Maine

[Capt. John]

Hi guys- The fishing season here is right around the corner... We start our stripers season here in late May and by June we will be in full swing. Bluefins will start to show in July in good numbers and both fish will stay right into Oct.

Check out my new article in the May/June issue of Fly fishing in Saltwaters Magazine about to hit the shelves, also my web page has been updated with new tuna information.

I'm looking forward to the season and will post reports on how things are going...

Good luck to all this 2008 season, -Capt. John Ford, Maine

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Hi all-
The striped bass fishing has really picked up this past week. We are seeing good schools of bass showing up everyday now- nice fresh fish covered with sea lice. The mornings have been a consistent display of surface feeding bass, lot's of schoolies with a few decent sized bass mixed in. Although I have not seen many "really" big bass yet I have been finding some 25-30" stripers that are wrist breakers on an 8wt. I actually had the chance to catch a few with a client the other day, I almost forgot how hard they can hit and pull in 54 degree water- what fun !!
I'm amazed at the amount of bait around Casco Bay this year. Mackerel showed up in force about 5-6 days ago and are everywhere.On the days when the wind is calm the bay has really come to life with birds and bait.
We are in a for a good stretch of weather for the next 3 days with temps reaching close to 90 and things are going to be GOOD... I heard rumors of some big bluefish tearing it up just south of us and would expect to see them show with the warmer weather. Although the bluefish are fun I'm hoping they don't show up, tear the bay and bait up in a couple of bluefish style days and then leave us with half the bait we have now. If you are booked for over the next couple of weeks you are in for some good fishing as i expect to some big bass anyday now. Bluefins are on the way as well, I hear good things about tuna just south of us on Jefferies, with some warmer days on the way I will get out and look in a week or so for those wonderful tuna to arrive.
Life is good, get out and get some.
-Capt. John Ford
Portland Guide Service

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Hi All- Well stripers have arrived in decent numbers this weekend along Maine's Casco Bay and Portland. They are confined to the warmer water areas which is no surprise since that's where the bait is at this time of year. The Presumpscot R., Royal and Cousins rivers, Harraseeket, Scarborough Marshes and Spurwink river mouth just to name a few. Most are smaller striped bass "schoolies" with a few fish here and there approaching the slot size. There seems to be lots of small baits in the back bays and estuaries, and some of the bigger bait alwive runs are in gear as well. It is usually between June 8th-12th when we will see these fish start to spread over the bay flats and coves, but with the fabulous weather of the past week or so - hitting an average of 80 degrees and even a 90 degree day last week the water is warmer than usual and we may see fish start to move out of the rivers a bit earlier. I should be posting fishing reports on a regular basis come early June so check back to stay in tune. I'm really looking forward to seeing some big stripers move in and the thoughts of bluefin tuna are pushing me over the edge. But we will have to wait until July to see those guys. If you are interested in trying out a bluefin on fly and light tackle this season contact me for available dates..... Enjoy what's here now and the wonderful weather.
-Capt. John Ford
Portland Guide service
www.mainesaltwaterfishing.com

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Hi Guys- Wanted to put it out to those interested

I run a small travel business in my off season from stripers and tuna here in Maine. Short of it: I have many clients who travel with me every year (plenty of references), and I'm always looking to fill a few slots here or there for trips (see below). You will never pay anymore than booking directly with an outfitter or lodge and sometimes less.


Mexico tarpon - Have two small groups going to Campeche area. One trip is week of March 19th. Other is April (date still flex.) Love this location and go here as often as I can, you can expect to hook 3-5 tarpon on slow days and have had anglers hook 20 on good days, usually falls somewhere between to average. There is only one outfitter to use there (out of three there) so email me if you want more info, will also be happy to share proven fly patterns there. The fish hit so hard they pull the liine right out of your hand !!

Also contact me about Vieques, this a special trip that I put together, all inclusive at a great price in March for the big three- Bones, tarpon and permit.

