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Once again, I was fortunate to spend the July 4th holiday week in Maine. The new Maritime skiff was waiting for me, and I was looking forward to finding new waters and new ways to catch Casco Bay's stripers. Once again, the first stop was at The Tackle Shop as we entered Falmouth at about 3 PM, June 28. I got the local scoop, picked up a couple of dozen sandworms as insurance, and headed to our property. I had a lot of chores to do before I could get out on the water. I wanted to get them done that evening, so I could start fishing without distraction! Now, for these reports, please consider an approximated 12-hour Tide Clock, with each High Tide at 12 o'clock, and each Low Tide at 6 o'clock. This will divide each complete cycle into four quadrants, with mid-tides at 3 and 9 o'clock. Let's call Quadrant I the period from High Tide to mid-ebbing tide; Quadrant II from mid-ebbing tide to Low Tide; Quadrant III as predicted Low-Tide to mid-flooding tide; and Quadrant IV from mid-flood to predicted High Tide. From past experience, I know that the best fishing at my spot on the landing is during the lower portions of the tide, i.e., in Quadrants II and III, with the very best action usually occurring about 1.5 hours before or after the predicted Low Tide. Quadrant IV is better than Quadrant I; but a worthwhile fish can happen at any time or tide, especially if bait (usually in the form of mackerel) is available for the fish. And, every spot fishes differently; so now, with a boat to fish from, I could try to go find some fish under any set of prevailing conditions! Here is a link to a pretty comprehensive site for Portland, Maine tidal information. *** Day 1 Saturday, 6/29/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: None, Landing float for this first session With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:45 - 7:15 AM Low Tide at 2:49 AM; Quadrants III and IV Water Temperature = 64 degrees F (*all water temperatures are from the pool thermometer suspended off the landing's float, and so they may not represent water temperatures where I fished) 3 for 5 Conditions seemed perfect; gray and still with a very light rain. The fishing started off fast, with four bites and two stripers landed before 5 AM. These were only 20- or 21-inchers, but it was still nice to have success so quickly. But, as fast as the action started, it dissipated, and I had to wait until 7 AM for my next bite, which yielded another 20-incher. All of these fish fell to sandworms under my lighted float. I observed no signs of baitfish, and nothing seemed to touch my Kastmaster spoon aimed at mackerel or my jig-and-fluke that had been so productive for stripers on Cape Cod. I concluded that I'd arrived too late! My 4:45 AM start was after the "1.5-hours-post-low" tide prime-time. Oh well, I had all week to redeem myself for this sin. Day 1 Saturday, 6/29/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Local friend, DV (partial) Target: Striped Bass 11 AM - 2:30 PM Mostly Quadrants II Water Temperature = 64 degrees F 2 for 2 The boat was now splashed, and I was ready to go! Local friend, DV, was fishing off the landing's float as I dropped family off from a bit of sight-seeing; would he care to join me? We had a short window together, so we stayed close, just going to a rocky reef that guards the entrance to Mussel Cove. With the falling tide, I thought some bass might be hanging around. We both dragged sandworm/float combos from the Yak Attack rod holders I'd installed the night before while casting and retrieving lures. DV chose a hair jig, so I opted for a Smack-It Jr. topwater popper. DV had a run on his worm over the grass almost immediately, but did not hook up. After a short interval of drifting over the grass with no further success, we returned closer to the rocks near Waites Landing. Almost immediately and right up against the weedy rocks, a nice, 21-inch striper smashed my bait. The first Maine Striper to come over the new boat's gunnels had eaten a topwater lure! That was cause for celebration! We ran out of time together, but after I dropped DV off at the float to meet his daughter, I decided to look for bass on the "back" (i.e., ocean) side of Clapboard Island. Conditions here were bright and clear (and so not the best for striper catching), but the rocky and weedy structure held some bass! I had a few splashy misses on the popper as well as a few visible follows with outright refusals. These seemed to be a better class of fish (upper 20's? to low 30s?), so I kept at it. I was ultimately rewarded with a nice, 24-inch striper that fell for a sandworm under my float in about 8 or 10 feet of water, near the first line of lobster traps out from the island's south side. In addition to the quiet, natural beauty of this area, there were several dozen seals of all sizes on the nearby reef. I returned here repeatedly with family and friends to watch them. They were in this area all week! *** Day 2 Sunday, 6/30/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: None, Landing float for this first session of the day