Complements of The Kittery Trading Post

Activity for the 2nd week of July, 2001

View Past Reports

July 9, 2001

      Weather patterns have continued to impact both the saltwater and freshwater fishermen, but in all, things went very well on both fronts last week. Freshwater anglers were enjoying some outstanding bass, trout and salmon action, as the salty anglers were pulling in fish ranging in size from diminutive tinker mackerel to giant bluefin tuna.

      Captain Sam Cassida at Little River Lodge and Charters in Belfast, Maine reports: "You couldn't go wrong if you were after mackerel in Penobscot Bay, and the stripers are active there. The Kennebec River has been really hot for stripers the past week. Live macs were the bait of choice for all the guides. Slot-limit sized fish were mixed in with some real slammers in the 40 inch class," Sam observed.

      "With these tackle busters around, you need a medium to heavy rod with a mid-sized baitcast or spinning reel, loaded with at least 20 pound line. We use a sinker from one to three ounces to get our live mackerel down near bottom. Rig it to slip by using a ball bearing swivel about two feet above the hook. As far as hooks are concerned, if you don't use circle hooks, you need to use a freshwater type that will soon rust out if you have to cut the line. Bounce your live mackerel (hooked through the top of the mouth) along the bottom and wait for that tell-tail tap or arm wrenching slam!!!"

      Sam also noted that squid have returned to the local waters, where anglers jig them off lighted piers at night. They're good eating and lots of fun to catch.

      "The offshore cod fishing is still very strong," reports Captain Cal Robinson at Saco Bay Tackle. "The ledges have been great, but dogfish have invaded some of the closer ones, such as Tanners. Some of the fishermen have found that if you get onto the inshore ledges really early in the morning, you'll have a couple of hours of unmolested cod fishing.  When the sun gets up, those dogfish move in, making it impossible to continue fishing. The offshore blue shark fishermen haven't seen any yet, but they're due anytime in the next couple of weeks. The tuna bite has been pretty good, with a nice fish taken by chunking off Jeffrey's Ledge yesterday. There's also been some fish caught on squid rigs by trolling," Cal reports.

      "Stripers have been kind to the people fishing chunk and live baits, but fly fishermen have been having a struggle in a lot of the usual hot spots. The beach and surf people are finding that night fishing has been far more productive than during the bright daytime. Our bluefish have been scattered. They're still here, but not like two weeks ago, and the tinker mackerel are everywhere--all you want," he ended.

      Dave Ganter at the Kittery Trading Post's Fishing Department, asked us to pass along a "heads-up" on the impact of fishing for stripers with gear that is too light for the job. "Most of the striper fishing is catch-and-release, because of the current regulations and also because of the ethics of today. But what a lot of anglers don't realize is that they can be making a negative impact on the striper population in the most innocent way by using gear that is really too light," Dave said.

      "Fish that are played too long are actually in a stage of being smothered or strangled for breath. Lactic acid buildup under their skin can also add a fatal factor. You need to get that fish in as quickly as possible so the release can be made before the fish, even though it shows no signs, can shake off the ill effects of the battle. In more cases than what meets the eye, an overstressed striper will swim off looking perfectly healthy, only to succumb later to the results of playing it too long. Hook selection is also a very important matter. Circle hooks often prevent deep hooking, according to a variety of studies. Un-plated, freshwater types of regular hooks are the best bet if you choose not to use circle hooks. And the subject of when to remove the hook and when to cut your leader needs to be brought into the picture. If the hook is at all hidden, don't go digging for it. Please just cut the leader as close to the fish as possible. It will rust out in no time," Dave explained.

      Dave also suggests that you don't drag a fish you intend on releasing over hot rocks or sandy beach, nor let it flop around on the deck of a boat. Humane release is best accomplished by not even lifting the fish out of the water. A twist of the pliers will usually loosen the hook, allowing the fish to go free without being handled.

      Dave's saltwater report came from the fishing activities of staff member RJ Mere, who'd been fishing the local tidal rivers for stripers. He's had a ball on the surf candy (Popovic) fly. But instead of fishing the areas near the inlets, he's moved farther upstream, where he's found the majority of his fish.

