Great News For Maine Striper fishermen & The Entire Atlantic Coast Striped Bass Fishery!!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!

HOORAY!!! Ladies & Gentlemen...please hoist your beers in the direction of Alexandria, VA in salute of an effort by the ASFMC's Striped Bass Commission that is sure to bode well for the stocks of east coast Stripers...If the initiatives of this important Addendum passes, and they rightfully should, it will not be a quick fix solution to the problem but it is definitely a huge step in the right direction...The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has released the following info...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 24, 2011
Alexandria, VA – The ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission), Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has initiated development
of Draft Addendum III with the goals of reducing striped bass fishing mortality (F) up to 40% and further
protecting spawning stock when it is concentrated and vulnerable.
The addendum was initiated in order to
allow managers to promptly respond to the results of the stock assessment update in the fall if necessary.
Provisions of the addendum, if passed, could be implemented prior to the start of the 2012 fishing year.
The Board’s action responds to recent trends in the fishery and resource, including a 66% decline in
estimated recreational catch from 2006 to 2009; a 25% decline in estimated striped bass abundance from
2004 to 2008; and lowered recruitment in recent years. Additionally, states in the northern extent of the
fishery have expressed concern over decreased availability of striped bass as a result of the diminished
water quality in the Chesapeake Bay during the summer months that may also contribute to increased
prevalence of mycobacteriosis in striped bass.
Draft Addendum III will propose a range of fishing management measures including, but not limited to,
adjustments to commercial and recreational minimum size (for jurisdictions outside Chesapeake Bay and
Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River), reductions in annual coastal commercial allocation, reductions in
recreational bag limits, revisions to the target F rate (for Chesapeake Bay and Albemarle Sound/Roanoke
River), and reductions on fishing for striped bass in known spawning areas during the spawning season by
at least 50% (for jurisdictions bordering the Hudson River, Delaware River, Chesapeake Bay and
Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River).
The commercial and recreational fishery is currently managed through Amendment 6 to the Striped Bass
Fishery Management Plan. The Amendment, passed in 2003, allocates the coastal commercial quota and
set a two fish bag limit and a 28 inch size minimum for the recreational fishery, with the exception of the
Chesapeake Bay fisheries, Albemarle Sound/Roanoke River fisheries, and states with approved alternative
regulations.
The Draft Addendum will be developed for preliminary review by the Atlantic Striped Bass Management
Board in August. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, Fishery Management Plan
Coordinator, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Super Fly Charters: Your #1 Source For Maine Saltwater Fishing Reports, Guided Striper Trips & Charters

Maine Striper Fishing Update

Reservations are continuing to come in for the 2011 Maine saltwater fishing season...Many anglers are already booking trips as far out as September to insure that they get the prime dates. We do multi trips each day based on the ebb and flow of the tides so don't worry we have still have lots of availability...As of right now we are scheduled to begin our season sometime in May...Once we have the boat ready to go, we'll begin doing groundfish trips and based on the availability of early migrating Stripers we'll be focusing on the prolific herring runs that occur on many of our tidal rivers.
Striper fishing in the Maine during the month of May can be hit or miss but when the bite is on, we can help cure your case of cabin fever with an early season slayfest...once June rolls around it'll be game on for 150+ straight days...Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna, Cod, Mackerel & Sharks will all get your much deserved attention...

Sooo...if you have a date in mind that you'd like to reserve, please give us a jingle to insure that you get a chance to participate in what's going to be another great fishing season on the beautiful coast of Maine....also be sure to browse through our Maine saltwater fishing reports archives to read our day by day, month by month reports....we have hundreds of great pictures that back up our daily fishing reports...

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Striper Fishing: Super Fly Charters

Maine Striper Fishing Charters

We're getting closer to the start of fishing season here in Maine...the snow is melting and spring is on the way...We'll soon be pulling the cover off the boat to begin the annual maintenance regimen...This season we'll likely be keeping the Super Fly at a Marina slip...but have no fear we'll still be able to trailer up and down the coast!!! After a decade of guiding here in Maine It's nice to still feel that excitement builds up that happens every year around this time...it'll feel even better to hook into a fresh from sea Striper...this will happen sometime in late May...from that day till sometime in late October we'll be relentlessly pursuing a variety of saltwater game fish!!! In the meantime check out one of my posts from a guided trip that took place last June...

