NOAA Fish Surveys: A way to improve – Capt. Sam Novello
First, you need the net, then a set of doors capable of spreading, the net and ground wire, and bridles connected to the net. The angle of attack should be at 15 degrees, this angle is best for catching flounders, cod and haddock. The lower of the angle will catch more flounders. This is the reason why R/V Bigelow did an inadequate job of catching flounders & codfish, (overspreading the net)
The best net will not fish properly if the doors are not synchronized with the net. (I believe the doors and the proper set of wires are just as important as the net. People are talking about a new net for fish surveys, which means more research is needed, more time lost and more money wasted.
R/V Henry B. Bigelow’s net is well suited to new surveys. People talking about rock-hoppers which is just an add-on to the net for fishing in harder bottoms. I used 18-inch rock-hoopers and did not catch flounders, but it depends on how it is rigged.??
If I were in charge, I would use the Jim Ruhle vessel that is equipped with the same fishing setup as R/V Bigelow. Rig up one of the vessels differently just by adding 15 fathoms of ground wire before 15 bridles and tune in the doors to get that 15-degree angle to fish with.
I agree with Sam ,I also fish in the waters of New England with my dad .I kept a log as were we were tides ,water temp etc.Sometimes we would go to place in the summer and catch thousands of lbs of haddock .Went to same area in the winter and caught nothing Meaning fish move and if your at place at the wrong time you will not catch any fish .