had stopped and we had a slight roll on. We used the 'chute and made only
2 drifts for the day. We ended the day with 110 fish - mostly haddock, some cod and pollock and one
22" halibut that was returned to the sea .We had blue dog sharks around all day and lost 15-18
rigs and the fish that were on them due to their presence. We found that if you reel in really fast, you can get by some of the blue dogs. This was another great day with a great group.
   
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19-Sep-11
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September 17, 2011
When the Erica Lee II left the dock, the sun was shinning and the winds were light and variable - perfect conditions. We couldn't ask for a better day this time of year. The biggest problem of the day was tide and wind, but the 'chute bailed us out and we ended the day with 110 keepers - 80% haddock.
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03-Sep-11
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September 3, 2011
The Erica Lee II left the dock in Newburyport at 8AM with a concerning 12-14K SE breeze. By the time we arrived at Jeffreys Ledge, the seas were running in the 4's with an occasional 6. We had a light group of 10 people who did very well in spite of the conditions. The chute paid for itself today! In one drift we had 80 fish - 3/4 nice haddock - the rest cod and pollock. The high hook for the day was 18 fish. The weather did improve during the day and the sun came out - an excellent day at sea. 
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18-Jun-11
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June 17, 2011
This was a perfect evening for both our crew and the anglers who chartered the Erica Lee II. We left the dock at 3:30 in the afternoon and headed out to catch some mackerel. After bringing in about a dozen fish, they were put in the live well. Then the real fun began. There is nothing as exciting as fishing live mackerel to catch stripers. Very often you can see the bass approaching the mackerel and the mackerel taking off as it is being pursued. But at the time of hookup as the line is peeling out and the rod is bent over, a whole new appreciation for sportfishing can be felt. Our evening ended at 7:30 with two nice keepers, 4 throwbacks and some great fishing memories.
  
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16-Jun-11
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June 15, 2011 Walkaboard Wed.
We opened this date up just a week ago and were able to come up with 9 anglers.
The wind and sea calmed down quite a bit as the day went on and the fishing was a slow pick most of the day.
We ended the day with about 80 fish and 9 very happy anglers.
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15-Jun-11
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June 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 14th, the Erica Lee II left the dock with a hearty group of anglers who have been fishing with us for a few years now. It was not a good weather day at all. A bit of a drizzle here and there, 4-5' seas and 18-20 knots of wind. No other group but this one could have done what they did under these conditions. We ended the day with 98 fish - mostly cod.
 
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12-Jun-11
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June 11, 2011
It has been up and down fishing and weather this whole spring season. Today was one of those "down" days - overcast, wet and damp all day long. We had a group of talented, repeat offenders on the boat, but the fish were just not there in great numbers. We did have a slow pick of fish all day and ended the day with 80 fish - not a bad number for the day according to radio reports from other vessels in the same area.
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09-Jun-11
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June 8, 2011
Most of our Walkaboard Wednesday trips consist of "repeat offenders" who just can't get enough of the good fishing that is typical in the Springtime in New England. We had 4 new anglers onboard and really hoped they would find the long drive worthwhile. The fishing lately has been off/on - one day really great - the next day terrible. We hoped to fall somewhere in the middle on this trip. We left the dock at 6AM with 14 passengers in very calm seas, no wind and rapidly warming temperatures as the sun made its appearance. We tried 3 spots, but nothing came over the rail worth chatting about. Then we went further. Bob gave the signal to drop the lines and a combination of jigs and baits went to work. The fish started coming aboard right away - mostly haddock and almost all on baits. Some of the jig fishermen switched to baits and more fish were caught - a mixture of cod, haddock, cusk and pollock. It didn't take too long for the fish to respond to both bait and jigs and everyone was catching fish. We ended the day with 156 fish, 14 happy anglers and 4 new anglers who assured us they would return.
 
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05-Jun-11
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June 4, 2011
According to the weather forecasters, this should have been a good weather day off the coast. It was not! We had 18K winds out of the East with 2-3' seas. Since the ocean temp is still quite cold, the air was cold as well. However, we had some hardy anglers onboard and ended the day with 140 fish - a mix of haddock and cod.
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04-Jun-11
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Deep-Sea Fishing
The Erica Lee II left the dock at 6AM with a group that has been with us for two "family" generations. They had heard about the catch from yesterday's report and were quite eager to match that. When Bob got to the spot he was on yesterday, there was another boat already anchored there - it's hard to keep your favorite locations a secret with today's technology!! The weather and sea conditions were good, but the fishing was not. We ended the day with a total catch of 35 fish - and though disappointed in their catch, our group of anglers assured us they would be back.
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02-Jun-11
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June 2, 2011
Today we had a 9-hour trip with 9 very talented anglers - The Erica Lee II left the dock at 6AM with a mild breeze out of the West/Southwest, clear skies and 1-2' chop. We stopped in the area I fished in yesterday, but the fish were not there. We moved a couple more miles to the east in a couple hundred feet of water. Shortly after we started fishing using both jigs and bait the boxes were getting filled and the jiggers were getting tired. There was only one angler still jigging - Dave Turner - of Dave Turner Custom Built Jigging Rods. Everyone else ended up using bait at the end. The tide was ripping off the back of the boat and we still continued to catch fish. We ended the day with a mix of cod haddock and pollock. The ride in was OK for the first 5 miles and then quite rough with a strong wind out of the west.
   