(June 12, 2010)Recap Of A Typical June Striped Bass Trip
Yesterday, I had Chris Oliver of Knight Marine Service ,located in Rockland, Maine, back aboard. Chris fishes with me several times each season in various locations and has been guided to his first stripers of the year going back the last 7-8 years aboard my boat...this year would be no different. This time out we had a great day of fishing on Maine's Kennebec River.
We were on the water by 4:00 am and as we left the south boat launch facility in Bath we were greeted by flat calm conditions and the last part of a ripping outbound tide. A short run from the dock and we spotted whirling gulls and bait fish being blasted by hungry Stripers...It didn't take but a few casts and we were tight to our first Striper of the morning, a fat 25 incher another pass by the ledge gave up a 27 incher then another & another as the action tapered off we decided to head off down river...the next stop produced a couple of fish that were holding deep in the current...off we go again.
As we approach the next stop we see gulls dive bombing the surface of the water and the frantic splashes of herring trying to escape the hungry stripers that were herding them to the surface...This wasn't one of those classic all out 5 acres of busting fish blitz, but rather a mini blitz of maybe a couple dozen stripers having their way with a school of herring. I positioned the boat to slide past the edge of the busting fish and we cast into the the surface feed with our 350 grain lines and our fluffy white 4"-5" herring deceivers that were tied with just a hint of chartreuse angel hair on their flanks. long strips followed by a a short pause proved to be irresistible to the hungry stripers. As the tide turned we boated several more stripers before the fish went down...we continued to work this area for a while and the stripers continued to pop to the surface one fish at a time. It's very exciting to watch a stiper rise up underneath a herring that fluttered on the surface and blast it repeatedly as it tried to gulp it down...
We kept at the fish during the incoming tide picking up one fish here and one fish there. Around noontime we headed upriver to the Kennebec tavern for a quick bite to eat before trying one last fish...Armed with a light spinning rod, it only took one cast with the deadly flat tire shad lure to find a fat 27"er a great way to end an even greater day on the water

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!!! If fly fishing isn't your thing...no worries we're well equipped for light tackle & live bait fishing too!!!


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

Maine Striper Fishing: Department of Marine Resources NOTICE OF RULEMAKING Chapter 42.03 Striped Bass –

Here we go again...Looks like there is more smoke on the horizon as the natives are becoming restless and the wagons are circling....This time it's trouble brewing on the lower Kennebec watershed...There is a lot of finger pointing and accusations directed at a certain Boothbay Harbor charter captain and his associates who are allegedly using their influence to help structure Maine fishing rules for their own personal benefit...That remains to be seen!!!

All of that contentious nonsense aside, I have read the DMR notice and have seen the proposed boundary line changes..It's my interpretation that if these rule changes pass....the special Kennebec regs would still cover the main stem of the Kennebec river and all of the fertile nursery areas of Merrymeeting bay and it's tributaries...most of the Sheepscot river would revert to the general state rules that governed it prior to 1990 as would the outer beaches and ledges between Cape Newagen and Small Pt. It also sounds like the special catch and release season rules would remain in place. The big difference is that in a further attempt to reduce the release mortality of native Kennebec Striped Bass, circle hooks are now mandated for bait fishing as opposed to J-hooks which were the standard when these special conservation rules were implemented 20 years ago...Part of the argument now is whether or not using bait on c-hooks now levels the playing field of release mortality vs. artificial baits fished on a j-hook...clearly using natural bait will be more effective 100% of the time...no one can argue that fact...It's the release mortality that comes into question....In various case studies, it has been shown that the use of a "inline circle hook" rather than a "J" hook, resulted in a significant reduction in deep hooking. It can therefore be inferred that requiring the use of "circle hooks" with natural baits in a catch and release program would result in a much higher increase in fish survival...these same studies indicate that deep hooking was reduced by as much as 81% over the course of the study by using non-offset circle hooks vs j hooks...Will a Striped Bass that's hooked in the corner of the mouth with a circle hook be just as likely to survive after being released as a fish thats hooked in the same place with a fly or artificial bait???...My own experience leads me to say yes...Thats where things get complicated for me...I'm all for conservation and fully support the way the current special Kennebec rules are structured...however times have changed and so have some of the other rules concerning the types of hooks we can now use...if the mandated use of circle hooks is proven to level the playing field then I can understand how making some amendments to the current rules has some merit...Either way i'm going to support or oppose these rule changes based on science and not emotion...regardless of what happens i'd like to see the special Kennebec catch & release season stay in place...also many folks would like to see the 20"-26" slot limit be replaced with the old 36" limit for keeper fish...I'd support that if the science backed it up...but thats a battle for another day

