Capt. Dave posts his recent Maine fishing reports.
We picked up a good bit of internet and social media exposure in Orvis' Blog: the Orvis News with a story titled "A Striper Morning on Maine's Kennebec River" Check it out and share it. It talks about the fantastic striped bass season we are having and the reasons why its happening.
Longtime client John Kern from Salt Lake City joined me Saturday on the Kennebec for a morning of striped bass fly fishing. We had a dropping tide as we left the marina at 5:30am. As we rounded Thorne Head the gulls were diving on bait, a sure sign the stripers were on the ledge. First drift through the gulls provided a solid hookup.
Conditions: We are seeing some of the very best early June striped bass fishing in years. Lots of surface blitzes on both the incoming and outgoing tides. Water temp is between 60* and 67* and water clarity is good.
Bait the fish are feeding on: River Herring, Alewives, Mackerel, Sea Herring and Sand Eels
20kt Northwest winds gusting to 35 and a sky rocketing barometer made for an interesting day on the Obsession. Got to the boat an hour before my clients to find a school of striped bass feeding like piranha around the docks (check out the sounder screenshot of the fish stacked up under my slip.
So what was I to do? Break out the 9wt fly rod and a folded foam popper! Went 9 hook ups for 10 casts and then decided I better get the boat ready. My three clients showed up and I did something I rarely do - I suggested they make some casts right there in the Marina. I assured them we were going to cast off and fish elsewhere on the Kennebec. After they caught and released several stripers we did just that.
Thursday morning proved to be the best kickoff to the striped bass season in many years. I was part of a four boat outing for folks from Sunday River Ski Resort. We had fish busting on the surface for two solid hours. Mostly schoolies but we managed to get two nice 8-10 pounders too. There's tons of small and medium sized river herring around for the bass right now. We caught them on light tackle using MirroLure twitch baits, sluggos, and bucktails. Video coming soon. I've got June dates available - lets go get em!
The Dept. of Commerce just released its 2014 Socio - Economic Report on Saltwater Fishing. NOAA's press release stated: "Saltwater angling sales increased 4 percent from 2013, generating $61 billion in 2014 and supporting 439,000 jobs. This year's report includes improvements in data collection and analysis methods for the recreational sector, which helped NOAA scientists gain a more accurate view of the industry's economic landscape."
Saltwater angling is big business across America. 68 million fishing trips took place in 2014. With this, goes a huge responsibility to utilize our marine resources wisely. Those of us who make our living from these resources must do all we can to protect our oceans and the fish along with advocating for our businesses. Great organizations like the National Assn. of Charterboat Operators, the Maine Assn. of Charterboat Captains and the Florida Guides Assn. provide strong voices on fisheries issues. I'm proud to be a member of all three. Read the entire report
HOT weather this 2nd week of September is continuing to keep the striped bass deep. Good light tackle action is taking place on the ledges of the Kennebec River. The bite is not continuous but there there are lots of stripers to be found if you are persistent. fish deep and slow with worms or eels. I'm still confident that as the days cool off the fly fishing will be great.
Shark fishing is very good right now and will continue for the next 3-4 weeks. Check out the mako shark videos I posted on the Maine Fishing Videos Section of the website.
I can't remember a year with this many striped bass staged on the Ledges of the Kennebec River. The action is still on Carolina rigged bait due to high water temps.
Over the next few weeks the alewives will be dropping down river and the waters temps will drop. That will bring the stripers up off the ledges back to the surface for what I expect will be the best fly fishing and light tackle lure fishing of the 2015 season.
Great day sharking yesterday With Jeremy and Eran Libby and Sumner Crawford. 11 Blue sharks (5 on flyrod) up to 140 pounds. One small Porebeagle and a 5'-6' Mako that went airborne 4 times on light tackle stand up gear. Videos and pics coming soon. Water temp offshore has finally reached 67*. We'll have great fishing through September. Get out there!
Conditions: August conditions, High surface temps are causing the striped bass to hold deep. Offshore, the water temps are finally where they should be.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel, pollock
Species to fish for this week: Striped bass, Bluefish, tuna and shark
Fishing Tactics: Fish the shallows during low light and then fish deep structure where the water is cooler mid day.
My fly fishing tip of the week: August is tuff fly fishing but if you go early and work structure near moving water you can prevail... Sinking lines are a must.
My spin fishing tip of the week: Use your fish finder to locate schools of striped bass in deep structure.
7 day outlook: IN shore: Hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms. Stripers are now into a night feed so fish early and late. Off shore: Tuna are still a no show but it could happen any day now that the cold water has retracted to the east. Shark fishing is heating up and should be very good.
