Maine Striper fishing Reports Sept 2009

Nice Flats fish Casco Bay 2009


The stripers have been schooling up here in Maine for the past few weeks, and now the feed south has started!!! we are seeing days ranging from close to 35 fish in 4 hrs to working our but off for a few eats. The one thing that has not changed there is tons of bait around, and lots of fish to feed on them, there are area that are holding micros as far as the eye can see, everywhere little 15-19 inch bass, They have shown us some early blitzes as well!!! Great to see this throughout Casco Bay, also reports that the Kennebec is fishing pretty well and that good news for us, as those fish will be coming through Casco Bay soon. The story for us this week was a 41 inch out of less then 3 feet of water sigh casting over a sand flat, I'm working on posting the photo after I do some Photoshop work to kill the landmarks. The bait is holding in the grass so the lower parts of the tide have been key higher tides have fish pretty slow and the last few days of NE winds suck!!!! the tides will change around and thing should light up again real soon pray for some warm south winds.

Open days for AM trips= Sept are the 26 th and 29 th
Call about PM Blitz trips after the 15 th of Sept


This weekend is the Royal River Striper Tournament Sept 12 and 13 -2009, this is the first year in 18 that it's a catch and release tournament so get out and show your support and there is some good money to be won for the the fly angler. My next report will include a rod review of the 2010 Scott s4s Sage Xi3 and Winston MX2 all three have been brought on my boat over the last few weeks and some have stayed with us to play with, we have the same line on all three, there is some good stuff out there, save your nickels These rods really have improved over the last three years Good stuff.

Maine Striper Fishing Reports

Maine Striper Fishing reports-- Aug 22 2009



Is it post heat wave or pre storm or Just better tides? I'm betting all three but would place my favorite crab pattern on the tides, if I was a betting man. What ever the reason the fish have been much more snappy the last few trips for us, after a period where our water hit 74 degrees and it just seemed that every fish would just follow, for the beach anglers or folks throwing off a lower casting deck it would seem the fish had moved out deep but, Guiding from and poling platform and having a casting platform on my flats skiff we where seeing things that drove us nuts, changing flies, fishing 12 ft 8 lb leaders to 35 inch fish- on and on- just follows then we hit on area that we found some fish that where snappy and would eat anything we threw at them much more fun for my anglers. Then came better tides and the fish have been a little easier every where fish the last few days but still a very short A.M window, and looking forward the weather will cool and with the big tides 11 plus ft the next few days we will get the water cooled a bit as well. There is tons of bait hanging near the shore line flats and the outer island sand flats have sand eels all over them, Fish early and get your fly to any swirl quickly and for you guys that have not figured it out yet??? stealth is key!!!!! you can not run you motor all over the flats in Casco Bay or any where right now, and expect to catch fish these fish are so well feed the last thing they need to do is eat our artificials, pole use a trolling motor or drift but if other anglers are up on the mud or sand flats give them tons of space and turn your !@#*ing motors off!!!!

Maine Striper Fishing Reports

First off sorry for missing last weeks report, we had some outstanding fishing on the flats then a worm hatch turned on late this week, that kept me going full on .There are tons of nice fish hanging around Maine's waters and reports of big fish taken on Live bait, plugs and fly are reported daily. Night fisherman have scored reel big this last week as we flats guys have had a ton of large fish roaming the sand flats on the incoming tide it's just finding the right fish to eat your fly in the sun, something new here in Maine this summer of fog and rain - weather is been perfect the last few days and with the nice weather and southerly flow to the winds the fishing been much better, Tuna are showing off Portland and bluefish moved into Saco and Casco Bay, helping crew up some of the bait and hopefully make the stripers act a little more predator then just lazy feeders they have been with so much food in the system. The beach anglers are still having a tough go, But the boat anglers are finding ways to feed the fish witch we have plenty, just they have tons of food so if you are fishing flies bring your A game the rewards are out there.

Maine Striper Fly Fishing Reports- Sight Fishing

Tim Yomans picking up an nice fish off the sand flats today Aug 1 the fish ate the fly in less than 2 ft of water, good job Tim!!








