Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports 2010: Smelt Season a Maine Tradition!!!

The Smelt bite has been outstanding on the Great Salt Bay(GSB) of Maine's Damariscotta River...We've been fishing from one of our portable Shanties using jig rods equipped with spring bobbers and tiny ice jigs...the bait of choice has ranged from bloodworms to small pieces of shrimp.

A far cry from our beloved midcoast Maine Stripers...However...Every December, whole villages of smelt shanties spring up almost overnight...an official, if unnecessary, signal of winter’s arrival. Smelt fishing is a deep and dependable tradition on the state’s coast. As soon as the ice is thick enough, smelters drag their customized shanties onto the tidal rivers and sit inside them, stoking wood stoves and tending to baited lines that hang through holes in the ice.

"Ocean-going smelt enter our tidal waters as early as November and December. Anglers get serious about smelting in January and can fish for them into March. Fishing can be done from a pop-up ice shelter. This means taking an ice auger to get through the ice, as well as a stove to keep the chill off, bait, bucket, rods, hooks and other tackle. Everything has to be hauled out onto the ice because the ice is too unstable to drive a vehicle. The majority of smelt anglers like to rent a shack from a commercial smelt shack operation where most of the items are taken care of by the proprietors. Small mom-and-pop businesses emerge each year with as many as 50 smelt shacks for rent on the ice of tidal rivers. The cost to rent these shacks varies, with the range of price somewhere between $10 and $15 per person. Bait, hooks, lines, and sinkers are provided...we use our own specialzed jig rods. There is a wood stove in the shack to keep the occupants warm.

Cooking Smelt:
This species' meat is white, delicate and sweet flavored. Preparation for cooking often involves simply removing the head and entrails. Frying is an easy method for preparing smelt. Mix one cup of flour, corn meal or breadcrumbs and one teaspoon of your favorite seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake cleaned smelt in this mixture so that they are lightly dusted. Fry the fish in 1/8 inch of vegetable or olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry for about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other. Drain the fish on paper towels and eat while still warm. Fried smelt are finger food, to be enjoyed plain or dipped in tartar or seafood sauces.

Throughout this season we'll be organizing daytime & evening smelting trips...A great weekend getaway for those of you in southern New England or for those of you looking to spend some quality time with the kids in an outdoor environment...Please contact us if you'd like to join one of our groups.

Maine Striper Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

(31" Striper caught on a shallow midcoast Maine flat, minus the fancy pastels!!! read more)
You've gotten all the right equipment...The fancy pastel colored, SPF-50, Ex Officio clothing...a quiver of the newest, lightest, super fast action SAGE, G.LOOMIS, SCOTT Branded fly rods complete with the requisite shiny gold anodized, machined aluminum, carbon fiber/cork drag, large arbor "designer" fly reels lined with the latest, greatest, slickest floating and intermediate fly lines (wow..nice descriptive)... The many hours of casting practice have paid off big time...that nasty tailing loop is almost gone and you've gotten your casting to the point that you can effortlessly throw a weighted crab fly 80 feet into a stiff breeze and drop it with pinpoint accuracy into a shot glass...(okay...maybe a garbage can) Your fly boxes are overflowing with painstakingly tied crustacean, worm hatch and baitfish creations that look so real that you're afraid to reach in and grab one for fear it might start gnawing on your thumb...Are we talking about Tarpon, Permit or Bonefishing in an exotic remote tropic location??? Hah...Not even close!!! We're off the coast of Maine and we'd like to welcome you to the world of shallow water Striper fishing!!!