Obviously there are lots of varying opinions regarding this issue...my thoughts are that if a guide or an angler chooses not to fish bait for their own philosophical reasons and they practice what they preach, I think thats cool and I fully respect that because those guys are keeping it real!!!...It's the guys that preach one thing and practice the other that lose credibility in my eyes...Yeah...I have a problem with that!!! It's easy for everyone to be all self righteous and to get caught up in the drama and I find it a more than a little funny that some of the same Kennebec guides that are in an uproar over these proposed rule changes are the same guys that are causing traffic jams at the Kennebec Angler and at Sheldons bait dock on July 1st, buying all the bait that they can carry and are stacking fish up on the docks like cordwood??? If the new rules pass these same guides will most likely be the first ones, in May or June, to have their sports drifting live eels or bloodworms??? Anyone else find that to be ironic?...It's often said that every cloud has a sliver lining...well in this case it seems like the pocket of every hypocrite guide has a green lining$$$
I hate to say this but there are a lot of big ego players that fish the kennebec watershed and all of them think that they have the answer as to what the right way and what the wrong way is to manage this fishery...Unlike some of these close minded, card carrying, doom & gloom zealots out there whom apparently think of themselves as expert fisheries biologists, I don't have that qualification so I've chosen to keep an open mind about exploring these rule amendments and not pass a quick judgement until I've been fully educated about them by folks who are more qualified...

Yes the motives for establishing these new rules are starting to smell a little more fishy to me as time passes and additional info becomes available...I'm sure that it'll all come out at the public hearing when Recreational Fishing Alliance Rep.- Capt. Barry Gibson gives his testimony...more than likely if these proposed rule changes turn out to be bogus they will hopefully be crushed quickly...How this is handled by the Maine DMR will be a good barometer of how the new administration is going handle future important recreational fishing issues...most of us are not optimistic!!!

If you have strong feelings one way or the other about these proposed rule changes, please submit your written comments or better yet voice them at the upcoming public hearing!!! Read Details Below

Department of Marine Resources: NOTICE OF RULEMAKING

Chapter 42.03 Striped Bass
(Kennebec River and Sheepscot river areas)
The proposed rulemaking would remove the marine bait prohibition and replace it with the requirement to use circle hooks while using marine bait when fishing in the Kennebec River closed area during the established May 1 to June 30th season. The closed area is also proposed to change from upstream and inside the line drawn from Cape Small to Cape Newagen to a line upstream and inside from Fort Popham, Phippsburg to Kennebec Point to Indian Point, Georgetown, and upstream from a line in the area called Robinhood between Lowe Point, Phippsburg to Newdick Point, Westport and downstream of the Route 144 Westport Island Bridge therefore removing the Sheepscot River from the Kennebec rules and placing it under the statewide regulations.

This request was made by the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) - Barry Bibson of Boothbay Harbor who is the rep. for RFA in Maine.
PUBLIC HEARING: April 4, 2011, 6pm, Bath City Hall, 1st Floor Auditorium, 55 Front Street, Bath
DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS: April 14, 2011
CONTACT PERSONS: Bruce Joule (207-633-9505) or Pat Keliher (207-287-9973)
For more information: Online the web link for a copy of the proposed rules is: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rulemaking/
Or, to obtain a hardcopy by US mail write: Dept. of Marine Resources, attn: L. Churchill, PO Box 8, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine 04575-0008 TEL: 207-633-9584, or
EMAIL: laurice.churchill@maine.gov, FAX: (207) 633-9579 or TTY: (207) 633-9500
To receive future rulemaking notices by email please use contact info above.

