Coastal ME question

As my summer vacation plans near solidification, it's looking
increasingly likely I'll be spending a week on the coast in the
Harpswell, ME area. In the event I'd take a fly rod along, what should
I start thinking about fly- & quarry-wise? I sorta know what to expect
topography wise with the rocky coast, tidal currents, etc.; and I have
to think there would be fish there just waiting for the right offering.
Given the added accessibility and mobility afforded by a sea kayak,
anybody care to give me a little encouragement or food for thought?

FWIW, I have never fished the salt before. I have both an 8 wt. & a 9
wt. at my disposal, but a sinking line for only the 9 wt. I can, if
pressed, churn out a respectable Clouser Minnow.

Happy to have an on-topic question for a change,
Joe F.

"rb608" wrote in news:1142016564.569689.6600
@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com:

As my summer vacation plans near solidification, it's looking
increasingly likely I'll be spending a week on the coast in the
Harpswell, ME area. In the event I'd take a fly rod along, what should
I start thinking about fly- & quarry-wise? I sorta know what to expect
topography wise with the rocky coast, tidal currents, etc.; and I have
to think there would be fish there just waiting for the right offering.
Given the added accessibility and mobility afforded by a sea kayak,
anybody care to give me a little encouragement or food for thought?

FWIW, I have never fished the salt before. I have both an 8 wt. & a 9
wt. at my disposal, but a sinking line for only the 9 wt. I can, if
pressed, churn out a respectable Clouser Minnow.

Happy to have an on-topic question for a change,
Joe F.



There are stripers among the rocks all summer long. I caught my first
striper on a sweltering Labor Day in the Phippsburg area (next peninusla
east). Clousers and decievers in baitfish colors, or chartruse, or all
white, or all black (at night). They'll also smash a popper from time to
time. I've had good service at Kennebec Angler in Bath.

Being shore bound on that shore is no picnic. You should do very well
with the kayak, if you can find a decent launch. There was a boat launch
a few hundred yards from where we stayed, and I would have never known if
someone point it out to me. Ask the locals.

You may want to check out Popham Beach State Park (an actual sandy beach
in Maine) and nearby Fort Popham. It fishes very well as it has a
phenominal tidal current on the outgoing. Not sure about yakking there.
There is also a Reid State Park nearby, never been there. I hear people
have trouble keeping their feet under them at Reid State Park.

I've got a bunch of stuff to sal****er flies. If you need anything, just
let me know.

Good Luck!

Sam Stump

"rb608" wrote in message
ps.com...
As my summer vacation plans near solidification, it's looking
increasingly likely I'll be spending a week on the coast in the
Harpswell, ME area. In the event I'd take a fly rod along, what should
I start thinking about fly- & quarry-wise? I sorta know what to expect
topography wise with the rocky coast, tidal currents, etc.; and I have
to think there would be fish there just waiting for the right offering.
Given the added accessibility and mobility afforded by a sea kayak,
anybody care to give me a little encouragement or food for thought?

FWIW, I have never fished the salt before. I have both an 8 wt. & a 9
wt. at my disposal, but a sinking line for only the 9 wt. I can, if
pressed, churn out a respectable Clouser Minnow.

Happy to have an on-topic question for a change,
Joe F.

Take the 9 wt. Put on an Intermediate line if fishing from the beach...a 350
grain head if fishing from the Yak. The lower Kennebec (Popham) or the lower
New Meadows (next river south) are both excellent. Stripers will be your
primary target...a few Mackeral or perhaps Blues will be around also.

The standard salt versions (3/0) of Decievers/Clousers/Gurglers/etc will
fit the bill nicely.

Dave M

Dave Martel wrote:
"rb608" wrote in message
ps.com...
Take the 9 wt. Put on an Intermediate line if fishing from the beach...a 350
grain head if fishing from the Yak. The lower Kennebec (Popham) or the lower
New Meadows (next river south) are both excellent. ....

Unless waves are really kicking up, I think that he should be able
to fish clousers with a floating line on Popham Beach, no ? The
section I fished last fall, out in front of the parking area (there
was
a pretty dense fog and very few people around) seemed to have a
pretty gradual drop off.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Dave Martel wrote:
"rb608" wrote in message
ps.com...
Take the 9 wt. Put on an Intermediate line if fishing from the beach...a
350
grain head if fishing from the Yak. The lower Kennebec (Popham) or the
lower
New Meadows (next river south) are both excellent. ....

Unless waves are really kicking up, I think that he should be able
to fish clousers with a floating line on Popham Beach, no ? The
section I fished last fall, out in front of the parking area (there
was
a pretty dense fog and very few people around) seemed to have a
pretty gradual drop off.

IMO...no. The floating line is tossed around by all the (conflicting)
currents, catches seaweed, floating crap, etc. The IM line gets beneath the
waves and other assorted junk and is *much* easier to fish, IMO (and I've
been fishing off of Popham Beach for going on to 25 years now. We go to the
right of the Fort (as you face the K) and head beyong the pilings to the old
Coast Guard Station.

Dave M

Dave Martel wrote:
..... We go to the right of the Fort (as you face the K) and head beyong
the pilings to the old Coast Guard Station.


I shoulda talked to you before going out there last year. :-)
The spot I found fish was an obvious one, a bar that juts
out from the beach pretty much in front of the parking lot.

"rb608" wrote in message
ps.com...
As my summer vacation plans near solidification, it's looking
increasingly likely I'll be spending a week on the coast in the
Harpswell, ME area. In the event I'd take a fly rod along, what should
I start thinking about fly- & quarry-wise? I sorta know what to expect
topography wise with the rocky coast, tidal currents, etc.; and I have
to think there would be fish there just waiting for the right offering.
Given the added accessibility and mobility afforded by a sea kayak,
anybody care to give me a little encouragement or food for thought?

FWIW, I have never fished the salt before. I have both an 8 wt. & a 9
wt. at my disposal, but a sinking line for only the 9 wt. I can, if
pressed, churn out a respectable Clouser Minnow.

Happy to have an on-topic question for a change,
Joe F.


Hey Joe: I'll be right in your neck of the woods pretty much all summer.
Lets plan on figgering out this SWFF thingy together a few times.

--riverman

"riverman" wrote in message ...
Hey Joe: I'll be right in your neck of the woods pretty much all summer.
Lets plan on figgering out this SWFF thingy together a few times.

Hey, that would be cool. It'd be good to hook up w/ you again. I'll treat
you to lunch, meeting the family, and an up-close look at the worst double
haul in recorded history.

Joe F.

"rb608" wrote in message
news:_CTSf.1626$gD4.672@trnddc05...
"riverman" wrote in message
...
Hey Joe: I'll be right in your neck of the woods pretty much all summer.
Lets plan on figgering out this SWFF thingy together a few times.

Hey, that would be cool. It'd be good to hook up w/ you again. I'll
treat you to lunch, meeting the family, and an up-close look at the worst
double haul in recorded history.

Joe F.

Cool beans. I fly into Boston and drive up to Bath on June 16 (or so). Email
me a contact number when you get one, and we can make some plans. :-)

--riverman