(this nice fat bellied 32" fish was caught in a mere 18" of water)
While our livebaiting & "Butterfly Jigging" trips were very exciting and productive when fishing over deep water ledges...the shallow water Striper fishery presented us with many unique challenges last season. Despite the often difficult fly fishing conditions we faced last year...Overall I would say it was a success with more trophy sized fish being landed than in previous years. The knowledge that I gained from widening the search for fish will hopefully prove to be invaluable for many years to come. We quickly learned what was not working and made the proper adjustments. Our approach to skinny water Striper fishing changed in 2007 and 2008...with far more emphasis placed on sight casting to tailing, waking and laid-up large solitary fish as opposed to chasing the huge blow-ups of schoolie Stripers...Fast sinking lines were replaced by floating and intermediate lines...short 4-6 foot sections of 20# flouro leader were replaced with long tapered leaders more common to steelhead or bonefishing. Big Bulky flies were replaced by smaller sparsely tied shrimp, crab and baitfish offerings. Being able to stalk 15 to 20 lb Fish on the flats...make the cast and lead the fish into explosive visual strikes was fascinating and very exciting. Chasing birds around was mostly an exercise in futility which usually resulted in every nearby fish being spooked into the next county...Many times we'd intentionally ground the "Super Fly" on certain un-named shallow mussel bars(a flooding tide of course) and wait for big cruising Stripers to push onto the flats and into our casting range.
(A healthy Striper released on one of Maine's many sand flats)When the conditions are right Striped Bass make perfect sight casting targets for fly & light tackle anglers. When sight casting to Striped Bass around the numerous Mussel bars and eel grass beds that fringe many of our shallow flats, we frequently encounter Stripers that are "Tailed Up"...yes Stripers do "tail", like an Abaco Bone or Redfish of Florida's famed Indian River Lagoon, Striped Bass often feed by grubbing around on the mud & eel grass flats for crabs, shrimp and worms, leaving their tails wagging like flags in the breeze. A well presented fly presented just up current of the "tailing" Striper...slowy crawled along the bottom will usually yield a strike. "Mud's"(silty clouds in the clear water)are often left by the grubbing stripers and are a dead giveaway that Striped Bass are present and on the feed...most times however, we have challenging task of sighting and casting to "laid up" or slow cruising fish....to the average angler sighting fish on the flats can be a bit daunting, but to a good guide...that Striper might as well be brushed with neon paint. The ideal scenario is to cast up current of your target so that your fly swims down current to the holding fish, hopefully resulting in a strike!!!
Maine's shallow water habitat is comprised of surf, sand flats, fast water channels, bays, coves, rips and marsh. All easily accessible and fished with a fly rod!!!

Call us if you'd like to join us for a day or two this coming season. We'll be happy help you plan your Maine vacation!!! Depending on which region of the Maine coast you're staying on...we can provide you with info on all the top fishing guides. If fly fishing isn't your thing...no worries we're well equipped for light tackle & live bait fishing too!!!

Maine Flats Fishing Striper Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Happy Thanksgiving From Super Fly Charters

We at Super Fly Charters would like to wish all of our family & friends a happy, safe & enjoyable Thanksgiving day...If you're one of the many that are headed out into the woods or are planning to spend some time on the water this morning...Please be safe!!!

Best to all, Capt. George Harris

Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports November 20th, 2009

ASFMC Denies Increase in Commercial Striped Bass Harvest
Anglers rally to defeat proposal for commercial sector to kill more fish
Coastal Conservation Association commends the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) for denying a proposal to increase the commercial harvest of striped bass at its meeting this week in Newport, Rhode Island. The proposal would have allowed commercial fishermen to add at least half of their uncaught commercial striped bass quota to their quota for the following year. Many anglers from CCA Maine made the journey to Newport to express their concern over the status of this important fish, and their voice made a difference.

"The Striped Bass Board understands that anglers at the north and south of the striped bass range are not seeing the numbers of fish they saw even just a few years ago," said Richen Brame, CCA's Atlantic States fisheries director. "There is cause for concern and we commend the ASMFC for taking a conservative approach."

In its formal comments before the ASMFC against the proposal, CCA cited several disturbing trends in the striped bass fishery, including a dramatic decrease in the number of striped bass caught and released by recreational fishermen, particularly in the northeastern states of New Hampshire and Maine, the prevalence of the fatal disease Mycobacteriosis among the Chesapeake Bay spawning stock, and a Fish and Wildlife Service annual survey that encountered the fewest striped bass in the survey's history.

"While officially the stock is not overfished and not undergoing overfishing, there are signs that the overall abundance is declining," said Brame. "The proposed action to allow the commercial industry to take more fish was not a remedy for any of the problems we are seeing with striped bass. Increasing abundance is what will fix those problems."

While the motion was defeated by a vote of 8-6, the margin of the victory means recreational anglers will have to maintain vigilance at the ASMFC to protect the recovery of striped bass.

"After the vote on the original motion, there was immediately another motion to allow the commercial sector to rollover 25 percent of their uncaught harvest to the next year, which was also defeated," said Brame. "We will continue to see efforts like this and it was very encouraging to hear Board members remark on the number of comments they received against this proposal from the public. Our members will have to be ready to stand up for conservation."

