Chapter 42

Salt Water Fishing

I should not consider my book complete without a word about Salt Water Fishing.

In recent years, Maine has added salt water fishing for giant bluefin tuna, striped bass and mackerel.

The best spot for tuna fishing is in the Bailey Island area of Casco Bay where these giant fish run from 200 lbs. up to over 700.

Regulation big game, deep sea fishing outfits are necessary to handle these giant bluefins, with the minimum tackle being 16 oz. tips, at least 500 yards of 24-thread line, and 10/0 reel.

There are mutual congratulations between Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Bean of Freeport, ME, on their catch of two seven-foot sailfish in Florida, recently. The fish hit the bait of both lines at the same time and both were landed together.

For the beginner, I recommend 36-thread line and a 14/0 reel, also that you hire a regular fishing boat that is fully equipped for taking out parties. After fishing a season or two, you might want to own your own boat. The best season is late July to mid-September. Due to recent increases in striped bass, anglers have found that Maine can produce plenty of activity for the thousands of salt water anglers who look upon striped bass as one of the finest light tackle salt water fish. One of the most reliable lures for stripers is the sea-worm, (sometimes called blood worm) either with or without sinker or spinner or trolling with a smooth running spinner baited with seaworms. Although most of Maine’s best striped bass fishing is in the tidal waters of its streams, these fish can also be taken surf casting, and here a regulation surf-casting outfit is in order. Best season is from late June through September.

BILL GORMAN > Striped bass fishing was just catching on when L.L. wrote his guide, but by the late 1970s, stripers had all but disappeared due to overfishing and habitat degradation. Strict management has since brought the population back to sustainable levels.

Another form of salt water fishing that has gained great favor with fly fishermen is fly fishing for mackerel. Although small, seldom exceeding a pound in weight, these trim torpedoes strike eagerly at streamer and bucktail flies and, “ounce for ounce,” are worthy of the skill of any fly fisherman.

BILL GORMAN > When he was older, L.L. often went down to Florida. One time he caught a swordfish that he sent back to the store to be mounted. The employees thought he sent it for them to enjoy. They ate his trophy fish!

“Clinch Knot” for Fishing Leaders

One of the best known knots for nylon leaders is illustrated at the left. Stick the end of the tippet through the eye of the fly, double it back against itself for four or five inches, give the fly several complete twists to wind the leader spirally around itself four or five times as shown in Figure I.

Thrust the end between the eye and coils, hold on to it, and pull up tightly and securely as shown in Figure II.