June 27, 2018 Fishing Report

Saco Bay Tackle Fishing Report

Some fishermen have experienced a decrease in the number of stripers caught far upriver
towards the dams. This is most likely due to the rising water temperatures and diminishing quantity of bait found in these areas. Anglers looking to fish for striped bass in the coming week should fish more towards the mouth of the Saco River (from Marston’s Marina down) as well as on the beaches and around the islands in the Bay. A great way to cover water and determine if it is worth your time to fish the river is to troll from the launch out to the mouth. To do this, drag a surgical tube lure tipped with a sandworm connected to a weighted rudder with about 2 feet of leader in between behind the boat at around 2 MPH while adjusting the amount of line let out according to depth. If you are planning a night fishing trip, live eels can be deadly either trolled or cast around rock. Many fishermen have reported that mackerel have been spotty in the bay. In order to increase your odds, use some frozen chum or troll a sabiki rig around the end of the jetty or islands. If you cannot catch any mackerel, lures such as the SP Minnow, Sebile Magic Swimmer and Al Gag paddle tail swimbaits can be used to effectively imitate the bait. Another popular striper forage is the sand eel, which can be mimicked with a Cape Cod Sand eel lure, Sluggo, or Hogy soft plastic bait. Those fishing from shore should fish the beach (night time is best) such as Higgin’s, Pine Point, OOB or Biddeford Pool using live eels, chunked mackerel or sandworms. The incoming tide generally produces the most action.

Those looking for freshwater fishing opportunities can find them at the Saco Industrial
Park road pond, Millikin Mills Pond and the bass pond behind the Saco Transfer Station. The
Saco River from the Skelton Dam in Dayton down to Rotary Park in Biddeford also provides
great shoreside bass and trout fishing. Those with a boat or kayak can catch lots of numbers in
Little Ossipee, Arrowhead and Little Sebago lakes.