The following states voted against the rollover proposal: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. Voting for the proposal were Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, North Carolina and the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service abstained.

Maine Striper Fishing Report October 15th, 2009

DONT MISS THIS EVENT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


6-7th at 7 pm .
At Frontier Cafe, Cinema & Gallery

PHONE: (207) 725-5222

See Trailer @
www.confluencefilms.tv


LOCATION:
14 Maine St.
Mill 3 -- Fort Andross
Brunswick, ME 04011


In 2008, Confluence Films debuted DRIFT, a highly acclaimed documentary that
captivated the fly-fishing community. In 2009, riding on the success of
DRIFT, director/cinematographer Chris Patterson of Warren Miller
Entertainment and executive producer Jim Klug once again set out in search
of new locations and the totally unique stories, characters, and species
that epitomize the spirit and soul of fly-fishing.

This new film is RISE ­ a six segment collection of individual stories shot
around the world; stories that together truly reflect the attraction that
fly-fishing has for all of us. Shot on location in the Florida Keys,
Argentina, Idaho, New Orleans, Venezuela, and Alaska. RISE is a stunning
full-length film, photographed entirely on 16mm film and mastered in HD.

Featuring: Rene Harrop, Rance Rathie, Travis Smith, Capt.Bruce Chard, Ron
Sorensen, Mike Lawson, Capt. Bryan Carter & more.


Now for the fishing report

Good Striper fishing continues into mid October!!! The Kennebec river is still producing good numbers of fish as is Casco Bay...reports indicate that some very good fishing is still taking place on the flats of Casco Bay...so get out there and enjoy some great fall fishing!!!

Maine Striper Fishing 2009 Season Highlights

Kennebec River Striper Fishing September 26th, 2009

Today I took part in a three boat guided trip with two other guides...We guided a group of anglers from Monteal, Quebec...Before the trip the three of us guides agreed to head in separate directions...I chose to hit one of my upriver spots for the last of the incoming...as we arrived on scene we were greeted by diving birds and swirling stripers...we connected with a nice 25 incher right away...a few more drifts and we had a 28 incher in the boat...the tide went slack and the bite turned off like someone flipped a switch...we worked our butts off for the next few hours but unfortunately the bite stayed dead. The men on the other two boats were not as fortunate as the ladies aboard with me...I guess girls have all the luck!!!

Kennebec River Striper Fishing Report...October Preview???

Is this a prelude to the fishing we'll see in October...I sure hope so!!!






a trio of beautiful mid october fish

Kennebec River Fishing Report September 23, 2009

Den Kelly made the drive up from Sag Harbor, NY to fish with me for the second time in the last 10 days. As explained in my 9/15/09 report Den is fanatical about tagging stripers for the American Littoral Society...over Den's career he has tagged over 11,700 striped bass...including the 15-18 fish he tagged with me...Den has gotten over 600 return certificates from Bass that he's tagged from Maine to the Chesapeake and beyond...hopefully Den will return for the June migration next spring...

2009 Maine Striped Bass Season

Check out the short music video chronicling Super Fly Charters 2009 Striper fishing season highlights...we still have a few weeks of awesome fishing left...don't miss out!!!...give us a call today to reserve a date for your trip 207-691-0745

Kennebec River Striper Fishing Report September 20th, 2009

Today I had Chris Oliver fish with me again. We left the dock in Bath just before sunrise and ran a short distance down river....throwing soft plastic baits tight to the shoreline we were quickly on fish...for the rest of the outgoing tide we had a nice pick of fish to 27 inches...as the tide slacked the bite tapered off....as the tide started to pour back in we ran up river and boated several more chunky fish before heading for the dock to catch the start of the Patriots/Jets game...another great morning on the water. It's not time to put the rods away just yet...if you're looking for some fall run striped bass action please call us to set up your trip!!! 207-691-0745

Maine Striper Fishing Report: Kennebec River, September 19th, 2009

John & Steve from Holden & Houlton, Maine. fished with me today (09/19/09)























Dave & Zeke from New Smyrna Beach & Maitland, Florida fished with me yesterday (09/18/09)