Maine Deep Sea Fishing Reports With Capt. George Harris & Super Fly Charters

Deep Sea Fishing In Maine: Part II of III...We'll cover Groundfish, Tuna & Sharks In This Three Part Series

(Part II: Sharking..Fishing For Sea Monsters On The Maine Coast)

When most anglers think about planning a sport fishing trip in Maine, light tackle fishing for sharks usually isn't the first thing that pops into their minds...but it should be!!! July through October can offer some of the hottest & most consistent big game fishing that we have on the Maine coast. Large Pelagic Sharks cruise the nearshore temperature breaks and forage rich underwater sea mounts looking for an easy meal...Mako, Thresher and Blueshark are the primary targets with Blueshark being the most common Shark caught in the Gulf of Maine...The usual routine is to get set up on a temperature or current break with buckets of our freshly ground chum hanging off the side of the boat creating a bloody & oily scent super highway that draws sharks in from long distance...any shark that swims through our miles long chum slick will swim directly to the stern of our boat...usually we'll have a few hook baits already deployed at different depth intervals and we'll also have a livey bridled up and swimming in the livewell for use as a pitch bait in the unusual event that the sharks are finicky...Blue Sharks are prime candidates for fly & light tackle anglers. During down time while we're waiting for the sharks too come in...we often drop jigs to the bottom for fast action on codfish, mackerel and other species...there is always something happening...once the sharks arrive...it's game on and everyone on the boat functions as a team...we are well equipped for fishing sharks...our tackle includes an array of Penn International 50W & 30W lever drag reels mounted on custom Chaos stand up rods for the heavy lifting...For the lighter work we are fully equipped with heavy Penn 9500ss spinning outfits, lightweight graphite rods rigged with Shimano 15-20-25-30 TLD's and an array of Gloomis, Sage & TFO Bluewater fly fishing outfits....all of our tackle is impeccably maintained...If you're planning to fish in Maine this summer and would like to give sharking a try...please give us a call.

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Deep Sea Fishing Reports With Super Fly Charters & Capt George Harris

Deep Sea Fishing Trips In Maine: Part I of III...We'll cover Groundfish, Tuna & Sharks In This Three Part Series

(Part I: Bottom Fishing)
Growing up on the Maine coast I have been extremely fortunate in the amount of fishing that I have been able to do...Saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing, surf fishing, tidal river fishing...for a huge variety of species...using everything from traditional tarred hand lines to the lightest fly & light tackle to the heaviest of offshore trolling gear...
Many, many years ago there were several party boats operating in & near the town I grew up in...boats like the famed "Shamrock" captained by local legend Bill Gargan, The "Henrietta" captained by John Earl and the "Dolphin" skippered by Ernie Rackliff...As a kid I was able to spend considerable time on all three of these boats...We always came in with a great catch...usually a mixed bag of bottom fish like Cod, Haddock, Flounder, Pollack...on occasion a fattie Halibut came over the rail. Mackerel & Bluefish provide great action too... Back in the day we mostly fished heavy norwegian style jigs and surgical tube teaser rigs with Penn "Long Beach" No. 65 conventional reels filled with thick 50-60# test monofilament line mounted on stout, solid fiberglass rods...workhorse gear that has earned it's salt on charter boats all over the world...gear that many anglers still use to this day

...fast forward 25 years...those rickety old party boats of my childhood are long gone and I now find myself more than a decade into my own career as a busy charter captain...part of that career has been spent on the offshore waters of midcoast Maine fishing for Cod, Haddock, Tuna, Shark & more...fishing many of the same grounds as the captains that guided me in my youth....Over the years advances in the tackle that we use have been huge...the heavy gear has been replaced by lightweight ultra modern equipment ...super thin braided fishing lines, compact high speed spinning & conventional reels and an array of "speed jigs" get the nod nowadays...The species remain the same but are now much more highly regulated due to decades of overfishing by commercial draggers & trawlers...the regulations are paying off and we are able to find consistent action....If you're looking for a way to get youngsters involved in fishing this is a great way to do it...lot's of action will keep their interest level high...
...lets go back to late October of 2010 to revisit one of my offshore Cod fishing adventures
....this will give you a great idea as to what to expect on one of these trips...
October 24th, 2010 trip report. After a long, productive and very fun season, the Striped Bass have all but left Maine waters...But hey...that doesn't have to mean that our saltwater fishing season has to end...Case in point was our groundfishing trip yesterday. Chris Oliver & John Coppola met me at the dock at 6:30 am...the air temp was chilly, in the low 30's, but we were dressed for the conditions....After going through my safety check list, We cast off our lines, left the dock and blasted down the St. George river at a brisk 30knot clip...we soon cleared the mouth of the river and left the Georges islands behind us as we headed across Muscongus Bay on flat ass calm seas, bound for some ledges ESE of Monhegan island. After a 40 minute run from the dock we arrived on the numbers and got set to drop our jigs into the depths below us...Chris was armed with a Shimano Stella 10000, Trevala butterfly jigging combo as well as an Avet lever drag reel on a butterfly jigging rod...attached to his leaders were 10 oz. Williamson vortex jig and teaser rig...John was set up with a Shimano Stradic 8000, Trevala butterfly jigging combo...John was using the standard 8-12 oz diamond jig with teaser rig...My rig was a Daiwa Saltiga 30 conventional reel mounted to a nomad travel rod with a diamond jig teaser rig...All the tackle that we used is not the traditional broomstick gear commonly associated with bottom fishing, rather we use very sensitive & lightweight yet extremely powerful graphite rods that are a joy to use for hours on end...the ultrathin braided superlines loaded on our high speed reels allow us to feel the lightest of bites even in depths of several hundred feet!!!...Our first drop was in about 90 feet of water...As soon as our jigs hit bottom they are hammered immediately and all three of our rods are thumping with the weight of nice fat 8-10 pound keeper sized cod...This action would continue for several hours as we methodically worked the structure below...often our jigs would get nailed on the drop so it was important to keep a watchful eye on the line as the jigs rocketed toward the bottom...if the line stopped moving, it was because a cod had slammed the jig on the fall...when this happened, we quickly engage the drag and set the hook on the fish...most of our strikes came on the jig itself but many hits were on the teaser, we even had some doubles where we caught cod on both the jig and teaser. Along with the dozens of cod that we caught we also caught Pollock, Acadian Redfish and a few other rockfish species...At the end of the day everyone went home with some nice filet's and some sore arms to show for it