With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:15 - 7 AM Low Tide at 3:38 AM; Quadrants II and III Water Temperature = 65 degrees F 2 for 3 With an earlier start and good conditions (clouds and favorable tide) prevailing, I hit the dock for a pre-dawn shore session. My optimism was rewarded with an immediate, aggressive bite on the sandworm-and-float, but I failed to connect with this fish. Surprisingly, I had to wait about an hour for my next bite on the worm, but the hook missed that one, too. At 5:40 AM, the float went down with a zinging run. When I caught up to the fish, it's fight confused me; ultimately, because it was a candy-sized mackerel. I immediately deployed this out as bait under a float. It didn't take long at all for a 25-inch striper to find it! At about 6 AM, a fat 22-incher fell to my sandworm, and at about 6:15 I briefly hooked what felt like a heavy bass. Unfortunately, I inexplicably lost this worm-eating fish about three quarters of the way in. My catching for the morning was over, even though I continued to fish until 7 AM. After breakfast, a number of boat rides and seal visits, and after waiting out a line of heavy thunderstorms, I hit the water again at about 2 PM. On the falling tide, I visited the reef extending off Waites Landing. I lasted only a half hour before getting caught by another line of storms. In that time I raised a single fish on the Smack-It popper. This fish, too, was right against the weedy rocks, and I lost it when it burrowed into the heavy grass adjacent to its hiding spot. The weather for the remainder of the day was too uncertain to get out again. *** Day 3 Monday, 7/1/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: None, Landing float for this first session of the day With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:15 - 7 AM Low Tide at 4:26 AM; Quadrant III Water Temperature = 63 degrees F 1 for 2 Conditions were (too) bright, calm and still. Despite the favorable tide condition coinciding with the awakening day, I had only two bites. A 21 (plus)-inch bass ate my jig/fluke at dead low tide at 4:30 AM; and I had a single, strong run on the sandworm/float at about 5:25 AM, which I failed to convert. Once again, there as no bait evident close to the float, but as dawn progressed, I was able to watch a school of adult pogies go unharassed further out in the anchorage. Day 3 Monday, 7/1/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 9:30 AM - 4 PM High Tide at about 10:30 AM; predominantly Quadrants IV and I Water Temperature = 63 degrees F 2 for 2 It was time to expand my radius. I headed past Clapboard Island and out to Hussey Sound. Here, I targeted obvious tide lines and current seams and trolled for mackerel. Working with the outgoing current, I trolled a 2.75-ounce silver spoon as an attractor behind a 6-hook Sabiki Rig. I caught about 20 in an hour (this seemed easy! and without chum, less messy!) The mackerel seemed to be happy and healthy in my modified bait well. Since the only other boat I'd seen making bait had headed out of Hussey (instead of back into the Bay through Diamond Pass or such), and since conditions were so peaceful and calm, I too, decided to head out. A long time ago I was told by a local captain to always try the Southwest Points of islands on Casco Bay. I guess the striations and glacial deposits just about guarantee some fishy habitat at these locations. Since the southwest point on Overset Island just outside the Sound was already occupied, I headed out to Vaill Island. The water here was wonderfully clear, depths dropped off quickly, and I quickly encountered the largest school of bunker that I'd ever seen. These were large adults, though, and they seemed to be unmolested by bass. I tried a variety of topwaters and plastic baits alongside and over these, but without any action (other than snagging a couple.) With so much bait here and no sign of predation, I decided to explore the island. I encountered more of the same at the northeast portion, but once I got away from that school of pogies and got into a comfortable groove of both fishing and controlling the boat near the rocks, I started to fish more productively. Live-lining around the south and southwest portions of the island produced a pair of 23- to 24-inch stripers on my fresh macks. I missed a couple of runs, too, typically because the circle hook buried back into the bait. Whatever; this was my idea of Maine Striper Fishing! Flush with success and now down to just mackerel that were simply too large for the resident bass, I decided to explore some more. I tried trolling tube-and-worm combos on both lead core and straight braid around the Diamond Islands, but that was unproductive (and it hurt to lose a 20-dollar tube!) When I attempted to navigate behind Mackworth Island, I wisely chickened out. My portable GPS/Sonar combo had run out of juice, I'd never been boating here, the tide was still falling, the channel is not well marked, and all I know about the area is mud and mussel flats. I chose not to get stranded or damage my boat. Thus, I cut what had been a pretty darn good day a bit short. *** Day 4 Tuesday, 