      Jim MacKenzie at Suds-n-Soda in Greenland, NH has seen an increase in the amount of stripers in the lower Piscataqua River, but reports that mackerel for bait have been getting extremely hard to get. "We've been able to catch plenty of small pollock, especially around Whaleback Light and out near the #2KR Buoy, but my son Jim and lots of our customers have had to go all the way to the Isles of Shoals for mackerel. There are a lot of stripers in the river and along the shoreline, but we're not seeing many really large ones--they're mostly in the mid-thirty inch or smaller sizes. Floundering remains better than we've seen for a while, with Pepperell Cove off Kittery Point being the best spot we've heard of yet. Seaworms on bottom are best," he instructs.

      "We've never seen so many mackerel being caught off the beaches here," laughed Kay Moulton at Surfland Tackle on Plum Island. "There are big ones coming off the beach and tons of tinkers everywhere else. Stripers have been best on the last of the outgoing tide at the mouth of the river, while on the high tides, the fish are up on Joppa Flats. We've seen some nice fish--just under 30 lbs., but we've had plenty of rumors of stripers over 40 lbs. also being caught. It's been really good fishing," she ended.

      The Boston Harbor area continues to be the place to go for a variety of fish and plenty of them, according to Pete Santini at Fishing FINatics in Everett. "Big stripers are not just around the islands in the shallows. Joel Wilkenson was fishing over 80 feet of water with two Santini Tube-n-Worm rigs off downriggers--down 30 feet. Both rods went off, with a 45 inch,  37 pounder landed on one rod and a 23 pounder on the other! During the same day, he was also catching fish near the surface on the tube baits," Pete said with a bit of amazement.

      "Out at Graves Light last week, striper and bluefishermen using live mackerel never knew what was going to hit their bait. Stripers, blues, big blue sharks and an occasional inshore jaunt by schoolie bluefin tuna were keeping them guessing and spooling a lot of reels. Live eel fishing for stripers at night has been excellent around the backside of Peddocks Island and George's Island. Cod are hitting well in the North Channel--fish to 15 pounds. Flounder have moved to deeper water, between the #4 and #6 Buoys in the North Channel," he reported.

      Pete advised that because Boston Harbor represents a bit of a challenge to newcomers, he'd be glad to help with locations to launch and specific instructions where to fish for the species you're after. Stop by his shop; give him a phone call at 617-381-1997, or email at Fishsantinitubes@aol.com.

      Maine's freshwater fishing was good, with a monster brown trout of 13.75 pounds coming out of Great Pond in the Belgrade Region topping the list of impressive fish. "The big brownie was caught in the vicinity of schooling landlocked alewives, which were apparently serving as forage for the big trout," suggested Regional Fisheries Biologist Jim Stahinecker.

      Jim also mentions the Shawmut stretch of the Kennebec River continuing to produce brown and rainbow trout. The abundance of insect life is truly impressive. Zebra caddis flies were clinging to shoreline vegetation and small mayflies were hatching throughout the day. "It's prime time on central Maine waters right now--so get out and wet a line!" he suggests.

      In the Rangeley Lakes Region, Rusty Harvey at River's Edge Sports in Oquossoc reports that Rangeley Lake remains very productive for healthy landlocked salmon. "We weighed-in several salmon from the lake that were close to five pounds and 22 inches. Small salmon over at Mooselookmeguntic have been very active--not a lot of keeper-sized fish but tons of them and still some nice brookies. Most of the fish are being taken trolling deep with lures; Top Gun, DB Smelt, Moosealoo's Chev Chase, and Speedy Shiners. Silver or Gold with fluorescent stripes have been some of the best colors. The rivers have still been producing both landlocks and brookies--Upper Dam, Lower Magalloway, and the Rangeley River," Rusty reported.

      Dave Boucher, Assistant Regional Biologist for the area, picks Pleasant Pond in Caratunk as his lake trout pick-of-the-week. The 1,100 acre pond produces abundant amounts of fish from 3 to 6 pounds and some larger. Spring Lake, Jim Pond, Hancock Pond, Embden Lake, Clearwater Lake, Varnum Pond, Wilson Lake, Porter Lake and Lincoln Lake are other lake trout waters that he suggests.

