Bucket List Fish Caught, Cod in the Freezer and Striper Number Nearing 500 on the Season!!

I'll go in reverse, but this morning's 2 stripers has brought my season total to 495, with 21 keepers. I'm desperately seeking #500, but I'm running up against the inevitable end of the season, as the latest I've ever caught a bass here has been October 7. Even at 500, this season is down 20% from last year, which was down 20% from 2019.

The 21 keepers is unprecedented, the most since the 28" limit was in place was 4 in a single season, so I'm not complaining at all about catching less fish. The average fish size is up this year, and that makes me a happy camper.

Since our limited recreational cod 2 weeks is coming to a close on Thursday, I decided to head out to some of my inshore bumps this afternoon. I found fish on my 2 favorite spots and was not disappointed as the sounder lit up as soon as I got there. However I was presented with a twofold problem, many short cod, and an "Iron Dome" of mackerel between the surface and the bottom that would constantly intercept my jig and teaser on the way down. I was constantly moving trying to find breaks in the mackerel to get down to the cod. More often than not, the cod caught were shorts, but I did manage 2 keeper-sized fish. I got a 24" fish and bled it out, only to catch a 26" fish later, that was gently released since I had my one. Caught a total of 14 cod and over 30 mackerel, along with a 19" pollock, the largest inshore one I've ever caught in Maine.

Well, one of my "mackerel" struck me as being unusually green as I was about to try to shake it off the hook. Then the Klaxons went off in my brain, "IDIOT!!! That's a small BONITO!!!" I have never caught a bonito, which is on my bucket list so I was glad to say I finally had caught one, BUT I never considered my first would be a whopping 9" long, LOL!!