Light Tackle Inshore Fishing and Deep Sea Fishing Trips
Striper Fishing Trips
Our most popular fishing excursion is for striped bass, or stripers as they are commonly called here in Maine. Stripers are the premiere light tackle and fly fishing saltwater inshore gamefish of Maine and New England. During the months of May through September we are obsessed with chasing these awesome fighting fish by boat and shore. We fish hard, we have fun and we want to share with you the Maine fishing adventure of a lifetime!
We target trophy stripers in our nearshore waters utilizing different fishing methods depending on the tides and seasonal bait in the water. Trophy stripers in Portland can reach lengths of 3-4 feet and weights upwards of 20-30lbs. We can also target the younger stripers known as schoolies if you only have a few hours to spend on the water. The explosive eats and fight of a schoolie striper on light spinning tackle or an 8wt fly rod is extremely exciting and has been known to make anglers of all ages and experience laugh and smile! All stripers are considered a gamefish so we practice catch and release to protect the fishery and promote future striper fishing.
RATES for Striper Fishing Trips: 3hr Striper fishing trip is $500. 5hr Striper fishing trip is $750.
Our fishing trips include private boat charters as well as guided wading trips on shore. Methods for targeting striped bass include casting topwater lures, jigs, flies, chunk bait or live bait. By boat we’ll be positioned on the edge of the coastline casting into ocean surf washing over rock piles and sandbars on the beaches. Other times we’ll be drifting and casting lures or flies into ocean rips or slow trolling artificals or live or chunk bait. On our wading trips we’ll be spin fishing with hard and soft plastics or flyfishing with gurglers, clousers, deceivers or even dragging crab flies in the shallow water of the flats. Please call or email to inquire about wading trip details, prices and dates/times.
Most of the stripers we catch by boat are in 10 feet of water or less which allows you to enjoy the scenic views up close as we fish around the islands, forts and lighthouses in the Portland area of Casco Bay.
During the early and later parts of the season we sometimes see great blitzes of schoolie stripers that provide the ultimate light tackle and fly fishing experience as birds and striped bass chase baitfish near the surface of the water in the bay.
For our spinning gear we use light action 7’ spinning rods made by Daiwa and Shimano, pairing them with a Shimano Baitrunner or other Shimano saltwater reels spooled with PowerPro braided fishing line.
On our fly fishing trips we use the Launch 400 fly reel made by our friends at Cheeky Fishing and rods made by L.L. Bean and Lamiglas. Our gear is serviced by our friends over at The Tackle Shop. We use the lightest tackle possible so you can enjoy the battle while still being able to control and land these great fighting saltwater fish in a responsible fashion.
In the state of Maine we are required to use circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with bait. Non-offset (inline) circle hooks help prevent foul hooks and are designed to hook the mouth of the striper which makes for an easier release of the striper. We prefer to use Eagle Claw circle hooks designed for saltwater sport fishing. Hook sizes range from 2/0 to 8/0 depending on the bait we use.
At the beginning of each striper fishing trip using bait we will spend some time targeting mackerel, herring or bunker to be used as fresh bait for live-lining or chunking. Having good working relationships with other local guides allows us to keep a finger on the pulse of the live bait scene. Live bait fishing can be explosive but some days the stripers are lazy and only want to eat a chunk of mackerel drifted right in front of them.
We will be prepared to make adjustments and may try different techniques when we are striper fishing. We participate in striped bass conservation programs that will document your catch for you while helping scientists working on striped bass research projects.
We believe striped bass are a gamefish and we practice catch and release exclusively. We do not harvest any stripers so please don’t ask if you can be the one exception to the rule! If you are looking for fish to catch and take home to eat there are other fish we can target that are managed sustainably for harvesting. Organizations we are proud to partner with include: Stripers Forever, Coastal Conservation Agency of Maine, University of New Hampshire Biological Sciences Department and The Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
The season for striper fishing charter trips in Portland is typically May through September. Reserve your fishing adventure here.
Family Mackerel Fishing Trips in Portland Harbor and the Old Port
Bring your family aboard for a fun couple hours of private fishing around the harbor and inshore protected islands of Casco Bay. We’ll be targeting Atlantic Mackerel but we’ll be on the lookout for any other schools of fish cruising around the bay.
Mackerel are feisty fish that run in large schools and it’s not uncommon to reel up several mackerel on your line at one time!
This trip has some amazing scenery for any non-fishing member of the family. We pass by islands, forts and lighthouses on our way to the different mackerel fishing grounds. If you keep your eyes alert you might spot harbor seals, harbor porpoise, bald eagles and diving osprey!
We can troll around the coastline so you can enjoy the tremendous views of the Maine coastline and lighthouses or we can anchor up in a calm area in the bay and drop some chum in the water to attract the fish to the boat.
Mackerel fishing is fun for the whole family. Make sure to bring your camera to capture the excitement. This family fishing charter is designed for kids with fun and safety in mind but is also a great affordable way for adults to get out on the water for a couple hours and wet a line. Contact us to book your family fishing trip today.
Family Mackerel Fishing Rates: 2hrs $400, 3hrs $500
Portland Maine Family Fishing Trips
Deep Sea Fishing for Kids
We offer inshore ground fishing trips for the chance of catching cod, pollock, mackerel and other bottom fish on light tackle. These fish can be real rod benders and are great fun for all ages.
Our ledge fishing charters are typically within 1 to 5 miles of shore and offer a chance to explore the deep sea fishing style of ground fishing. We’ll drop jigs 30 to 100 feet deep to the ocean floor around ledges and rock piles.
Jigs range in weight from 2oz to 20oz depending on drift speed and underwater current. We like using cod fly teazer rigs and Sabiki rigs which allow us to catch multiple fish on the same line on the same drop!
This deep sea style of fishing usually produces more fish and is great for the beginner angler or folks looking for the deep sea fishing adventure in calmer waters closer to shore. We’ll be in Casco Bay and will have amazing views of the islands and lighthouses in Portland, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth.
This fishing excursion is very popular amongst both kids and adults due to the steadier action and number of saltwater fish species we reel up.
The season for this charter fishing trip is typically May through October. Reserve your fishing excursion here.
Inshore Deep Sea Fishing Trip rate: 3hrs $500
Please contact us to inquire about our offshore deep sea fishing trips if you are interested in full day haddock fishing or shark fishing trips.
Other Trip Info and Details
All prices are per trip, NOT per person.
All our trips are private fishing charters so you have the entire boat to yourself. All fishing tackle, gear, bait, chum and licenses are provided.
We depart from: Sunset Marina, 231 Front St, South Portland, ME 04106.
FREE PARKING is available at the marina.
If you are staying in the Old Port area of Portland we can pick you up at the Portland Water Taxi Dock at on Commercial Street located between Flatbread Company Pizza and Casco Bay Ferry Lines.
We are a full time charter fishing operation and trips depart daily.
Capt. Carle is a Registered Master Maine Tidewater Guide and holds a USCG Charterboat Captain’s license.
Our fishing vessel Northern Spy is a Parker 23 SE center console with a raised casting platform. She is licensed and in compliance with all United States Coast Guard requirements.
We utilize Hummingbird chart plotting, radar and sonar technology synced with a Minn Kota trolling motor.
Please contact us if you have questions about recent fishing reports or to inquire about realistic catch expectations for your trip. See you on the water!
Now booking Striped Bass Fishing Trips, Deep Sea Fishing Trips and private Family Mackerel Fishing Trips for the 2023 summer season! Call or email for reservations!