Super Fly Charters on Casting about for the elusive magic hour

Click the link below to read my comments in the Maine Outdoors Journal colomn: Casting about for the elusive magic hour BY
DEIRDRE FLEMING
September 13, 2009 Maine Outdoor Journal | Casting about for the elusive magic hour

Maine Saltwater Fishing Report September 16th, 2009

Dennis Hansen & Jan Leth fished with me today...the second time this week. A stiff NE wind greeted us as we left the dock at daybreak. It took us awhile but we finally managed to find some fish willing to eat. We also ran into a seal with a bad attitude....the seal managed to steal two of Jan's stripers after playing tug of war with us for awhile...kind of exciting for the guys aboard....but I've had several run-ins with this bandit seal...including an epic seal battle battle that Den Kelly fought yesterday....so my patience with mr. seal was wearing abit thin. Check out Dennis's striper pics and Jan's seal encounter

Maine Striper Fishing Report September 15th, 2009

Den Kelly from Sag Harbor, NY traveled to Maine to fish the Kennebec river with me today. Den is highly involved with tagging stripers for the American Littoral Society Den has tagged a whopping 11,700 Striped Bass from Maine to Chesapaeke Bay over the last 20 years...a real testament to his commitment to the tagging program!!! Note the tagged stripers in the pics below

Maine Striper Fishing Report September 11th, 2009

Check out the short music video chronicling Super Fly Charters 2009 Striper fishing season highlights...we still have a few weeks of awesome fishing left...don't miss out!!!...give us a call today to reserve a date for your trip 207-691-0745

Maine Saltwater Fishing Report September 10th, 2009

Clark & Debbie Eason from Magnolia, Texas fished the lower Kennebec river with me today...they both caught their first ever striped bass

Maine Striped Bass Fishing Report: Super Fly Charters September 9th, 2009

I had solo fly angler Tim Shaw from Camden, Me. aboard this morning...the fishing was good as you can see in the pics....stripers on the fly to 28 inches!!! We did well fishing shallow rocky structure adjacent to deep water....areas that had lighter colored gravel bottom gave us some good sight casting opportunities...at one point tim had made a picture perfect cast that landed a mere two feet in front of a laid up fish in two feet of water...he slowly stripped the fly twice and I watched the 27 incher eat the fly...cool stuff. The Stripers have been becoming more aggressive over the last week or so...if you're looking to hit a hot striper bite, I can think of no better time than in the next 4 weeks as the stripers will be feeding heavily in preparation for the southbound migration...Come join us at Super Fly Charters to sample some of the best Striper fishing that the state of Maine has to offer!!!

Maine Striper Fishing Reports September, 2009

Maine Striper Blitzes...Game On!!!



The fun continues!!!

Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports September 7th, 2009

Steve & Ray fished with me today (09/07/09) check out the pics!!! The bite wasn't fast & furious like the fishing we had yesterday...but we still boated some nice fish

Maine Striper Fishing Report September 6th, 2009

I had Ray Paradis & Denis Collet aboard today...Ray Lives on the Banks of the Kennebec river and he decided that I might be able to show him a few of my tricks for putting a pile of stripers in the boat...Here is what Ray & Denis said after the trip via emails...

"Captain:
The pictures are great, but the lesson and knowledge are immeasurable.
You've changed my whole outlook on this great sport. What I've
learned today will save me tons of money and so much frustration. I
can't thank you enough"
,Ray

Hi Capt. George:
Just a quick note of thanks for the wonderful trip on the Kennebec River. Clearly you know your stuff as we caught fish after fish. Thanks for making us the fishing rock stars Sunday morning!

Best wishes and continued success.
,Denis






















....I'll be seeing Ray very soon using some of the techniques that we used today....hopefully with very similar results!!!

Some of the best Striper fishing of the year will be taking place in the next 4-5 weeks...give us a call if you'd like to take advantage of it.

check out the cool mola mola pics we took yesterday (09/05/09) while hunting Tuna ESE of Monhegan Island

Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports September 4th, 2009

over the last couple of days the Striped Bass bite has gone from good to very, very good!!! Today I had Arthur Bellone & Bill Coppola aboard again for the umpteenth time. These guys are fish magnets and know how to put lots of fish in the boat....

Maine Striper Fishing Reports August 31st, 2009

Olga Dubois with her first ever Striped Bass caught this afternoon (08/31/09) on the Kennebec river