Also Check out the Trailer for this January 2010 ESPN 2 Flats fishing show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVVA9yT07G0

Overall it's been a good week,the weather was not too bad and we even had some sun to do my favorite thing, (sight fish) add to the mix, the quality of fly anglers I had this week- we got some nice fish in the shallows to move on the fly, in the 11 o'clock sun, One angler has been a back country guide in the FL keys for 25 plus years and what a joy to fish an angler with his skill set from casting 15 ft leaders with crab patterns to putting a hollow fly down in front of a high and happy big bass with out spooking it- to result in an eat!! I just had a blast the last few days!!!! Today was clear again and had some nice fish with dark backs ripping over the sand flats on the outer island beaches,

The morning Incomings have had some good feeds on Juvenile Herring and the fish have been pretty friendly to our flies, Hollows, Poppers, Juvie Herring fished tandem and Pollack patters have been good for us until we move to sight fishing, where crab pattern on floating lines and long leaders have worked well with the right anglers also white flats deceivers- hollows,


People often ask what spots do you like in Casco Bay? my answer- I fish tides not spots-Casco Bay is a tide chasers dream the fish eat and layup in different spots on each tide, not as easy to learn like fishing the beach and rocks or a big river system like the kennebec, Casco Bay, has a ton of flats and mussle bars you can fish skinny water all tide if you move at the right time to the right place, The tides have been key!!!! Many anglers go back to the same spot two days later different stage of the tide and are convince the fish have left, No they have not there is tons of fish and bait all over Casco Bay the tides have been key!!!! water temp is great the stable weather has turned on the fish. They are boat,leader and fly shy, change up a little- fish 10-12 pond floroand don't get stuck in your old ways if there not working otherwise these fish will drive you crazy with follows,

Maine Fishing Reports from the Kennebec have been good and the Tuna reports near Portland are looking up as well.


The web boards have been full of negative Maine Striper Reports- I had sent an e-mail to one angler hoping for him to hit it again instead of posting a doomsday report From www.flyfishinginmaine.com here is his fourum posting.

With some renewed confidence, courtesy of Capt. Eric Wallace -- I had the best Striper outing this morning in 2+ years, easy. I must have seen a hundred fish on this one particular flat...multiple pods of 25-30 slot-sized fish, and larger. Surface activity -- lots of feeding....just plain fun. Caught fish from 22" - 30" -- largest came on a gurgler! I also lost several on gurglers that broke off, and was worried that there were blues in the mix, but I didn't land any. The biggest Striper was fresh and mean, and had me WAY into my backing on an old Battenkill reel with a loose drag. Get out there and have at it -- turns out there are fish around -- they have just been hiding from me.

Maine Striper Fly Fishing Reports- July 2009

Maine Striper Fishing reports = Recharged!!!!!!!!!!
07-22-09
We saw so many fish on the sand flats this day it was unreal!!!!! hard to feed a fly to them, but angler Pete Maher got it done!!

07-20-09
Some Big bright Fish have moved into the bay this last week, they are hanging in the areas we found them last year, just tons more, they are loaded with sea lice and have been fly and leader picky, i'm loving this type of fishing!!!! today we had very bright skies and where able to do some of the best sightfishing we have had this year. We Moved lots of fish in the low light and landed 3 fish 28 inch or bigger on the sight in the sun and less then 3 ft of water on the sand flats, Ive added a new casting platform with a leaning bar to my flats boat and my anglers are very stoked, A few fish came on the hollow stinger set up we have been using the past few years when the fish are picky,but the ugly muppet crab pattern was the winner again today!!! My angler today has fished the Fl Keys and Cape Cod with me and today we saw more fish in less then 2 ft water then our 20 plus trips combine, Just one of the tides I never wanted to end. Maine striper fishing is re-charged!!!!

