Offshore fishing update 8-24-09
Unfortunately I'm going have to forego any offshore trips for tuna and shark in September. The Obsession  has some transom issues that will not allow me to run any offshore trips. We'll get her mended up after haul-out and be ready for the 2010 season! Sorry folks, I know some of you were looking forward to booking an offshore trip this fall.

08-24-09 Some of the best fishing of the season is now taking place here on the Kennebec!

Terry Stockwell ME DMR                                            David and Max Solomon From CA

Matt, Pascal and Chris from Montreal enjoying a nice morning on the Kennebec

Date: 08-17-09

Striper fishing continues to be very good on the Kennebec!
    
               Doug Seaman from Chicago, IL                                                                Local anglers - Tom & Ceci Gilson w/ friend Rob Eveon

These fish were caught in the Kennebec River last week fishing in 20-30' of water with live eels. We also have been doing pretty well sight fishing with fly and artificials in skinny water when conditions allow.

Date: 08-10-09

 
             Capt. Dave with a nice 35" striper caught on a live eel                                 Mike Mulheisen from MI with a 26" fly rod striper

Conditions: Stripers have returned to the Kennebec in better numbers this week. Both shallow water cover and sight casting on the sand flats are producing good action at the river's mouth. There are 24"-36" stripers hanging deep (20'-30') in the main river channel between Bath and Phippsburg. The offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine (15-20 miles off) are now providing good action on blue shark. School tuna are still scarce.     
Celeste Demarco from NY with one for the BBQ!           The Seger Family from CT braves a rainny afternoon with good results

Bait: Upriver - blueback herring and alewives both adult and young of the year. Downriver - sand eels and young of the year Adult herring, some adult Atlantic herring.
Fly Techniques: Sight casting baitfish and crab patterns in shallow water and blind casting large baitfish patterns in deep water.
Spin Techniques: Shallow water - try Sluggos and Spooks to attract strikes near structure and cover. Live eels and bloodworms fished deep are taking big fish in the upper river.
Tip of the week: sight casting for stripers can be frustrating this time of year. Keep changing your offering when refused and if possible try to find fish that have no had a lot of fishing pressure put on them.
7 day outlook: Conditions should stay consistent for the week. The tides, wind and rain predictions are all encouraging.

7-30-09 A few fresh sea run stripers have entered the river this week. We are having our best action on bloodworms fished deep on Carolina rigs. Low light and early morning fishing is producing some good action on artificial lures and flies. But when the sun is bright the fish go deep.

7-23-09 Fishing this past week has been a little slow. But the past few trips things are picking up again. No bluefish to date but some  nice stripers...

       Max Ferguson from NY                     Max again                                          Stephanie from LA and Eric from GA

7-13-09 Conditions: We are slowly transitioning to mid-summer water conditions. The striped bass are beginning to feed in the shallows during low light - early day conditions and then are staging deeper mid day. Lower river continues to support a good amount of adult sea herring, britt (young of the year) herring and sand eels.

Namish Hamiltan from the UK                                        Mike Lambert from PA                        David Sutherland from NY

The river up stream (Bath - Bowdoinham) has tons of river herring and alewives. Fly Techniques: Use floating or intermediate line early then switch to Depth Charge Lines when the fish go deep during mid day. Spin / Bait Techniques Slugos and surface lures in low light conditions and swap to buck tails during mid day. Tip of the week: Look for stripers to settle into they're early summer haunts along banks and submerged structure. 7 day outlook: Good early morning and low light action should continue throughout the week. Mid day fishing will be slow.  

7-6-09 the transition to clearer water conditions and typical July fishing is progressing. Stripers have settled into their summer haunts along the coastal bays and beaches. The banks and rips in the lower river are producing regularly. We are occasionally getting cut off by small bluefish but we have not had to go to bite guards.

  
Carl Saunders from Colorado with a couple nice Kennebec stripers

Bait: Even with all the fresh water run off and the muddy water of the past few weeks the lower river is supporting a good amount of adult sea herring, britt (young of the year) herring and sand eels. The river up stream (Bath - Bowdoinham) has tons of river herring and alewives.

