Outdoors
The BDN outdoors section brings readers into the woods, waters and wild places of Maine. It features stories on hunting, fishing, wildlife, conservation and recreation, told by people who live these experiences. This section emphasizes hands-on knowledge, field reports, issues, trends and the traditions that define life outside in Maine. Read more Outdoors stories here.
“Have you ever been striper fishing?”
That was the question Jim Bernstein, manager of Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop in York, asked me one day.
At the time, I had never fished for striped bass. Today, I believe it’s a fish every fisherman should experience at least once. But more importantly, I believe we need to work together to protect these fish and make sure future generations have the same opportunity.
Striped bass have been classified as overfished, but I look at it a little differently. I don’t think we have a problem with catching too many fish — I think we have a problem with killing too many fish.
The Chesapeake Bay accounts for more than 70% of the striped bass population, and spawning success there has been below average for seven consecutive years. That should concern every striped bass fisherman, regardless of where they fish.
My first experience chasing stripers was with Peter Fallon, a guide on the Kennebec River. I was able to catch a few schoolies, and the very next day I went fishing with Jim. We hit the York River, and Jim had me throwing small white poppers. I was catching small stripers on top, and I was hooked.
While we were fishing, Jim started telling me about when he began fishing for stripers in the 1980s. He said there was a time when you could fish for days, sometimes weeks, without catching one. If someone did catch a striper, especially a big one, it was big news throughout the fishing community.
Those declining numbers helped lead to the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act of 1984, which established federal protections and pushed states toward more restrictive management.
Over time, those efforts helped rebuild the population, and today, we are seeing some remarkable striped bass.
If you follow striper fishermen on Instagram or Facebook, you will see more fish over 40 inches being caught than I remember seeing 20 years ago. But there seems to be one problem: I am seeing fewer smaller fish.
In the short term, that can make for some great fishing. In the long term, however, fewer young fish entering the population is something we need to take seriously.
The Grocery Pollock
The first time I went to Jim’s house, my eyes immediately went to his door frame.
From the floor to the ceiling, and halfway around the other side, it was covered with his Grocery Pollock fly.
I asked him, “What’s the deal with all those flies?”
He told me he had retired the Grocery Pollock after catching a striped bass over 40 inches on it — and he had a lot of retired flies.
That story stuck with me.
I always kept a Grocery Pollock in my fly wallet. Years later, I caught my own 40-inch striper on that same pattern. I even wrote a story about that fish.
Getting kids into stripers
When Tait and Jax were little — around nine and seven, maybe even younger — I remember heading down to Popham Beach to meet up with members of MaineFlyFish.com and fish for stripers.
I was told where everyone was fishing, so we drove two hours south, parked, and started walking the beach.
As we rounded the corner, we saw Alan fighting a striper. I told the boys to run over to him.
As they got there, Alan handed Jax the rod, and he got to fight a small schoolie.
We spent the day catching small stripers, with an occasional bigger fish mixed in. It was one of those days that sticks with you, especially when you get to watch your kids experience it.
Popham Beach is still a great place to try your hand at these fish.
Stripers in the Penobscot
I have always felt that if you really wanted to catch stripers in numbers and size, you needed to travel south of Portland.
But things are changing.
With the removal of the Veazie Dam and the return of alewives and shad to the Penobscot River, there are certainly more striped bass moving into the river.
I know a lot of spin fishermen who park behind the On the Run store in Old Town, hike out back and do very well.
I’ve tried it a couple of times, but all I managed to catch were a few smallmouth bass.
I think if someone put a raft in and floated down toward the boat launch near Orono Brewing Company, they would have a shot at some stripers.
I’ve even had clients catch striped bass above the dam over the years.
I reached out to the dam biologist about this, and he explained that fish species that belong in the river are passed above the dam when they enter the fish trap.
I’ve also fished for stripers on the Penobscot down around Bangor and have managed to catch a few on the Guitar Minnow, another fly designed by Jim at Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop.
When I was doing it, I concentrated on the outgoing tide and the mouths of brooks and streams where bait was being washed out into the river. Stripers were sitting there waiting for an easy meal.
The Kennebec River
I have a couple of friends who guide specifically for stripers. One of them is Brandon from Maine Fly Guide.
I asked Brandon what he recommends for striped bass on the Kennebec River. His answer was simple: any nine-inch alewife pattern.
Even if you want to fish with conventional tackle, he recommends alewife imitations. I’ve seen huge schools of alewives while fishing the Kennebec flats. Watching thousands of baitfish moving through the water is enough to get your heart racing. The frustrating part is getting those fish to eat a fly.
Fishing the rocks
I also reached out to James Browne, who specializes in wade fishing for stripers from Portland south. He is even offering trips for sharks and albies.
James recommended green crab flies and baitfish patterns that match what is actually in the water.
Years ago, when we both had more time, James and I would trade guide trips. I’ve had him and his wife out fishing for trout and salmon, and he took my boys and Stac out for her first striped bass from the rocks near York.
If you’ve ever fished for stripers from the rocks, you know how much can go wrong. A fish that size can be an exciting fight, and there are plenty of ways to lose one. Your line can get wrapped around rocks, cut off or simply break during the fight.
With James’ guidance, Stac was able to land that fish, which taped out at 32 inches.
It was a huge accomplishment — and another fishing memory our family won’t forget.
Getting started
If you think you want to try fly fishing for stripers, or even spin fishing, don’t be afraid to give it a shot.
For fly fishing, I would recommend an 8- or 10-weight rod. Start with some basic Clouser Minnows in different colors, Deceivers in several sizes and some green crab patterns. A 20-pound striper leader is a good starting point.
You also need to be prepared to cast bigger flies. If you’re new to this type of fishing, practice before you hit the water. Throwing large flies all day is very different from casting a small trout fly.
For fly lines, I’d have a floating line, a sink-tip and an intermediate line. Different conditions and water depths can require completely different presentations.
I don’t do much spin fishing, but if I did, I’d be looking at larger swimbaits and baitfish imitations with appropriate tackle and around 20-pound line.
Hire a guide
There is a huge learning curve when it comes to striped bass. That’s why I highly recommend hiring a guide, especially if you’re just getting started.
A good guide can help you with your casting, teach you how to fish different water, show you how to select flies or lures and, most importantly, help you understand what the fish are eating.
Water temperature matters. Tides matter. Bait matters. Where the bait is matters. And knowing when all of those things come together can be the difference between casting all day and actually catching fish.
Don’t let striped bass intimidate you. Get out there and give it a try. There are some incredible fish swimming along the Maine coast right now, and you don’t want to spend the winter wishing you had gone fishing when you had the chance.
But while you’re out there chasing them, remember that these fish are a resource we all need to protect. Catch them. Enjoy them. Take a picture. And, whenever possible, let them swim away.
