FAQs | Whale Watcing | Deep Sea Fishing

Frequently Asked Questions about
Yankee Deep Sea Fishing and Whale Watching

We are family-owned and have been operating out of Gloucester, MA since 1944 and are pioneers in "party-boat" fishing and the whale watching industry. All our Yankee Fleet vessels are regularly inspected and our Captains licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard to insure the safety and comfort of our passengers.

If you have a question that we have not answered, please feel free to visit our contact information or call us at 800-WHALING.

What kind of fishing line should I use?

You should use 50 lb test monofilament line on your fishing trips with us. Tangling issues will be minimized if everyone uses the same type line. Accordingly, Spider Wire type line should not be used. This is nice line, but it will cause troubles on party boat trips. The only exception to the 50 lb monofilament line that we use is on the Tuna Trips. We use 100 lb test on these trips.

I have a group of about 20 or so friends interested in a fishing trip.
Can you send me pricing info?

All our trips are great opportunities for friends to get together and spend the day having fun! We do have group prices for Whale Watching and Half Day Fishing trips. We discourage large groups on our All Day fishing trips as it detracts from the trip for the other passengers. A better choice is a deep sea fishing c harter trip. These trips include the rod & reel rental, and often are less expensive than the open boat. We have discounts for trips in the early and late season, and on weekdays. Call us for availability. We can help you plan the logistics.

What is the best time to see whales?

There really isn't a peak period to see the whales off New England. Nearly anytime from May to the end of October is when they migrate to this area to feed. In truth, whale sightings here are completely dependent upon the presence of their prey - small, schooling fish such as herring, mackerel and sand eels. If there are high concentrations of prey, there are almost always high concentrations of whales, as well!

As a guide, you can check out the weekly trip whale reports or at the Center for Oceanic Research and Education website (we staff the whale watching vessels at the Yankee Fleet).

What are your prices?

For the most accurate pricing, check out our rates & reservations.

I would like to go Cod fishing. When is the best time to go?

That is tough to answer. Cod fishing in the spring seems to be better quantity, while in the autumn Cod seems to be bigger sized. Summer, a mixture of the two. Lately, we are blessed with great Haddock fishing all the time!