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

Stay Tuned To Our Super Fly Charters Blog in 2011 For Saltwater Fishing Reports & Guided Trip Info From The Kennebec, Casco Bay & Southern Maine Regions

Expect more of the same great things from Super Fly Charters in 2011...As usual...We'll be be publishing some of the most dynamic, up to date saltwater fishing reports on the Maine coast...please check out our archives from the last several seasons to see what we're talking about or check out the archived report example at the bottom of this post!!! You'll see tons of fishing reports with current pictures...What you will not find here is a bunch of useless, bore you to tears, "copy and paste", garbage that gets published on some fishing blogs???...If you want honest and accurate local saltwater fishing reports...coming directly from a lifelong Maine fisherman and full time Registered Maine Tidewater Fishing Guide...look no further, please stay tuned to the latest info from our daily charters on the Kennebec river and from regions across the State...Follow our progress online as we tirelessly pursue Striped Bass, Bluefish, Cod, Tuna & Shark...all on fly & light tackle gear!!!
Or Better Yet...Come Join us for a tide or three!!!...We're still quite aways out on the 2011 season, so there is still lots of time to get your dates nailed down...

(Example From The Archives: July 21st, 2010)

Maine's Kennebec river is producing some of the best Striped Bass fishing in the State of Maine right now!!!

Today I had the privilege of guiding, Florida Key's guide & Co-host of Versus TV's saltwater fishing show "Saltwater Experience", Capt. Rich Tudor...He seemed intrigued about our ripping currents and big tides so we set the date....After meeting in Bath we headed off to one of the many ledges that have been so productive for us...A quick explanation of what we were going to do and we went lines in...10 seconds later...we were into our first Striper of the morning...next drift we get slammed again...then again and again...Ok Capt. Rich is clearly impressed by our fishery now. We continue to work the area for another hour or so before blasting off downriver chasing the tide...as we slide into the next rip immediately our rods are torqued way over with the weight of hard running stripers. Next drift another double...then a triple....wow...When I crawled out of bed this morning at 3:00am to get prepped fro the trip, I knew that we were going to have a great trip...As always, It was nice to have the chance to showcase the wonderful Striped Bass fishery that we have here in Maine...I didn't let the opportunity pass...Captain Rich got to see first hand what we see on a daily basis as we slid into drift after drift only to be greeted by powerful tugs sreaming drags and rods bent to the grip...

A little info on Versus show "Saltwater Experience" -Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor have won over 200 tournament titles and 7000 + professional, guided days between them. Join them as they share their knowledge of inshore and offshore saltwater fishing in a fun and educational format. Utilizing the latest HD camera equipment and the most skilled production team in outdoor television, Saltwater Experience highlights the natural beauty of the Florida Keys as well as the indigenous wildlife above and below the water. Don't miss Saltwater Experience on Versus!

