deep sea fishing

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fishy1
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deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

anyone been deep sea fishing in nh or maine? looking to go over soon. would like recommendations for best charters and motels to stay
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drachma
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Species: Salmon, Lake Trout

Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Hi Fishy1,

I moved over near Kennebunk/Biddeford ME 3 years ago August. I'm only 20 minutes from Wells.

What kind of fishing are you looking for?
Haddock can be done out of several ports. Many people from VT go out of Ogunquit with the Bunny Clark (bunnyclark.com) ( owned by Tim Towers. He usually goes out daily at 7:00am. Charters are also available in Wells. And there is also the Nor'easter (noreasterfishing.com) our of Kennebunkport.

The Cod fishing has been expanded by the Feds as of 8/24/20. The open season expansion begins 9/8/20 through 10/7/20 and limits are 1 fish per day and must be 21 inches or over.
The Haddock is 15 per day and must be 17 inches or more.
The Pollock are no limit and must be 19 inches or more.
The Cusk is any size and no limit.
The Stripers are one per day and must be over 28 inches but less than 35 inches.

Places to stay are still available in many places due to the COVID. One of the most economical is the USA Inn in Wells and is centrally located. Another is the Ogunquit Resort Motel in Ogunuit. And there is the The Lodge in Kennebunk just off Exit 32 of Rt. 95.

Michael
802-249-7720
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BottomDollar
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Location: Burlington

Re: deep sea fishing

Post by BottomDollar »

If you end up in NH, my family there use Eastman's every year. They have both party boats (large) and 6 pack license boats (I think these are more popular during striper season). They always catch fish, usually bottom fish this time of year. Great info on those species from drachma's post.

http://www.eastmansdocks.com/
TUnamas
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by TUnamas »

Homewrecker and I fished Eastman's together a few seasons ago. It was ... "eventful" though catching was tough that day.
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fishy1
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

thanks everyone for the info. got some sad news from my oncoligist today they dont want me on any boats planes of socializing due to my chemo which is put me in a high risk category. so today my friend and i made reservations in saco for some shore fishing. im familiar with camp ellis and pine point and old orchard beach. but not much south of there any tips would be appreciated. we dont care what we catch just want to fish. mike any food shore fishing down where your at.
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Sorry to hear that you can't go out on a boat.

Shore fishing has several places around Saco. Certainly Camp Ellis is good especially on the out going tide.
You can also go on the other side of the river to Biddeford Pool and walk out to the East Point Sanctuary reserve which is at the tip of land opposite Wood Island. It is behind the Abenakee Golf Course. Call me if you want to take the short walk to shore fishing for Stripers and I can give you better directions to there.

Fishing at the mouth of the Scarborough River on either the Pine Point side or Perry Beach or Prouts Neck BIrd Sanctuary could be productive.

Fortunes Rocks can also be productive doing the same things as in the other areas.

Presently the best bait is either sandworms or clams fished on the bottom with "fish finder" rigs. Lures for casting that are good are "tins" like Hopkins with dressed hooks, Long Bomber A's, Sebile Swimmers, jigs with Power Bait tails, Savage jig heads with Sand Eel plastic bodies to name a few. Lure colors best are plain old white, Bunker, Mackerel, and chartreuse.

Obviously best fishing times are early or late light and night time of course. If fishing the shore, walk it at low tide to find the sand bars and cuts between them to fish. Also don't overlook working your lures even within the last 50 feet as the Stripers love cruising close sometimes especially early and late in the day.

Hope you can come and catch em. when are you coming over?
Give me a call and if I'm available we can social distance together.

Michael
802-249-7720
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Matt,

For eats I'd try several places in the Saco area.
Cheapest lobster rolls in the area is at the Pool Street Market in BIddeford at 77 Pool Street. This is the DEAL place on the way out to Biddeford Pool.
Sea Salt restaurant in Saco has excellent sea food. Also the Clambake in Pine Point.
The stretch of Route 1 from the I-195 south into Saco has several chains and typical restaurants to choose from also.

Michael
802-249-7720
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Oh yeah, the place to go for bait, hooks, lures, etc (and fishing info) is Saco Bay Tackle
Great Guys.