Capt. John f

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Just spent the last 8 days on the water doing a total of nine trips for striped bass. Finally have a day off to catch up on things like emails, phone calls, reports and just re-organizing the boat and gear.
We have had some great fishing with the exception of one day where things were vert tough and the bite was off due to some crazy unsettled weather. The highlight of the past week was fishing with (repeat clients) Dean. P of Salt Lake City and his dad Dean (as well). They fished with me for 3 days and the fishing was good to great everyday. These guys got to see a little of everything Maine has to offer from shallow water flats to throwing mackerel patterns into the rocky shoreline on sinking lines (they refered to it as rodeo fishing!!) and they loved it all. Lots of school sized bass to keep us busy while searching the waters for bigger stripers. On the last morning they were treated to one of our shallow flats in the upper bay where the water conditions where right on a nice foggy calm morning. We released a few bass and bluefish at the get-go and poled our way further on to the flat looking for bigger fish. About half way into the flat I noticed the tell tale wake of some larger bass cruising in search of a meal. We made our way into range and pointed the fiah out to both anglers. We set up and made our presentation. Imediately Dean Sr. hooked up on one of the smaller bass in the group but a repectable 7lb fish. Dean Jr made his cast and began a his strip when a larger fish fish turned and charged the fly pushing a large wake in our direction- a short strike and refusal left dean with a limp line and a pounding heart as the fish turned and blew a huge wake right in front of us. I would guess the fish was over 15lbs. by the view I had from the platform. Well that is the way the cookie crumbles some days but it's great to see our large bass starting to show up in late July (I also ran into Capt. Eric Wallace on the water a few days back and he told us they had a large fish way into the backing on one of his shallow water haunts).
I had a blast with these the 2 Dean's and it made my job so easy and relaxing to put these guys over fish for three days that I can't wait to see them again in the future...thanks to all who have made the year such fun for me.

-Capt. John Ford
Portland Guide Service

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

July 18, 2006

Warmer weather moves in....

Water temps around 68 degrees
Air temp has been high 80's even low 90's

Fishing has been consistant with still lots of smaller bass around. On the 14th we managed to find some bigger fish landing one 35" and another 34" with many slot sized stripers mixed in. Also there are pods of bluefish to be found on calm days. Something really turned them on for the 14&15 and we saw very aggressive fish feeding and attacking offerings of flies or plugs. I have also run into some bigger fish on the ledges the past few days but no success at taking them. The super high tides of this week have made a mess of the bay with grass floating everywhere, it will take a few days to clear it out. We have been producing fish on pollock patterns and a funky kind of new clouser that they just could not keep thier mouths off the other day. The usuals are working on light tackle- mambo minnows and sluggos among other soft plastics.

Call or email as I have a some openings for the big fish month of Aug..

Tight lines, -Capt John Ford
Portland Guide Service

[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Things have really picked up along Casco & Saco Bays here in Maine. Reports from everyone have been good and we have into endless amounts of "schoolies" for the past week or so. Did catch a few above the slot limit yesterday and had a few bigger fish follow back to the boat. More fish seem to be showing up on a daily basis and I got a report of a 52" fish being caught out of Saco the other day. The hot spots seem to be upper Casco Bay around freeport and Brunswick but Falmouth, Portland and the islands have plenty of fish as well. Water is warmer than normal for this time of year and I'm sure the outer islands are holding fish but just not had to venture out looking yet. All small deceivers, clousers, gummy's and a host of the flies are catching fish. As well as poppers, sloggo's, fin-S and mambo minnows on light tackle. Get out when the weather allows and enjoy...

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[John Ford (Captjohn)]

Hi All- Reports of stripers have started. Fish are showing up in all the southern estuaries and small rivers. A friend told me he was out yesterday just messing around and had two solid hits, landing one striped bass around 18 inches.
As soon as the rain is gone and water levels drop the early fishing should be pretty good.

Please check out my new listings under the "destinations" section of my web site.

-See you on the water, -Capt. John