North of Portland 2022

[adam42]

4 hours ago, ill_postino said:

I'm in a kayak so honestly even a spirited 24" can tow me along pretty good.  Not sure how to quantify but a 30"+ fish in shallow-ish water—so it runs more than dives—can get pretty comical: spinning me around, pulling me towards rocks and buoys of course.  I realize a 30" is not necessarily anything to write home about farther south, but in this neck of the woods where 33" is my PB, and on light tackle in a light 'yak, any slot fish will have me leaving a wake.

This is my big concern regarding fishing from a kayak in Maine where I'm surrounded by rocks and once a season a seal is going to grab my fish and really give me a sleigh ride until I can cut the line.

[ill_postino]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:38 PM, adam42 said:

This is my big concern regarding fishing from a kayak in Maine where I'm surrounded by rocks and once a season a seal is going to grab my fish and really give me a sleigh ride

I have a pedal kayak with reverse, which I strongly recommend. I can back pedal to hold some position, and throwing the rudder all the way to one side can slow the drag-along too.

[mcnar]

Why wouldn’t you just palm the reel and let the line snap?

[adam42]

1 hour ago, mcnar said:

Why wouldn’t you just palm the reel and let the line snap?

Yes, this would be the plan, but everyone has a plan until a seal slams their fish so hard their kayak gets flipped over.

 

3 hours ago, ill_postino said:

I have a pedal kayak with reverse, which I strongly recommend. I can back pedal to hold some position, and throwing the rudder all the way to one side can slow the drag-along too.

Yes, from my attempts at fishing in a paddle kayak and paddle canoe it's pretty fruitless. There's a few spots with structure worth fishing and you approach them and get in 2-3 casts before you've drifted away, need to put down the rod and paddle back into position.

 

Hence why if I do fish from a kayak again it'll be from a pedal drive one. Still, having said that, I still think just buying a 12' skiff with a little trolling motor to keep me from drifting into the rocks is ideal.  Fishing on my cousin's grady white we need to keep engine idled so we can move it away from the rocks at a moment's notice and it's pretty miserable having to basically yell so the person next to you can hear you

[jimbighead]

It’s getting fun out there again.   Last few nights, golden hour on live has been en fuego 

 

get out there people 

 

Tight lines

 

jim 

[CotroneOnIce]

4 hours ago, jimbighead said:

It’s getting fun out there again.   Last few nights, golden hour on live has been en fuego 

 

get out there people 

 

Tight lines

 

jim 

Great pic!

[MainelySmallies]

9 hours ago, jimbighead said:

It’s getting fun out there again.   Last few nights, golden hour on live has been en fuego 

 

get out there people 

 

Tight lines

 

jim 

Rad photo, sounds like a great time!

[dheeter]

I'm going to be in the Belfast area this weekend.  Any point in bringing my kayak for stripers that far north?

[adam42]

1 hour ago, dheeter said:

I'm going to be in the Belfast area this weekend.  Any point in bringing my kayak for stripers that far north?

I plan on fishing just south of there tomorrow or the day after and will report back

 

But based on the layout there (I've never fished there though) it looks like tough sledding for a kayak. You're either fairly exposed to big water or in the river, nothing really sheltered or secluded there. Seeing all the boats concentrated in one spot and basically none of the coastal houses have private docks is pretty telling that you're going to get whipped around pretty good.

 

Take my opinion with a huge grain of salt though, I don't understand why anyone kayak fishes at all given much you get pushed around by wind, tides, & current and there's all these rocks and places you don't want to go to so the place you may consider optimal kayaking grounds and nope out.

 

But, Belfast should have mackerel, harbor pollock, and possibly the squid run up there at night too.

[adam42]

Also, wear a wetsuit if you got one. Local temp of the water there is 57 degree right now.

[Sea Of Atlas]

13 hours ago, dheeter said:

I'm going to be in the Belfast area this weekend.  Any point in bringing my kayak for stripers that far north?

Stripers are that far north, just read a Facebook post that they are still up there which is a shock to no one. As far as kayak there is a lot of fishy areas up there. 

[ability]

I fished an estuary outflow early this morning, in the sheepscot/ Kennebec  watershed.  First significant cold front of the year brought crisp winds and cold temps.  The dried leaves were rattling across the pavement as i left the shipyard at midnight.

 

The fishing did not disappoint.  I fished small plugs and plastics.  Caught just shy of 2 dozen, all tiny but fun.

 

Fish popping at the surface on clouds of sand eels like i have never seen before.  All top water action.  So much fun

[RAW]

On 9/3/2022 at 10:58 PM, jimbighead said:

It’s getting fun out there again.   Last few nights, golden hour on live has been en fuego 

 

get out there people 

 

Tight lines

 

jim 

 Nice ride

[Scott Charlton]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:38 PM, adam42 said:

This is my big concern regarding fishing from a kayak in Maine where I'm surrounded by rocks and once a season a seal is going to grab my fish and really give me a sleigh ride until I can cut the line.

Oh...Oh...Massive flash back to 10 years ago when Kayak fishing...Caught a small schoolie...Tossed him back...I noticed he swam back towards the kayak...No idea way.  10 seconds later, I heard a snort I shan't ever forget.  I turned around, and I was nose-to-nose with a sea dog, and in its mouth was said striper.  I felt his breath for a moment as I screamed like a 5 year old little girl, and he dove under me...Adorable little guys and terrifying at the same time.

[adam42]

On 9/13/2022 at 10:57 PM, adam42 said:

I plan on fishing just south of there tomorrow or the day after and will report back

Wind really picked up, seems to be heavy wind again tomorrow and then raining for like a week straight afterwards - not pleasant times for working a breakwater so I won't be able to report back getting skunked yet again.  Tide timing make early morning fishing no bueno as well.

 

Good luck