Michael
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fishy1
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

Thanks Michael will give you a call. Will be just bottom fishing and won't be able to fish off jetty's (rocks) any blue fish there yet and what about flounder. I need to fish on dirt sand and flat like the beaches. When I'm there I like to learn a little more shore fishing spots as well. I have eaten in most spots you mention and I always go to Saco bait and tackle close by and right on one. Would be great if we could hook up there.
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Morning Matt,

Sorry to hear that you also have to avoid the rocks.
You seem to know the beaches better than me!
When will you be coming over?
I'm still working for myself but will see what I can do t o get together with you.

Michael
802-248-7720
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fishy1
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

We w I'll be there Sept 14 15 and 16. I usually don't 🐟 the beaches mostly at mouths of the Saco river and pine point. Would like to try some areas in wells and biddeford
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

Hello Matt,

I didn't hear back from you about fishing with you so I don't know if you came over today for the next 3 days or not, or, maybe you wanted to fish just with your friend. In any case, as you know the next three days are going to be good weather so I hope you can "go get em" if you are hear. If you want to fish the Wells area, the north side of the inlet is good from the beach and especially when the tide turns to start going out. If you park at the parking lot and go down to the inlet bearing to the right there is an incoming river. Stripers tend to hang outside that river on the out going tide. TIde and fishing periods for the next three days are:
Monday High-9:00am Low 3:00pm and prime fishing should be on the dropping tide between 10am to 1 pm
Tuesday High 10:00am Low 4:00pm and prime fishing should be on the dropping tide between 11am to 2 pm
Wednesday High 10:45am Low 4:45om and prime fishing should be on the dropping tide between 5-7am and 11 to 2pm

I was on the Wells inlet in my kayak on Friday and caught schoolies using cut Mackeral bait.

If you over here I hope you can enjoy your time here.

Michael
802-249-7720
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fishy1
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

9/13 9/14 and 9/15 was in Saco Maine striper fishing on shore with friend bill. Sunday was travel day but fished camp Ellis from 4 pm to 7 pm with mackerel chunk bait. Ran out of bait lots of crabs. bought bait from chevy bait for Monday morning . This time we fished pine point. Didn't take long for good runs but noone home. Incoming tide was almost full when bill had an awesome run but noone home again. Lots of thick dead algae on line to take off so I told bill hurry going to put another chunk bait on it we need to get it right back in and we did before bill even got to sit down line took off and bill felt the weight and fish on bill lands a 26 inch striper. We fished till 1 pm then on to kens place for lunch. I had lots of strong runs but noone home. Reason offset circle hooks I'll get into that later. Stopped at Saco bait and tackle for more bait and got fishing at 4 pm but wind was nasty 15 to 20 mph so we headed down to camp Ellis again and crabs were robbing are bait so we gave up. Tuesday morning we needed to return home but we fished till 1 pm then to kens place for lunch again yum and lots of food. I had about 8 good runs and only hooked one and lost it and bill had 3:runs and noone home. One of my runs hit do hard pulled rod and rod holder in the water and we we're using bait feeder reels. Never hooked it and took the a half of a mackeral I had on. Now to the offset circle hooks we have to use in Maine. The point of the hooks point in towards the back side making it even tough to put chunk bait on. We only landed one striper and if we were using j hooks would have probably landed 75 per cent my past experience with them. Very discouraging but still lots of fun every run would get your heart pumping and we had plenty. Michael ,(drachma ( sorry we didn't hook up but I'm going to try and come back up soon. what's your thoughts on those offset circle hooks?.
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fishy1
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by fishy1 »

26 inch striper
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drachma
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Re: deep sea fishing

Post by drachma »

HI Matt,

Sounds like you and Bill had fun "shooting blanks" in any case. And yeah Ken's Place is a good place to eat too.

Circle hooks can be a bear for a learning curve for sure. I was able to get "schooled" on them when I was guiding in Alaska. The purpose of them is to reduce gut hook mortality. The idea to to get a hookset in the corner of a fish's mouth. So you don't want to yank to do the usual J-kook hookset. Instead let the fish run for a couple seconds, then, reel down on the reel taking in line until you feel the fish's weight and more often then not the hook winds up in the corner of the mouth.

The Stripers will probably be leaving here around the 20th through the 30th depending on the prevailing water temperature. Their return is typically around Mother's Day in May. Schoolies arrive first, of course, and go up river to warmer waters chasing small bait waiting for the Alewifes to appear in the rivers.

Perhaps we can connect next time.

Michael
802-249-7720
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