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02-Jun-11
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June 1, 2011
Another successful Walkaboard Wednesday Trip
We left the dock at 6AM with southeast winds 10-12Kts. We headed to Jefferies Ledge and fished in deep water - 350'-
All jig fish - a mixture of large market cod and about a half-dozen steaker cod - the biggest was a 30 pounder. At the end of the day we anchored up in shallow water and caught a few haddock. By this time the wind was blowing south at 30 kts. with 6-7' seas. A very slow, sloppy ride home.
Our 12 anglers ended the day with a total of 98 fish.
 
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30-May-11
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May 30, 2011
The Erica Lee II left the dock at 5AM with 13 anglers on board. We have had this group before and they just love to fish - and fish they did. We had one father and son "team" who caught the largest amount of fish for the day.
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29-May-11
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May 29-2011
The same group as yesterday was on today - a few of the faces had changed - along with the weather and sea conditions. It was still quite foggy, but the sun was trying hard to break through. We used the chute most of the day and ended up with a total of 91 fish. Not bad for 7 anglers. 70% of the fish were haddock.
 
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29-May-11
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May 28-2011
Saturday, May 28th, we left the dock at 6AM with 8 anglers. It was cold, rough and very thick fog - so thick that it was pouring into the cockpit through the open windows. By the time we arrived at the fishing grounds we had one angler seasick and the others worked hard at bringing in the catch of the day. We ended the day with around 56 fish - a mix of cod and haddock.
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26-May-11
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May 26, 2011
The boat is just heading in, but Bob has already sent me these two pictures. Stay tuned for the fish report!
 
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25-May-11
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Walkaboard Wednesday
The Erica Lee II left the dock at 6AM with a group of 15 talented anglers - most of them "repeat offenders". We had one of the best weather days of the season and drifted or motor-drifted all day. With a slow pick of fish, we ended the day with 97 fish, mostly cod. Things are finally looking up!
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24-May-11
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May 23, 2011
We left the dock at 7AM with 9 anglers eager to meet the challenge of deep-sea fishing. However, we were met with the usual - for this Spring fishing season - blowing wind, rough seas, occasional showers and a general chill in the air. Even the fish did not show up for this event. We ended the day with 30-35 fish in the boat.
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22-May-11
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Not a good sea day at the Mouth of the River
We left the dock at 7AM with 16 anglers. The wind was coming from the East - Northeast 10-15. It was the bottom of the outgoing tide and the mouth of the river was a mess. We went around the north jetty and headed up towards Salisbury Beach about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile and then headed east. Two miles off the beach we had Raycor filter problems. Not a good sign. We headed back in through the mess. The mate took these pictures.
 
