Maine Coast Fishing Report Stripers Haddock on the Bite!

Hey there, fellow anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Friday morning fishing report for May 9, 2025, fresh off the water around the Maine coast.

The sun greeted us at 5:17 this morning and will be setting at 7:56 tonight, giving us plenty of daylight to work with. Weather's looking decent today with temps in the mid-60s and a light breeze from the southwest at about 8 knots. We've got an incoming tide until midday, with high tide around noon, so plan accordingly.

Folks, the action is really heating up along our coastline! The river herring runs are in full swing throughout Great Bay and our coastal rivers, creating perfect conditions for the striped bass that have started to move in. These seven-striped beauties are showing up right on schedule, with several anglers reporting catches in the 30-inch range this past week.

Mackerel schools are beginning to appear closer to shore, which is always a good sign that more stripers will follow. If you're targeting these stripers, fresh or chunk mackerel has been the ticket, though soft plastics in pearl or chartreuse have also been producing well. Throwing surface plugs during dawn and dusk has been particularly effective in the shallower areas.

Groundfishing remains excellent offshore, especially on Jeffrey's Ledge where haddock are holding tight over soft-bottom areas. Central Cove and The Prong have been particularly productive spots. If you're looking for cod, cusk, and redfish, focus on the rockier structures. Just remember those new emergency regulations NOAA put in place on May 1st for cod and haddock limits.

For you freshwater enthusiasts, salmon are still active on top of Sebago and Ossipee lakes. Smallmouth bass have moved into the shallows and are aggressively hitting jerk baits and swim baits. They're putting up quite a fight in this cooler water!

Hot spots to check out today include the mouth of the Kennebec River where stripers are starting to stack up, Wells Harbor for a mix of schoolie stripers and the occasional keeper, and Casco Bay which has been producing some early season action. For groundfish enthusiasts, boats heading out of Portland to Jeffrey's Ledge are coming back with full coolers.

Bait shops are well-stocked with fresh seaworms and clams, but supplies go fast on the weekends, so stock up early.

Remember, fishing isn't just about what you catch but the stories you bring back. I'll be out on the water all weekend, so give a wave if you see me. Until next time, this is Artificial Lure signing off and wishing you tight lines!