August Update

So, the Striper Fishing is off in the Kennebec.  Its odd, in just a few days it seemed to dry up. It won't stay that way and that is the tricky part for a guy who keeps his boat in Boothbay.  At some point soon, I will need to and want to get back to the Kennebec River .  For now, we are still having good trips in Robinhood, Hockamock Bay, and the mouth of the Kennebec including the  beaches.   For the most part we are seeing fish 30" at best.   

The Mackerel situation in Boothbay is unchanged.  I can't help but think that our Bluefish drought is causing this Mackerel surplus.  In other words, because we have seen no Blues at all north of  Casco Bay. the Mackerel have been super easy to get day in and day out all season long.  In the next week we will at some point look past the Mackerel for our super top top secret top secret top secret Striper Bait.  

Pictured below you see a Client off of my friend and fellow guide George Harris's boat.  This codfish was caught just a few miles off the beach and measures 28" and guess what?  This guy got to keep this codfish because DMR has opened the season on them requiring a fish to be 24".  If it is a flat day I would be delighted to do some nearshore Codfishing with people.  Just saying.

  

update

     I feel like the Mackerel situation has got to change.  There are soooooo many in Boothbay.  Now there are gigantic Macs mixed in with the smaller ones.  Allegedly, there are also Pogies (Bunker or Menhaden) in Casco Bay.  It seems like that would create a clear food path for the swarm of Bluefish that must be somewhere south of here.  However, we have seen no signs of Blues in the Kennebec or points north.  If the Blues do not arrive it will be the third year  without Bluefish in the Kennebec.  In the years when the Blues make it we have seen some kind of sign of them by now.

    The Striper fishing continues to be stellar.  This entire week we have caught fish top water, casting under birds.  We have also enjoyed hooking up on many consecutive drifts on the bottom through rips  in the Kennebec with bait.  We have also found some spots to chum and chunk Mackeral in shallow water for Stripers.  Best action has been the morning.
   
     One thing that has changed since my last update is the water temperature.  As I head  the boat into the Kennebec River winding through upper hells gates, I always keep one eye on the water temp, and usually by the time I go under the Arrowsic bridge, the water temp has reached 71 degrees.  Generally, this means to find Stripers look for some cooler water.  Some guys will fish really deep in the Kennebec River and some guys will head closer to the mouth or the beaches of the Kennebec.  Or, some guys will look for water that mixes with Sheepscot River water which still is running 56 degrees.

Fishing Situation

   

   An update is way over due.  And, you would think, with all the good fishing to talk about I'd have updated sooner.  But, then again, I am so slack when it comes to this internet thingamabob.  Kind of ironic considering my day job.
      Anyway, today, I actually walked across Boothbay Harbor on Mackerel!  I'm serious.  There are so many.  Last week several times, I chummed in the Macs from my dock and got the day's bait without untying the boat.  I have never had it so good!
       Even better than the bait situation is the Striper fishing right now. If you had a boat, but did not know the river, a good strategy might be to look for birds.  Its not uncommon this year to find busting Stripers in both expected and unexpected spots.  So far, the fish are on the smaller size.  We have caught only 2 28"fish and our smallest fish is about 9".  We have had terrific light tackle action.  To catch them we have been using diamond jigs, ronz, zipsters, poppers, and live and chunked Macs.  The Macs, by the way, are on the smaller size which is nice.