7/2/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:30 AM - 2:30 PM Low Tide at 5:13 AM; High Tide at 11:27 AM; All Quadrants fished Water Temperature = 65 degrees F 16 for 20 or more The fabled New Moon of June was pending, and this was the day that I managed to pull it all together. I skipped the dock and jumped straight into the boat. Because Quadrant III was presenting itself, I chose to stay close and fished the shoreline west of the landing. The first fish of the day was a beautiful 24-incher that ate the Smack-it Jr. popper. I missed one too, but the bites on sandworms came in steady between 5:45 - 6:15 AM. (Note, this is predicted Prime Time for this area.) With six fish in the boat already, and with the sun brutally rising higher and higher, at 7 AM I took off for Hussey Sound to make bait. This was efficiently accomplished and by 8:30 AM and with a full bait-well, I was positioned along the south shoreline of Vaill Island. Here, I landed four more bass to 24 inches; I had 10 bass by 10 AM! Plus, several other encounters! Now on the higher side of the incoming tide, I made quick work of my second batch of mackerel for the day. While I was becoming accustomed to seeing seals and porpoises, this time I was greeted by a Minke whale feeding in my chosen current seam. What a beautiful, wild encounter! Confronted with slack high tide, I chose to travel to House Island, directly across the harbor mouth from South Portland. I recalled from previous experiences that this spot fished well at higher tides. Although it had been 15 or more years since I'd been to this location, my first cast with a live mack against the rocks was instantly eaten by a 23-inch bass. I collected a twin a bit later further down the shoreline. This spot fishes small, though, and another boat cut in and anchored just down-current from me as I landed this second fish. I chose to take my mackerel across the bay to Pomeroy Rock off Portland's Eastern Promenade. Pomeroy Rock doesn't look like much, but it has treated me well in the past. It treated me very well on this day and high-but-ebbing tide. My first cast to the sandy shoal along the rock's southern exposure resulted in an excellent chase and strike; this hard-fighting striper thought it was much larger than it actually was. Many of his schoolmates thought the same, too, and I landed an additional three stripers to 23 inches while encountering several others, too, as I "circumnavifished" this small island. Meanwhile, the sun had maintained its intensity all day. I was spent. I released my remaining, few, large mackerel and called it a day. It had been enjoyable and productive! *** Day 5 Wednesday, 7/3/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: A (partial) Target: Striped Bass 4:30 AM - 12:30 PM Low Tide at 6:01 AM; High Tide at 12:17 AM; Quadrants II, III and IV fished Water Temperature = 67 degrees F 3 for about 8 strikes This day was even clearer, brighter, and still. Once again, I chose to stay close for the earliest bite, and between 4:45 and 5:30 AM, I scored three bass to about 20 inches on sandworms. I had three slashing misses on the popper, too. By 6 AM, I was attempting to make bait on Hussey Sound; but clearly, my timing was off. At the bottom of a slack tide, things were unusually slow, and I caught only a single mackerel in an hour. When A called to ask to join me, I ran in, got some coffee and cooled off. Returning to Hussey with A at about 8:15 AM, we continued the struggle to make bait. Fortunately, A really enjoyed this fishing and we also enjoyed the company of some dolphins. With only a half dozen mackerel in the live well, we finally went to Vaill. Somehow, we failed to convert our two or three bass strikes. But, this was still super pleasant! The current in Hussey had really picked up, and so we attempted to make bait again; this time it was much easier and more productive. We decided to try the "back" side of Clapboard Island. Our baits went untouched, and I missed my only splashy strike on the popper. I chose to save some energy for the evening. Hopefully the bass wouldn't be so guarded in lower light conditions. Day 5 Wednesday, 7/3/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4 PM - 7 PM Low Tide at 6:07 PM; Quadrants II and III fished Water Temperature = 67 degrees F 0 for 0 Conditions remained clear and bright; my hopes rested in the southern sea breeze reducing light penetration enough to make the bass feel at ease. However, worms and swim-baits around Mussel Cove went unnoticed; and at 6 PM I decided to try a deeper tube-and-worm presentation along the marked channel north of Clapboard Island. After another hour of nothing, I had the boat moored just after 7 PM. *** Day 6 Thursday, 7/4/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:30 AM - 7AM Low Tide at 6:50 AM; Quadrants II and III Water Temperature = 67 degrees F 6 for about 10 strikes With more bright, clear and calm conditions, and with plans to head out with A and K later in the morning, I stayed close again. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the topwater bite, as I landed five stripers to 24 inches on about 8 legitimate strikes. Unlike many previous outings, these bass were interested in eating the bait, and I made drag-pulling contact with even the fish I missed. As this bite slowed, I moved out to the Waites Landing ledge, where I quickly went 1 for 2 on sandworms along the closest lobster pot line near the ledge's point. Day 6 Thursday, 7/4/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: A and K Target: Striped Bass 8 AM - 10:30 AM Low Tide at 6:50 AM; Quadrants III and IV Water Temperature = 67 degrees F 1 for 2 It took an hour to collect a half dozen mackerel on Hussey (the tide was too low, the current too slow?), but we enjoyed the company of terns, gulls and the Minke whale before we all went to Vaill Island. We missed a couple of chances, but K caught a bright, 20-inch striper from a shoreline pocket that made our morning! It was a hot, bright, classic 4th of July! There were things to do, people to see, and an 8-foot submarine sandwich to eat. I didn't make it back out on the water this day. *** Day 7 Friday, 7/5/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: Alone Target: Striped Bass 4:30 AM - 8 AM Low Tide at 7:40 AM; Quadrants II and III Water Temperature = 65 degrees F 4 for about 5 strikes This was my last day of fishing, and I'd lost my morning tide. But still, the shoreline between Waites Landing and our landing had been reasonably productive, especially early. I decided to keep on working it, but with an open mind; if it wasn't producing, I was going to change my tactics. Plus, I wanted to stay close, because I was scheduled to pick K up at 8 AM for another trip. Conditions were a bit hazier than recent mornings, but still hot and calm. I caught a nice topwater bass early on, and missed another. At 6 AM, I went to the Waites Landing reef; but this was too weedy to fish. I motored over to the back side of Clapboard, but that too was suffering from an invasion of weeds. I finally landed at Clapboard's eastern end, where I slowly drifted with the current. I could hear a whale exhaling, but could not see it; finally, a Minke appeared in just 20 or so feet of water and not too far away. There was a spray of small baitfish as it surfaced and exhaled. Other than the whale and my quarry, I could convince myself that I was fishing for smallmouths on a Canadian Shield lake. They'd have eaten my popper that I continued to throw against the rocks! I got knocked out of my brown bass day dreams as my bait-runner reel awakened; I caught a small bass on a sandworm. The northeast portion of Clapboard is guarded by a ledge. I fished around this and snuck in behind it as the tide continued to fall. At just about dead low tide, a striper exploded on the Smack-it; soon after releasing this fish, I caught a twin, which also confidently ate this popper. These fish capped another fine morning session for me. Topwater stripers in a new spot; that's tough to beat! Day 7 Friday, 7/5/19 Body of Water: Casco Bay, Maine Boat: Maritime Skiff 1480 With: K Target: Striped Bass 8 AM - Noon Low Tide at 6:50 AM; Quadrants III and IV Water Temperature = 67 degrees F 2 for about 3 strikes I was pleased to host K on what would be the final fishing session of the trip. We simply could not make bait on Hussey (fishless between 8:15 and 10:15 AM?!?!?!) At about 10:30 AM we were in position on Vaill, anyway. K fished a sandworm against the rocks while I explored with the popper. I was lucky to have an aggressive striper provide a fantastic strike in a pocket along the rocks! It was obvious that the sandworm was not working here, and with the prospect of increased current flow, we went back to Hussey. We were running out of time, but were fortunate to collect three mackerel very quickly. We returned to Vaill, I chose my spots carefully, and each one got eaten! K expertly converted one of these strikes into a beautiful, 23-inch bass. This was a good way to end the trip! What do I have to say about this? Despite the fact that lack of sleep, heat and my failing back just about killed me by the time I got back home to Michigan, I have to acknowledge what a fortunate position I am in. My fishing efforts are fully supported by friends and family; I've acquired this new, fishy boat; and I am in a position where (although unnatural) it's no big deal to simply replace a worn-out and deer-crashed vehicle. The fishing this trip was neither overly generous nor easy, and the biggest bass I landed (25 inches) was rather small. But, I am willing to admit that the overall quality of the fishing experiences more than overcame the lack of big numbers or size. I caught more stripers on topwaters than ever before in Maine, and I truly enjoy live-lining mackerel for bass. I got to see, explore and successfully fish new parts of the bay, often surrounded by true wildness (in the form of seals, porpoises, whales or bunker.) I didn't have a single real problem; and I didn't even have a single tackle or knot failure. I got to share all this with family, both close and extended. And, I have a lot more of this, I hope, in my future. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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