Nate Rubbo (10), his dad Mike, granddad Dom, and their fishing buddies Marty and Jarred joined me again this year for a great morning of Early August striped bass spin fishing action on the Kennebec River. An early start and cloud cover helped provide nonstop action until the tide went slack.
Conditions: The striped bass have moved upriver into their summer haunts. Water quality is good and the flow rate will subside this week due to the waning moon. The offshore shark and tuna fishing remains slow... Not sure why but it will turn on any day.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel, pollack
Species to fish for this week: Inshore - Striped Bass, Atlantic Mackerel, Offshore - Porebeagle, Mako, Thresher and Blue sharks
Fishing Tactics: August means focusing on deeper water. With surface temps upriver reaching the mid to high 70s the striped bass are holding deep on ledges and along the mud banks.
My fly fishing tip of the week: Two word: Go Early
My spin fishing tip of the week: Your fishfinder is your best friend. Look for schools of stripers in 15-30 feet of water. Use bucktails and metal jigs to reach them. Carolina rigged cut bait and live eels are producing.
7 day outlook: Hot and humid this coming week watch out for those afternoon thunderstorms.
Conditions: Water temps upriver are in the mid to low 70s and high 50s on the beaches. The river has lots of bait throughout the 11 miles from Bath to Popham Beach. Water flow is average as is the clarity.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Juvenile Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel
Species to fish for this week: Striped Bass, Atlantic Mackerel
Fishing Tactics: We’re closing in on August so the striped bass are hanging on the ledges in deeper water my mid morning. Sight fishing with surface lures and flies is productive early then switch to flies and sinking lines and bucktail jigs while spin fishing as the sun gets higher in the sky.
My fly fishing tip of the week: go early and look for tails, dorsal fins and nervous water on the flats.
My spin fishing tip of the week: Carolina rigged eels and cut bait is doing the trick mid day. Bucktails and shad bodies are working great too.
7 day outlook: great tides and fishing conditions all week. Some hot weather coming in late in the week on southerly winds. The wind shifts westerly during the weekend.
I’ve been getting behind on video editing so here is a short compilation showing some of this week’s action. We’ve been having good success early mornings with lures and fly fishing. When the sun gets overhead we’re swapping to spin fishing live eels in the rips and along the ledges.
Long time clients the Pecars, joined me for a morning of Kennebec River striped bass fishing while on vacation at their Popham Beach cottage. We had some good action spin fishing with live eels.
Effective August 1st the cost of my offshore shark and tuna trips will go up $50. This increase is due to the jump in chum and bait expenses. Chum Master chum now costs me $42 per bucket. I use 2 or 3 on each trip... I will honor the old price on those charters that are booked.
Capt. Dave Pecci
Conditions: The water clarity has improved greatly this week flow is still a bit high. Temps upriver are in the low to mid 70s. mid 50s at the beaches.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Juvenile Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel
My fly fishing tip of the week: Work rips and structure with sinking lines. Your fishfinder is your very best friend.
My spin fishing tip of the week: Carolina rigged eels and cut bait is doing the trick mid day. Bucktails and shad bodies are working great too.
7 day outlook: Hot and humid this coming week. Chance of showers now and then. Lots of striped bass can be found from Bath to the beaches. Go Fishing!
Conditions: The River is a bit muddy due to some heavy rain last week and big tides. Water temps are from the high 50s to high 60s.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Juvenile Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel
Species to fish for this week: Striped Bass, Atlantic Mackerel, some sharks offshore
Fishing Tactics: Big bulky flies and bright colored lures up river, more life-like offerings downriver in the cleaner water are working best. The striped bass are hanging on structure with sporadic surface feeds happening early and late day.
My fly fishing tip of the week: Sinking lines and medium sized flies fished around structure and banks are producing great right now.
My spin fishing tip of the week: Switch to bait during mid-day when the striped bass go deep. Worms and cut bait are working in many spots on the river.
7 day outlook: great weather and warmer temps will increase the water temps. Post full moon tides will slow the current in the river.
Mike & Leslie Harsip from MA with a nice June Kennebec striped bass 06-20-15 photo
Conditions: The striped bass have been moving around the river following bait. Some have moved well upriver. Water temps are in the high 50s to mid 60s.
Bait the fish are feeding on: Juvenile Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel
Species to fish for this week: Striped Bass, Atlantic Mackerel
Fishing Tactics: The schools of stripers are spending more time on structure now. Rather than feeding on the surface. Use your fishfinder to locate underwater ledges and banks with lots of current.
My fly fishing tip of the week: Time go to Depthcharge lines, weighted flies and focus on structure.
My spin fishing tip of the week: Bucktail jigs and shad bodies will get you down to the fish.
7 day outlook: The weather is looking up after Sunday’s deluge. Inland rainfall amounts were much lower than along the coast so increased flow and run off should not be a problem this week. Falling morning tides should provide great fishing.