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Striper Fishing Report: Super Fly Charters

(baitwell full of live sardine chummers)

I have an unhealthy addiction...My Wife has threatened divorce, threatened to kick me out of the house...During the long fishing season, My duties as a husband & home owner are grossly neglected, this affliction contributes to sleep deprivation & I exhibit zombie like symptoms. I have sought medical help from the best doctors...I have gone to support group meetings, have even tried hypnosis and witch doctor remedies, yet my addiction perseveres...I'm addicted to chum...I love chum...That's right I said it...I love chumming...I love live chumming or chunking chum...I love creating a huge baitball beneath my boat with my magic potion...igniting blitz conditions with my chum creations is a beautiful thing...I love making fish bite even when they've already gorged themselves, forcing my will upon them!!!...I love chum...I love making chum...ok the last one was a stretch!!! It's a smelly, messy job but the rewards overcome the torturous job of making it. Many of my friends share this addiction...their families know what we're going through...we'd like to thank you for sticking with us during these tough times.
When it comes to chumming...You can plug your nose but please don't turn your nose up at it...It's a fun, productive way to catch loads of fish...
...Those that know us know that we go to great lengths to catch all of our own bait...we travel miles & miles out of our way to secure a healthy supply...catching our own bait means that our day begins well before sun-up...hours before we meet our clients at the dock...having a good supply of chum is paramount to making bait so it's only natural for us to grind our own chum. We have a big #32 grinder mounted to a cutting board on a gimbal that slips into one of our gunnel mount rod holders...we can process up to 5# a minute...first it's coarse ground like a smelly version of ground chuck then we pack it into quart and gallon sized freezer bags as well as in 5 gal buckets for offshore use...A chest freezer keeps everything freshly frozen and ready for use...Not only do we use ground chum...but we also brine and carefully freeze whole baits such a Herring, Mackerel, Smelt & Menhaden...These popsicles can be used whole or as chunk chum...or even as hook baits...Did I mention that I love chum!!! The ways that we use chum is almost endless...drifting the open ocean with a block of chum over the side can bring in all sorts of critters....the pungent scent trail draws in everything from bait to large pelagic predators...the first arrivals are usually herring & mackeral...we keep a rod rigged with a sabiki handy to catch these baits...by doing this we can continously supplement our chum line with fresh bloody chunks and stunned livies...and it's a fun way to pass the time...When using our frozen block chum...we can control the amount of chum dispersed by using different mesh sizes on our chum bags...we also make a slurry by taking a frozen block of chum and mixing it with menhaden oil & seawater in a 5 gallon bucket...this stinky bloody concoction is then ladled over the side of the boat in small doses.
In the tidal rivers and in the rips...broadcasting handfuls of chopped chunks around the boat stimulates the schools of Striped Bass & Bluefish...sometimes it takes a drift or three before the chum starts to work but it inevitably happens...Drift a hooked chunk or livie through the chumzone and your gonna get bit...like clockwork!!!
On the flats when we have fly or light tackle anglers aboard...we often use live chummers...thats right if we are in an area that we know is holding fish...we slowly start to disperse live herring or spike macks...one at a time at first and when the fish wake up...we pitch a handful of livies out...thats when the magic starts...The stripers key in on the stunned baits...all the angler needs to do is pitch the fly or lure in the general area that the bait was delivered and hold on tight we can often bring big stripers to within a rod length of the boat...Throwing a handful of stunned baits against a sod bank patrolled by hungry stripers is lethal...and all of this can happen in some incredibly shallow water...another shallow water trick is to bridle a hookless livie under a float, either a balloon or a styrofoam ball, and watch for the swirls as the gamefish tries to eat the tethered bait...this is usually a team effort...one angler on the teaser rod, one angler with the hook rod...a a fly angler casting topwater crease fly or an angler throwing a spook type bait near the float is going to be in for a thrill as the lit up Bass switches from the live teaser to the fly or lure...YUP I LOVE CHUM!!!