07-26-09
Maine Striper Fishing Report.
Us shallow water guys waited all winter for these tides that we have this week! and boy was Mon and Tues to too much fun, then a wind change on thrus and it shut it down for a day or two- Sat was back on!! and Casco bay handled the 2 inch of rain pretty well, and this morning we nailed a 31 inch fish in about 2 ft water, Black hollow in the low light and dirty water have been working, just get the fly quickly to the last feed you see , they still have so much food around they are not chasing far at all, Looking ahead the tides are going to be deep in the AM not my favoriot at all- let's hope for some OK weather and light winds, the sun might come out mid week and offer some late AM sight fishing.


Next open Dates
Aug 9 and 17*18

Maine Striper Fishing Reports- July 2009

Photo of Maine trout fishing bum, David K with his first Striper on the fly 7-16-2009

We have had some weird fishing the last week or so, weather and tides are a part of it as-well there just a ton of food for them, on Monday we hit the mud flats at first light to find fish marking the surface all around they where keyed into tiny grass shrimp, once again a hollow pattern with a stinger about 25 inches of the back- a small size 4-6 white bait fish pattern and using 12 lb or lighter leaders - we also used this rig to fish the sand flats on the incoming tide in the bright sun, found it was our ticket there untill we switch to a crab pattern the fish came to the crab but we missed a few eats. Today I fished an area I have not fish with a client in over 3 weeks and it produced see pic above. I'm feeling hopfull that the weather stays somewhat humid and stable also I'm looking forward to these tides coming into the new moon.

July 17 2009- Casco Bay fishing report update, It felt like the start of a new Striper season here in Maine today, as we picked up fish at every stop and for the most part all where very bright and loaded with sea lice, looks like we just got another big group of fish into the bay, let's hope for some stable weather.

Maine Striper Fishing Reports July 6

Angler: Lanier Woodrum with a nice bass caught on a Casco Bay mud flat in the endless northest winds and rain of June and early July 2009!!

If you where on the water today you know how outstanding the fishing and weather was,
every where we went we found lot's fish and tons of bait to keep them happy for a while.With all the bait the bass where not just jumping at the first thing you throw at them, we did well fishing a hollow pattern with a tiny droper of a craft-fur type baitfish pattern size 4-6 with 95% of fish eating the droper as well laid up tarpon bunnys striped slow on a floating line or any popper wakeing the water. Looking forward we have some bumpy weather for a day or two but otherwise it's looking good, with tons of fish and bait it really looking to be and outstanding July, the water is cleaning up quickly and we took advantage of the sun by running to some of the outer island beaches for some sight fishing, after a great incoming tide on the mud flats. The fish are spread out, mixed in are some big schools of small and big bluefish, so have some bite guard with you.

Open AM days for July is the 19 and 29 th PM call about tides.

Capt Eric Wallace
207-671-4330

June 26, 2009 Maine Striper Fishing Report,

Let's hope the weathers worst is behind us, and we can get on with summer!!!! that said with all the big rain's ugly water and NE winds- the fish did not leave!!!! some moved to the outer islands some move away from the rivers, but they are here. For us we have seen and moved the most fish at the bottom of these big tides and just after the turn, Poling the mud flat yesterday we would come up on schools of laid up fish at slack tide in less then two feet of water, some fish would be wondering around feeding, our problem was getting a clean cast where the fish where we had lot's of floating weeds from some of the biggest tides of the year and the big wind from the past few days, So yes the fish and bait are around- work the bottom of the tides and be freaking stealthy as you can, and even if you line a fish strip like hell- sometimes they will turn and pounce on it. Look for some stable weather SW winds and average tides to really turn things back on !!!


Open Dates for July 2009
AM 14, ,19, 29 PM call for fishy tides
Capt Eric Wallace
207-671-4330

Maine Striper Fishing Report, June 19, 2009

June 19 Striper fishing report, Maine's Casco Bay
After a couple just outstanding trips this week, the weather is looking to go to S@#t for a few days.If this past week is an indicator, we are really in for one hell of a striper fishing season in Maine this year,it's seems like every where we go we see fish, very full happy fish not always wanting to eat the first fly you throw at them, but they are here!!!! and you can work out a few fish in each area.