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21-May-11
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Saturday, May 21, 2011
Finally, a flat day with no rain. We were able to drift and motordrift all day.
Our 10 anglers caught 92 fish - 90% haddock. A 12-lb codfish took the pool.
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14-May-11
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May 14, 2011
Nice ride out today - calm and a little overcast. We went to the area that I thought I should have gone to the day before. Again, it was a slow pick no matter where we went. We picked up a few fish at each stop - mostly haddock and cusk and a few cod. A 10-lb. cod took the pool. Again we had one angler take 10 fish and another take 11 out of the 55 fish caught. We did catch a number of redfish, which I don't put in the count, but they are excellent fish to eat.
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13-May-11
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May 13, 2011
We left the dock with 8 eager anglers (on Friday the 13th!!!!). The seas had finally calmed down after many, many days of turbulent waters. We had southeast winds and a nice sunny day. However, this is one of those days when I think I should have zigged instead of zagged. We went south and had a slow pick of fish - a mix of haddock and cod. No one took a jig out. The two anglers in the corner stern did very well - one took 10 fish and the other took 11 fish out of the total 45 fish caught. I'm not sure what that tells you.....The mouth of the river was a little dicey on the way in.
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07-May-11
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May 7, 2011
Capt. Bob and his crew left the dock in Newburyport this morning at 6AM with 16 anglers on board. The wind was out of the southeast 15-18 knots which made for a rough ride out. The fishing was slow to start, but picked up as the day went on. We ended the day with 92 fish. 82 Haddock and 10 codfish.
We have 3 spaces available on Walkaboard Wednesday, May 11th
Call Lee at 978-462-8859 to reserve your space
enende
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05-May-11
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Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Erica Lee II left the dock at 7AM with 14 experienced anglers. The weather was still acting up with winds out of the west 12-15 and whitecaps all around. We had an early bite with a mixture of cod and haddock. The wind and seas calmed down in the afternoon and we had a nice drift. The bite stopped at noon with still a slow pick here and there. A 17 lb. cod won the pool. We ended the day with 47 haddock and 26 codfish. Things seem to be picking up.
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02-May-11
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Sunday, May 1, 2011
We left the dock at 7AM with an elite group of highly trained anglers - snipers of fish! These guys are not afraid of bad weather and usually welcome it. (or cause it). They have been getting in shape all winter for this special event and we knew we were in for a spectacular demonstration of courage, tenacity and extreme skill.
We spent the night before in preparation - watched a Bruins game, ate a high-protein meal, got our 8-hours of snoozing and then snapped to at 5AM. With lunches packed, ice and bait loaded into the truck, our captain and crew left for the boat. Bait was cut with precision, rods lined up in anticipation of the hunt on the ledge. We were ready.
Rough ride out - 15-18 knots of wind out of the North, Northeast. We had to anchor all day which makes a big difference in the bite. We ended the day with 66 fish - a mixture of cod and haddock. We threw back about 100 cod. It's good to see the fishing pick up a bit - just need the wind to settle down a bit more.
But, with the equivalent of a Navy-Seal Team 6 on board, we broke the curse and can now move forward in combat to capture more of the elusive cod and haddock. Well done Team!! You make a captain proud..
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30-Apr-11
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April 30, 2011
 The Erica Lee II left the dock at 7AM with 10 anglers just hoping to help break the bad spell of fishing and weather. And it finally happened. Today's weather was the best weather day of the season with light winds and warmer air. We were able to drift all day and ended the day with 64 fish - a mixture of cod and haddock and one cusk. About 100 short cod were returned to the sea.
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28-Apr-11
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Wed. May 27, 2011
Again we had a boatload of talent and Bob was determined to catch a boatload of fish. He talked to some captains down south and the fishing seemed a bit better than up this way. So, with great talent, great bait and pretty good sea and weather conditions, the Erica Lee II headed 40 miles to the south only to return with a very tired crew and captain - and not tired from catching fish. Of note, the weather has been pretty brutal this year, the ocean is still quite cold and we all think - with a bit of optimism - that this warmer spell of weather will finally bring the fish in. Stay tuned - we have some great charters booked for the weekend - if the fish are in, these anglers will get them.
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28-Apr-11
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Monday, April 25, 2011
We seem to be stuck in a terrible weather/fish pattern. This day was no different than the last two trips. We ended the day with about 25 fish.
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28-Apr-11
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Wed. April 20, 2011
Our walkaboard Wednesday trips are usually filled with the best of the best anglers and they certainly showed up for this trip. However, the weather was still quite uncooperative and the fish were very scarce. In times like this, Bob pulls out every trick in the book, calls all the knowledgeable, truthful captains, looks back at previous years catches and will travel further and longer in the hope of finding a good fish spot. - yes, even in times of increased fuel costs. All that effort did not pay off on this day, but the fish are bound to show up some time soon.
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17-Apr-11
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Saturday, April 16
Everyone from New England knows that if you wait a minute the weather will change. Well, the same thing holds true for the fishing. Last Saturday, it was non-stop fish and good weather. Today, the wind was blowing a bit, the temperature was quite cool and a few showers showed up. But the fish did not. Bob ended the day with 36 fish. 22 Haddock, 12 cod and 2cusk.
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09-Apr-11
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April 9, 2011
Bob and Adam left the dock at 7AM with 16 anglers for our first trip of the 2011 season. The fish reports during the week were not very promising, so Bob decided to bypass the inside grounds and headed further out. This effort (along with the extra fuel) paid off bigtime. By 1PM, everyone on board was pretty exhausted, and with 331 haddock on deck, fish were cleaned all the way back to the dock and still there were plenty more to clean. So, we had our first fresh haddock dinner of the season and Bob was sound asleep by 7:30PM! This was an excellent group of talented anglers with a couple of first-timers in the mix.
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