North Of Portland - 2021 Edition

[jimbighead]

We had some frozen but got out before dark and ran the gauntlet outside to grab another dozen

 

ez pickings thank god it was a mess out there 

[Roccus7]

For Once, Beating a Dead Horse Worked!!

 

I'm the Jedi Master of quick fishing trips; 3 hours for me is a very long trip.  Uncharacteristically this AM I decided to beat a dead horse, and I came out ahead!  

 

I decided to commute 2 rivers over and the day started really crappy.  My first cast unleased a massive wind knot.  I looked at that mess and decided to just cut it off instead of spending 20 minutes to screw around trying to clear it only to end up cutting it off.  Rerigged and launched a cast in a "Sometimes Good, Sometimes Bad" spot.  It was the later today.  

 

After 5 min I motored over to my close-by "Skunk Insurance" spot which "always" produces, albeit with smaller fish.  True to form on the second cast I hooked up, but dropped the fish half way in.  No worries, there's more here.  Next cast had a swirl at my popper, but no hit.  Then I spent 15 minutes of dead horse beating with not even a sniff.  OK, off to the intended spot.

 

Got there and 3 casts into my first drift a 27.5" striped beauty that was quickly sent back on its way.  WTF didn't I just come right here? Next drift produced a 22" fish, things looking up.  Yeah right, that drift range then went dead.  No worries, there's another great spot on the other side of this cove.

 

Sure enough position the boat on the range and plug gets clobbered, but I drop the fish after a while.  OK, time for another drift, and another, and another, and another, all with no activity.  OK, 2 stripers isn't as good as I expect, especially since I just burned gas for a 17 mile run, but it's called fishing, not catching.

 

As I let the ponies run for the ride home, I thought, "Well that other hot spot isn't too much of a detour and the Admiral is probably still sleeping so why not try it even though it SUCKED yesterday?"  Hung a port turn and got up on the drift.

 

Casted for 15 minutes and decided "Last Cast" and, of course, my plug gets crashed without a hookup.  This continued for another 20 minutes or so, nothing happening until I call "Last Cast" and then a fish decides to show itself, eluding capture.  Since I was well into Beating A Dead Horse, I said, "LAST CAST NO MATTER WHAT", but before I launched my last cast, a few fish started breaking in a small cove 200 yds away, and then the internal debate begins.  "You know that's shallow water over there, you'll spook them for sure!"  "Aw c'mon!  You've been stinking all day, why not try to redeem yourself?"

 

The siren's call got the better of me and I crawled over, and luckily didn't disturb the fish!!  I spent the next 40 minutes having a great time with fish showing interest in virtually every cast.  Ended up with 4 fish with 3 going 24+".  I had no problem heading back at that point, as 6 fish outings have been the norm the past couple of weeks. Sometimes you just have to be stubborn!!

 

 

[ill_postino]

Tried a new spot this morning which required an undignified change in tactics: leaving the pedal kayak and its launch wheels at home and instead dragging my small department store paddle yak across the mud to access a promising cove. I was not particularly pleased with this plan when I was calf deep in muck trying to launch in the near dark. I liked it more as dawn arrived and I had a decent run of five feisty fish with aggressive strikes on my popper. Largest was only 25" but in this yak that's plenty big enough for a sleigh ride.  No other humans in sight all morn but lots of seals, herons, and eagles for company. Incoming tide meant I got to skip the mud bath on the way home.

[Roccus7]

After losing a large striper at the boat yesterday while I was fishing up against some ocean ledges, I decided to make a technique adjustment and when hooked into a large fish, by backing off the drag as soon as the initial "temper tantrum" abates, IF drift and water conditions allowed.  I probably couldn't have done this yesterday because of the proximity of doom for my boat, and lobster traps to tangle my line.

 

I got to put this plan in action this AM when a very pissed off fish crashed my lure.  After his initial ado, I realized that I was clear of lobster traps, reefs, ledges and was slowly drifting into calm, deep water, so I backed off the drag 1/2 turn.  Idea work as I netted a beautiful 30" fish that will be dinner for our visitor tomorrow.  When I turned to unhook the fish, he had already done it himself, so backing off the drag could have very well been a good strategic move.

 

It was nice not having to measure 4 times, as all my other keepahs this year have been just 28".  The fish was the last for the AM; I had 3 other fish to 26", making her #341 on the season.

 

Tight lines!!

Edited August 4, 2021 by Roccus7

[fishoninct]

My month long fishing adventure closes today. Brunsick, Gloucester, and then back to Brunswick. My 25 year old son, who caught is first striper at age 3 in Harpswell, said,  “This was the best day ever fishing Maine.   That was the day our boat nabbed 3 keepers. 
I finished the trip with a pb for Maine at 41”. A crowd watched us drive around moorings to land it and it almost spooled me. They all cheered when I caught it and when I revived and released it. The big ones are around. We landed 5 over 36” and missed or lost a few more. Good times. 