      In the Sebago Region, Dave Garcia at Naples Bait and Tackle on Long Lake, reports the landlocked salmon fishing on the lake continues better than his expectations. "The fish are down around 30 feet. Bright flutter spoons have been working best. The nicest landlocked salmon we've seen, a 6 lb., 4 oz. beauty, was just caught out of nearby Trickey Pond. The salmon hit a downrigged sewed-on smelt behind a size 00 silver dodger that was 37 feet down. Crooked River has been giving up some super brookies--fish to three pounds. The fish have moved into the cool inlets of feeder streams. Stealth and plenty of bug dope is needed. Please play and release your fish quickly. The warmer water can cause mortality to go way up in released fish," he warned.

      Sebago Sage Carroll Cutting at Jordan's Store in East Sebago, said that you can't count this big lake out for salmon. "It's not the best it's ever been, but the persistent anglers that get on the lake early are having some good luck. Our neighbor Roger Bacon just came in. He  caught five salmon, one a beautiful 21-inch native. If you're looking for some great smallmouth fishing, go over to Trickey Pond. The last fisherman we sent over there returned with glowing stories. He used a Carolina rigged plastic worm, fishing in 20 ft. of water," Cutting advised.

      Kittery Trading Post's RJ Mere had a ball in the Moosehead area on landlocks, fishing the Moose, the Roach and Kennebec Rivers, according to Dave Ganter. "He caught salmon from 20-25 inches using stonefly nymphs, leech patterns, and Goddard and elk wing caddis dry flies," Dave said.

      Another KTP staffer, Chad Woodward, had a ball at New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee, where perch, bass, landlocks and rainbow trout kept him busy--early in the morning fishing was the key, before the hordes of boaters hit the lake. Being on the water at daybreak is the key.

      Other Granite State reports were equally good. Bill Martel at Martel's Bait on the Winnipesaukee River (were it dumps into Lake Winnisquam in Laconia), reported that on Saturday, a fishermen came in that had taken two fine salmon before 8am, and on Sunday, the same fellow had caught three equally nice salmon, also before 8am. Bill noted that fishermen pre-fishing the weekend bass tourney there had wonderful smallmouth fishing, but didn't have the results of the actual tourney. "The white perch have finally moved out of the river. As the flow slows, they always seem to go, but on a rainy or cloudy day, you can still get a nice catch right off the bank opposite the shop," Bill noted.

      Eva Nelson at Nute's Trading Post in Wakefield, said that nearby Union Meadows was coming alive with bass each evening. "The topwater bass fishing has been great. Fish to four and five pounds each night. We've also got some fine smallmouths and rainbow trout at Lovell Lake (Sanbornville) and Wentworth Lake (Wolfeboro), which also has some humpedback white perch, if you're lucky enough to hit a school. Pickerel fishing has been great at Milton Three Ponds, where you're also apt to hook onto a huge smallmouth or largemouth. They're in or just along the weed beds," she said.

      In the northcountry, George Malloy at River's Edge General Store in Berlin, said that the alder fly hatch on the Androscoggin River was in its late stages, but the fishing there remained excellent. George and his wife trolled a stretch of the river near his store one night after work last week, and they caught 14 rainbow trout, all in the foot-long range. "Orange and silver Top Gun spoons, and orange blade Panther Martin Spinner are all we've been using," he reported.

      George also wanted to pass along the word that two of his ponds were still providing some outstanding brook trout fishing--Millsfield Pond in Millsfield, where a 3.5 pounder remains in control of first place in the local derby, and Big Dummer Pond in Dummer, where some outstanding fish have been taken all season long.

      Shirley Remick at TR's Bait in Pittsburg, said her son, guide Tom Remick, was out on First Lake as we spoke. Tom had been having some great catches of lake trout. His method is quite simple--stillfishing with live sucker minnows either at anchor or drifted along bottom. Shirley noted that rainbow trout fishing was good at the Third (Connecticut) Lake.

      At Tall Timber Lodges in Pittsburg, guide Cindy Caron said she had some real good fly fishing last night on Back Lake, where the lodges are located. "Surface action was good. The hex fly hatch has stopped, but there's still some smaller mayflies--small yellow drakes or light Cahills. When the dry fly fishing slows down, we have good luck fishing the golden demon wet fly just under the surface. We drifted the Connecticut River from Colebrook to Columbia last week and had an excellent day. Black wooly buggers were our most productive pattern," Cindy revealed.

                     Past Fishing Reports 2001

Return to Top