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Striper Fishing Guided Trips & Reports On The "Social Network" Facebook

Maine Saltwater Fly & light Tackle Fishing Reports With Capt. George Harris & Super Fly Charters On Facebook

Many of you already know this...but for those of you who do not...Over the past couple of seasons we've switched some of the focus of our reel time fishing reports from our site here at blogger to the social networking giant, Facebook...We've done this for a number of reasons....mostly because the majority of my report readers and anglers spend more of their time on Facebook and it's much easier for them to pop in and check out what's happening with us at Super Fly Charters...By checking our reports regularly, if the bite is hot there is less chance that you'll miss it...another reason for the facebook reports is that we get to control who reads them...(The Good)we have some truly great guides in the area that I fish and most of us share valuable info...I treasure those friendships...but unfortunately in this competitive business,(The Bad)we also have a glory hound guide or two that quite simply put, does not know how to mind their OWN business.(dude...let some of the air out of your head)..hahaha...Seriously...I really do not care that other guides read my reports blog and website...everyone is welcome here...But if you're that rare individual that can't mentally handle what I do or what I post on my website...uncheck my website from the favorites list on your ipad and DON'T READ IT...(The Ugly)I have absolutely no patience for that type of thing...And those guy's,(we all know who you are) will NOT be privvy to the info or anything else that I choose to share!!!...During the season we spend incredible amounts of time on the water and it often becomes difficult to maintain this blog....we still do our best to make current reports here but if you really want to stay connected you can follow our daily progress on our Super Fly Charters Facebook page...With the huge advances in the technology of "smart phones", My guests and myself can post incredible pictures and videos of our big catches to our Facebook pages almost as they happen....it's a great way for all of us to share in the excitement with all of our friends and family!!!

To follow us on our Super Fly Charters Facebook Page...Please click the link badge on our sidebar or the link on our SFC website....when you get a second check out the hundreds of fishing photos that we have posted on FB...we have tons of Maine fishing pictures as well as pics from anglers at exotic fishing destinations around the world...we're really looking forward to seeing all of you posting your Super Fly Charters catches on there!!!

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Saltwater Charters & Reports: Striper Fishing On The Kennebec River With Capt. George Harris

Looking for a day of saltwater fishing on the coast of Maine in 2011? We've got you covered!!!

Full And Half Day Fly & Light Tackle Fishing Trips For Striped Bass, Bluefish, Mackeral, Cod, Tuna, Sharks And Much More...All Bait, Tackle & Licenses Provided.

GIVE US A CALL TO RESERVE YOUR DATES!!! 207-691-0745

Maine' Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Super Fly Charters
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Maine Saltwater Fishing Charters With Capt. George Harris & Super Fly Charters