Cracking the no blitz code

We had some small tides this week, witch was good and bad, first off it aloud the flats to hold enough water to fish real good right through the peak sun, for some great sight fishing on wednesday,the down side was the fish stayed up for a shorter time during the lower light surface action. Most likly due to the small tides I'll take the good on that any-day.

The guys who are poling or working the flats real slow, guides and non guides are so stoked on how many fish they are seeing,but some are getting frustrated getting the fish the eat, well first off the fish are so dam full they are going to be a little more suspect of your offering. A few thing to try even thought there are some very large fish to target, drop your leader down to 10-12 lb, and really try to limit your boat noise, these fish have no reason to stay up on the flat they can go anywhere and find food right now, as well the water temps are good throughout the bay, so be freakin quite and stay away from other anglers no need to crowd each other this year, there lots fish from the Kennebec to the cape,

The Eat

White and pink Hollows in the sun have done well, so have Black in the post rain water, 5-7 inch long, even when there just ton's of food - standing out a little often get's it done, there's ton's of mac's blitzing on small bait and striper feeding on the same small bait, often leaving the mac's alone, small olive and white mush mouth style flies have pick up a few nice fish, and two of the largest fish I herd of the week, one from the beach and one from a flats skiff where both taken on olive crabs,so as stripers do - they eat it all,just give them the right presentation!!

If your looking to fish give a call, some good tides are open in July and Aug
Capt.Eric Wallace
207-671-4330

Maine Striper fishing reports

Maine Stripers on a Casco Bay flat.


From Soggy weather blitzes to sunny weather sight fishing the last two week have just been a ton of fun for us here in Maine, I started my Maine striper fishing season sight fishing sand flats in late May? this is a first for me.I have scouted these flats the last 8 years from a poling platform and this year was the first I have seen them there this early!! when some cloudy weather killed the sun we started fishing Casco Bay, witch was already having very good reports from other Capt's and fishy locals.

My first guide day on Casco Bay was June 3 and in our first hour we land over ten slot size fish, it turned off quickly after the sun pop out mid morning. The Bay has really continue to fish very well, there is a ton of big bait in the rivers, the alewife run was good ,now the Blue Back Herring have poured into the rivers as well, Mackerels are blitzing all over the place on the small atlantic herring juvies-and swarms of sand eels are drifting in as well,water temp is 57 and warming into the lower 60 's on the flats,pretty much perfect conditions and just a ton better than the last few years, Fish size is a mixed bag I had Crosby Bean of Hardy rods and reels out on Thurs, within fifty feet and 5 cast we landed a 9 inch striper and a 34 this was 15th fish over 30 landed this year on flies so far on my boat and the reports from Capt John Ford of Portland Guide Service he is seeing similar fish sizes as well, we are excited to have so many big fish around but really excited to see the little guys for the first time in a few season in any numbers. Some other reports from the area has the kennebec coming alive, Peter Fallon of Maine Stripers, reports having some good fishing when the weather was stable and is looking forward to a good season on the Kennebec as some beach angler have already caught fish off of Popham.

The Portland Area south has plenty of fish, I have a passion for Stand up Paddle surfing and not only do I use it for surfing but also for scouting and chasing tailing fish while i'm in the Keys in the winter, Well I just got off the water at Higgins beach there was tons of Micro Bait and we had bass all over under neath us. It should be a good one!!!!!!

Capt Eric Wallace

207-671-4330

www.coastalflyangler.com

Maine - Cape Cod - FL Keys

Maine Striper Fishing Reports

Well-Wow thing are off to a great start here in Maine!!! the fish are showing and we are having a great early season for us,
Ive been doing trips in Maine and Mass from May 21 on and it's just getting better by the day!!! so get out there and look forward to an much better season the last year. I'm keeping this report short, I helped with the flyfishing film tour in Portland last night and had a trip this Morning. A few emails came in today, looking for June dates- I have the 13 of June open then the next open date is July 11 th. drop a line if your looking to fish I can hook you up with some great guides or fish an evening half day if the tides are right.

Also check out the comments on last week Blog from anglers fishing the New Meadows

Capt.Eric Wallace
207-671-4330