Charter Fishing in Maine | 6 Hour Striped Bass
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Sixhour charter targets striped bass in Casco and Saco BayAccommodates up to five guests with professional guidance providedInshore fishing adventure suitable for all experience levels
When you're looking for some serious fishing action in Maine waters, Casco and Saco Bay deliver the goods. This 6-hour charter puts you right where the striped bass are feeding, and trust me, these fish don't mess around. We're talking about powerful, hard-fighting fish that'll test your skills and give you stories worth telling. With up to 5 anglers on board, you get that perfect balance of space to fish comfortably without feeling like you're on a crowded party boat. The waters around these bays have been producing consistent striper action for decades, and there's good reason why local captains keep coming back to these same productive zones season after season.
Your day starts early because that's when the fish are most active. We'll head out into Casco Bay's structured bottom and around Saco Bay's tide lines where stripers hunt baitfish. The beauty of fishing these waters is the variety – one minute you might be working shallow flats where you can see the fish busting bait on the surface, the next you're dropping baits near underwater ledges where the bigger fish hang out. The tide plays a huge role in how we fish, and your captain knows exactly when and where to position the boat for maximum success. Maine's inshore waters can change quickly, so we're constantly reading conditions and adjusting our approach. The rocky coastline creates perfect ambush points for stripers, and the mix of deep channels and shallow feeding areas means fish are always moving through the area.
We fish stripers using a combination of live bait, chunk bait, and lures depending on what the fish are showing us. Live pogies are absolute candy to Maine stripers, and when we can get them, it's game on. We'll also run wire line setups with umbrella rigs when fish are deeper, and switch to topwater plugs when we see surface activity. The tackle is medium-heavy spinning and conventional gear that can handle 20 to 40-pound fish without being overkill for the smaller schoolies. Your captain provides all the rods, reels, terminal tackle, and bait, so you just need to bring yourself ready to fish. We use circle hooks for most bait fishing to ensure good fish survival, and barbless hooks when targeting catch-and-release fish. The key technique here is reading the electronics and understanding how stripers relate to structure and bait schools in these Maine waters.
Striped bass are the main attraction in these waters, and for good reason. These fish run anywhere from schoolie size around 18-20 inches up to legitimate cow bass pushing 40 pounds or more. Maine stripers are known for their aggressive strikes and spectacular jumps – they'll take you into your backing faster than you think possible. Peak season runs from late May through October, with the biggest fish typically showing up during the fall migration. What makes stripers so addictive is their unpredictability – they might slam a topwater plug at dawn, ignore everything during midday, then go crazy for live bait as the tide changes. They're also incredibly strong fighters that use the current and structure to their advantage. The Casco and Saco Bay fish tend to be well-fed and healthy, which translates to powerful fights that'll leave your arms sore in the best possible way. Many anglers come back year after year specifically targeting these Maine stripers because they fight harder than fish from warmer waters.
A 6-hour charter gives you the time to really dial in on the bite and work different areas as conditions change throughout the day. You'll leave with a solid understanding of how Maine striper fishing works and probably some great fish stories. The combination of Whiptail Adventures' local knowledge and these productive waters makes for a fishing experience that delivers results. Whether you're new to striper fishing or you've been chasing them for years, this charter puts you on fish in one of the best bass fishing areas on the East Coast. Don't wait too long to book – the good weather windows and peak fishing times fill up fast, especially during the summer months when the fishing is at its absolute best.
Step aboard our reliable 2009 Steiger craft pilothouse, powered by twin 250HP Suzuki engines that'll get you to the prime striped bass grounds in Casco and Saco Bay with speed and comfort. This proven fishing machine cruises at 40mph, cutting through Maine's coastal waters to put you on the fish faster. The spacious pilothouse design keeps you protected from the elements while you're battling those hard-fighting stripers. Our boat comes equipped with everything serious anglers need - GPS to navigate to the hottest fishing spots, radar for those foggy Maine mornings, and a quality fish finder to locate schools of bass holding near structure. With room for up to 4 anglers plus your captain, there's plenty of space to work your rods without getting tangled up. The onboard facilities include a head for convenience during your 6-hour adventure. Whether you're casting topwater lures at dawn or working live bait around rocky ledges, this boat puts you in prime position to hook into Maine's famous striped bass that roam these productive waters.
Portland