[Roccus7]

39 mins ago, fishoninct said:

I finished the trip with a pb for Maine at 41”. A crowd watched us drive around moorings to land it and it almost spooled me. They all cheered when I caught it and when I revived and released it. The big ones are around. We landed 5 over 36” and missed or lost a few more. Good times.

Great report and congratulations on the PB!  I assume live bait, correct?

 

The Boat Fish Don't Count Crowd has never participated in the Olympic Guide a Large Bass Around the Moorings, Moored Boats and Lobster Traps Slalom Event that some of us have had to master here in Maine...

Edited August 7, 2021 by Roccus7

[Nbourque]

3 hours ago, fishoninct said:

My month long fishing adventure closes today. Brunsick, Gloucester, and then back to Brunswick. My 25 year old son, who caught is first striper at age 3 in Harpswell, said,  “This was the best day ever fishing Maine.   That was the day our boat nabbed 3 keepers. 
I finished the trip with a pb for Maine at 41”. A crowd watched us drive around moorings to land it and it almost spooled me. They all cheered when I caught it and when I revived and released it. The big ones are around. We landed 5 over 36” and missed or lost a few more. Good times. 

Pics?

[fishoninct]

Pics

[fishoninct]

Al’s on. 39”

[fishoninct]

Camp. 

[fishoninct]

The crew. 

[fishoninct]

Most of our success was with live macs. Also got cows drifting dead ones in current. Lots of schoolies around. 
I miss Maine already. I just need to finish paying for my kids’ college and get in enough years teaching in ct before I can afford to move.  my mother in law is from Yarmouth and i have loved Maine since I first visited. 
maybe next year I will get some bigger rods and reels to target the tuna as well as chase stripers. Commercial fishing options look promising and probable. Catching one on a 17’ tracker would be a blast to say the least. At least it is a deep vee. Lol. 

[Roccus7]

Never knew Poseidon gave Mulligans when requested...

 

Slept in yesterday so didn't hit "the spot", but there was no chance of me doing that two days in a row.  Got down there at 04:50, which is 15 min early, but I needed to leave my dock at 04:30 because of tidal issues after that.  Casting commenced and there was a general disinterest by the fish, with many follows behind my popper, but few hits, and those being "tepid" at best.  Finally got a 21" fish so my 55 Sorties Skunk Free run stretching back to June 4 continues.

 

Then all hell broke loose as a very agitated, large fish grabbed my popper.  After a spirited fight, she was vanquished, belly up along side the boat.  Grabbed the net and realized I still had a bit too much line out to net the 30"+ fish.  Tried and tried and then decided to put down the net and take a couple of the turns on the reel.  Did that and guess what?  Fish spit out the hook and before I could swoop down with the net she flipped her tail and was gone.  What a DUMBFECK ROOKIE MISTAKE!!!!  I was furious with myself.  I pleaded with Poseidon to provide me with another opportunity with a keepah, but that was the end of fishing at "the" spot.

 

Dejected, but still hopeful, I decided to hit some ocean ledges, but when I got out there, it was a weedfest, and the few casts I got through were ignored.  OK, game over time to head to the barn with my tail between my legs.

 

As I turned the corner to the home cut, I looked up and saw a "Ternado" with fish feeding below.  The fish looked small, but I figured WTF, turned off the depth sounder, and killed the engine.  Lots of follows on the first few casts and then I got rocked, and was able not to Feck things up and slide the net under a 28" fish, just 2 cast lengths away from my dock.  Should I tie up?  Nah, I kept at it for another 30 min and boated another 8 fish for a daily total of 10, with 7 fish 25" or better.  Turns out the fish were larger, but were not making big splashes while feeding.

 

Thank you Poseidon for taking pity on this poor wretch and allow me to snatch victor from the jaws of a really ugly Defeat Monster.

[jimbighead]

Good evening last night.  Night chunk, falling water 12

fish 25-27 and this little visitor….could it be?   First one we’ve caught up here in 10 years 

the return of the Y.E.D!

 

 

 

[7 Rivers]

54 mins ago, jimbighead said:

Good evening last night.  Night chunk, falling water 12

fish 25-27 and this little visitor….could it be?   First one we’ve caught up here in 10 years 

the return of the Y.E.D!

 

 

 

Nice Jim, Been alot of reports of  bites offs from guys I know with tube and worm, trolling, probably a good idea to try some top water...