You cannot overstate how important codfish were to western civilization, their numbers so great they fed an entire world.
Cod fishing was the American colony’s first industry and the source of early fortunes. In 1992, because of man’s greed and stupidity, the Canadian government closed Newfoundland waters and the Grand Banks to cod fishing after offshore trawlers had taken nearly every cod. The U.S. was soon to follow suit.
It got so bad that finding a cod to bring home to dinner was a big deal, even for the best fishermen. Heavy gillnetting off the Georges Banks and areas south of Montauk decimated the codfish stocks.
The establishment of size limits and closed commercial seasons have helped to turn things around. Anglers heading to the East End have enjoyed great fishing the past few winters and now we are seeing signs there may even be a fishery in the fall.
The winter fishery has been so good that the party and charter boats from Montauk have been booked solid. In anticipation for this winter’s cod season, party boats from Hampton Bays, Freeport and the North Fork will move to Montauk for the winter.
Cod are coldwater fish and the colder the water, the better they seem to like it. Their preferred temperature ranges between 36 and 46 degrees. Once it gets above 50-55 degrees, they begin move off to deeper and colder water.
Cod vary in size, with most fish caught on party and charter boats weighing from 8 to 20 pounds. But anglers also will see a number of 20-30 pounders come over the rails. A 211-pound, eight-ounce cod was taken by a trawler in 1895 off Cape Cod, but the current word record on rod and reel is 98 pounds, 12 ounces taken off New Hampshire in 1969.
Traditionally, cod fishing was practiced over rough bottoms, but a lot of cod fishing in the fall takes place on wrecks. Those deep water wrecks tend to produce the better fishing and larger fish. Far offshore, off Georges Banks for example, is the province of long-range party boats, like Montauk’s Viking Starship, which will run for five hours or more to reach desired areas.
Cod fishermen are a hearty bunch and the sport is not for the fair-weather fisherman, but it is rewarding and can fill your freezer with enough meat to get you through an entire winter.
ken.moran@nypost.com