Maine Striper Fishing Guided Trips

WOW...SNOW...SNOW...SNOW...And lot's of it...Knee deep, light, powdery stuff...the kind of rare snow that's perfect for outdoor activities like skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling...take advantage of it!!!Yup...We survived the latest monster blizzard that terrorized us up here on the coast of Maine and we're now firmly locked in winters icy's grip...but that doesn't mean that we're not busy getting ready for the 2011 season. We have a ton of work to do!!!We have lots of equipment to do annual maintenance on...we need to restock on line, leaders, lures and other misc. tackle...Our fly boxes need to be re stocked with killer patterns....and we need to assemble a list of projects to get the boat ready to splash...
Another part of the off season is making sure that you all get your trips booked with Super Fly Charters...so far, thats been pretty easy!!! I have had a few questions lately from folks that want to know what the most productive methods are for our Striper trips...that's a great question...with many different answers...Without a doubt, the most productive technique day after day is live lining frisky baits...it's a fact that no one can argue...however we also pursue Striped bass with an array of fly & light tackle artificial baits which can also be very productive...Some days, skipping jigs and swimbaits off the bottom in 20-40 feet of cannot be beat, while other days working current washed rocky shoreline structure with flies or soft plastics gets the nod...some days we're crushing fish on the shallow water sand, mud or eelgrass flats...a variety of factors come into play and it all centers on what baits the fish are keyed on...sometimes the fish are gorging on tiny sandeels, silversides or grass shrimp...other times it's a worm hatch when they wont even look at anything but a sand or bloodworm...maybe a herring or squid run that has the fish jacked up..We still have good a good run of Striped Bass but on occasion we are faced with a slow bite...it's on those tough days that it's up to your guide to crack the code...On every trip we always have ALL the equipment aboard including a bait tank full of tasty livies...what does this mean for the angler...NO EXCUSES!!! In the unusual event that we're not catching fish...it just means that the fish are simply not eating during that stage of the tide...they call it "fishing" for a reason...that's where having the right tools aboard comes into play...we can often save the day by coaxing a dead bite into a full blown blitz just by employing a few simple techniques....When an angler books a trip with Super Fly Charters...I really value the short time they are with us...our goal is to provide the best chance for success in that short 4, 6 or 8 hour window.
When I get a call or email asking if we can sight fish for Stripers or catch a Tuna on a topwater plug....my answer is always..."sure that is possible"...The Tuna bite can be epic but not always dependable and Granted, for sight casting on the flats the conditions can typically be good to very good...but it's also a very good possibility that the conditions won't be remotely good enough for sight fishing...I know that most of us saltwater inshore anglers all love to sight fish for Stripers with fly or light tackle...it's a blast for sure, but let's face it...we don't always have the conditions to allow for it here in Maine...wind, turbid water, cloudy conditions, fog for weeks on end can all hamper the sight fishing game...These are the times when the guide needs to switch gears and they need to do it quickly or you the angler suffers...This past summer an elitist comment from a competing guide has stuck in my head and sort of reinforces the way that we approach guiding, After telling a group of guides and anglers after a fly fishing only tournament (that "Team Super Fly" just happened to place 1st in!!!) how successful we've been using live baits over deep ledges...one guide in the group proclaimed, rather arrogantly, that he'd rather watch paint dry than fish livies on light tackle...hmm...a very interesting philosophy I thought to myself...but hey, I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion...to each their own...To me...it's not about fishing with the methods that I prefer...rather putting my anglers on fish...and it could be any species of fish...which I guess, to most anglers is the whole point at the end of the day...I kinda felt sorry for captain crab fly's anglers as I thought to myself...while those guys are watching paint dry and struggling to get a well fed fish to eat a clump of feathers and listening to the guides endless excuses as to why the bite is turned off (wrong sun angle, too much sea weed, water too dirty, water too clear, water too cold, water too warm, too much bait, full moon, new moon, small tides....etc...etc hahaha)...we're hammering away on fish using alternate methods...even during the brightest dog days of summer...We're on the water everyday and have the experience to advise you as to what methods or species that we should pursue...It's one thing if fly fishing is the only method you use and you realize that it presents a different set of challenges...but the average fly angler isn't married to the long rod and will mix it up when necessary...either way it's all about having a fun day on the water....just with an added challenge...hahaha!!!

This winter...We're also planning to make appearances at various sporting shows on the east coast...this season I'm even traveling out of the country to the Canadian city of Montreal to attend a sporting show....Since many of my gusts are from Quebec...it just makes good sense!!!

Reservations have been coming in at a good pace and fortunately for us, that means that we're going to have another super busy season.

What's Hot Right Now: Reports indicate that the Smelts have been biting well...if you'd like to give this fun winter activity a try please get in touch with me...I do a handful of guided trips on the hardwater during the winter months...We have the equipment and the know how to make this a fun experience for you!!! Please inquire for pricing

Also don't forget to stay connected with us to get the most up to date saltwater fishing reports on the Maine coast by joining us on our Super Fly Charters Facebook page....during the season we'll be posting our big catches as they happen...It's easy and free to join...just click the link on our sidebar!!!


Maine Striper Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com

Kennebec River Striper Fishing 2011: Super Fly Charters

Maine Fly & Light Tackle Fishing Charters & Guide Service



The reservations continue to come in for the 2011 saltwater fishing season here in Maine...We have many trip options...from Striped Bass & Bluefish to Cod to Shark & Tuna...Please give us a call or shoot us an email 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!!! If fly fishing isn't your thing...no worries we're well equipped for light tackle & live bait fishing too!!! Also be sure to ask us about our "Trash Can Tarpon" aka Carp trip on the beautiful and diverse tidal flats of Merrymeeting Bay...we think that you'll love fishing for these rugged brutes on fly or light tackle. There are lot's of different ways to get Carp to respond....don't believe the hype that Carp can only be taken on fly from the deck of a poling skiff, Do yourself a huge favor...don't drink the KOOL-AID...the fact remains that the common Carp, like Stripers, only spend limited time in the shallows...like most other species, the larger schools travel and hold in the relative safety of the deeper water where they are safer from predators but become much easier targets for the fishermen!!! Either way...shallow or deep...there are very few anglers fishing for them...we already have many of these trips booked for the 2011 season, so we'll be there fishing for them...will you? hahaha ;-)



Maine Striper Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
Super Fly Charters Facebook Page
www.superfly-charters.com