  
Steve Farris from Bangor pulls a couple nice ones out the muddy water of this week

Fly Techniques: Up river large bulky flies on sinking lines are working when placed along structure where fish are staged. Down river and on the beaches correctly sized and realistic offerings on float or intermediate lines are working well.

Spin / Bait Techniques: Fishing deep along banks and in rips is producing well. Spooks are working in shallow water near cover during both bright and dim light situations.

Tip of the week: Identity the predominate bait and use offerings that mimic it in size and actions.

7 day outlook: Water conditions and flow will continue to improve throughout the week

6-29-09 The Kennebec River is clearing up somewhat from all the June rains. There have been striped bass bites in several locations on the lower 10 miles of the river in the past few days. The fish are mostly ranging from 24"-32" in size. The first of the summer's bluefish have arrived at the river's mouth so bring some bite guards with you.

Fred Bogue with a nice fly rod 27"er

We are making the transition back to more realistic fly patterns from the bright and bulky offerings of last week due to poor water clarity. Baitfish are ranging from 6-10" river herring and Atlantic Herring to 2" sand eels and young of the year Atlantic herring (brit).

Paul Skydell with a 24" fly rod striper

With light rain and showers forecasted for the next few days the water level will be high and the water clarity will be low. If the past few days are any indication the bait and the stripers will be staying in the river and remaining quite active.

6-22-09 We've had 3+ inches of rain in the past few days. The Kennebec resembles a chocolate milkshake. The bite has been below average ad will remain so for the next couple days. The River will flush quite quickly and good fishing is expected to return by mid week.

Larger bulkier fly patterns are working well in the reduced visibility. 2/0 - 4/0 chartreuse and black / yellow deceivers are best. 2/0 chartreuse clousers are good 2nd choice. Bright colored bucktails and shad bodies shine through the murk too!

Sea 56* river mid 60s

Fishing slow and deep works best under the current muddy conditions. Concentrate on structure and rips for hold-up stripers.

Saturday June 13th - The fishing has slowed up but we did manage to get one good one this morning. Joe Herbert pick this 27"er up on a 5" long baitfish imitation of his own creation. Good Going Joe!

With moderate to heavy rain for a couple days last week and over the weekend the river will turn silty and the fish will be less active for the first half of this week. By mid week things should get back to normal.

Jim Tilghman from Pensacola

Friday, June 12th - Yesterday's afternoon tide produced fish on flies in several location on the lower Kennebec. The bait ranges from tiny sand eels and Atlantic herring to 6"-8" river herring. Large deceivers on sinking lines seemed to work best but other offerings presented on intermediate lines did produce. We caught stripers up to 29" long weighing 8 pounds. Very healthy and happy fish.  Life is good...

Monday June 8th - The first schools of 24-30" stripers have arrived in the lower Kennebec this week. Schools are feeding on the surface on the incoming tide. Other smaller pods of fish are staged on structure from the Fiddlers Reach Launch and Popham Beach. It takes a bit of searching to find them but when found they are happy fish.

 Small and medium bait fish imitations are producing best. Gurglers and poppers are effective when the schools come up to feed.

 Young of the year Atlantic herring and small sand eels are the prominent bait. There are pods of 6-8" sea herring and mackerel in the river also. Floating and intermediate lines are working great. Water temps are in the low 60's

 Light amounts of rain this week will not effect water quality. The water temp continues to rise and the bait is settling into it early summer habitat. All is good!

 5-31-09 The first of the migratory striped bass have arrived here in Maine. Casco Bay is now producing schoolie sized stripers for those who venture out. The bait in the lower Kennebec is abundant and will provide for great action when the stripers arrive over the next week or two. Currently there are a few fish hanging on the warmer mud flats and in the rips where bait is congregating.

Early season schoolie fly fishing takes place with small and medium sized Deceivers and Clouser Minnows in the lower 6 miles of the river. The bait in that portion of the river is typically small sand eels and young of the year Atlantic herring. This a great time of year to fish with intermediate and floating lines.