I jolt awake to my wristwatch’s alarm—2:45 a.m. in a sleep-deprived stupor, trying not to wake up my wife.
“I’ll eat when I’m on the road,” I think. I’ve got to get a move on.” I’ve timed my wake-up so that my arrival coincides with dawn and the back half of the slack tide to catch the magic of feeding fish during the outgoing tidal swing.
Although I’m an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of guy, I allow only two things to rouse me at such an obscene hour: fishing and hunting. Because the best striper fishing intersects with perfect tides and Maine’s incredibly early summer sunrise, it requires a certain level of commitment.
I’d be lying if I never questioned whether it was worth the hassle as I drove south on I-95 in a half-awake state, but I reminded myself that the payoff was worth it. Even if the fishing was slow, few things are as incredible as experiencing a sunrise from a fishing kayak off the coast of Maine.
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Maine’s coastline is undeniably rugged. With roughly 3,500 miles of coastline—more than California—there is plenty of space for striped bass to roam and anglers to explore. Because most of Maine’s shoreline is so jagged, like a cornucopia of rock and vegetation pouring into the sea, it creates underwater structure that attracts the baitfish stripers prefer to eat. And the best part? Maine’s striper spots are less crowded, offering a more serene and personal experience. From a fishing kayak, I’m more likely to encounter commercial lobsterman tending traps than trying to jockey for position with other anglers.
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When ice fishing, snowmobiling, and ski season fade each spring, I yearn for ice-out, open-water fishing, and spring turkeys. As a New England-based sportsman, I find the purgatory-like shoulder season most painful.
That’s why I get so darn excited when I see On The Water’s first striper migration post of the year on social media. As a Maine striper angler, I’m situated at the northern edge of their migration, which means it will take Ol’ Seven Stripes about two months to arrive in my home waters. I’ll bide my time chasing salmon, brook trout, and smallmouth until the first stripers arrive. Nevertheless, I still shake with the excitement of a kid the day after Thanksgiving who’s now looking forward to Christmas.
Because of my role on the marketing team at Old Town, I entered the world of striper fishing via a fishing kayak. When I joined the company, kayak fishing was on the upswing, and we were preparing to launch our first-ever pedal kayak, the Predator PDL, an ideal craft for pursuing linesiders. My boss at the time, David Hadden, a ravenous striper angler hailing from Newburyport, Massachusetts, showed me the ropes.
Fishing for stripers from a kayak is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding ways to chase them. I know this sounds gratuitous and biased, but it’s not. I had spent time in kayaks and even fished from them before joining Old Town, but most of my fishing experience had been from boats or canoes, docks, shores, and wading. My kayak-fishing experience up to this point had been in traditional sit-inside paddle styles—which isn’t very enjoyable.
Sit-on-top fishing kayaks offer many advantages. They’re easier to transport, store, and maintain than a gas-powered boat. They don’t require an improved boat ramp to launch. They’re also more affordable than a boat, and, in many cases, are a logical next step for many shoreline anglers. However, many traditional boat anglers understand the advantages of fishing kayaks because a smaller watercraft is stealthier and enables access to spots larger boats cannot access.
But I enjoy fishing from a kayak more than a boat because it is an individual pursuit enjoyed best with others—there is no need to debate where to go or how to fish. I can get out with a crew of kayak anglers and enjoy a day of communal fishing, all while fishing where and how I want.
It’s worth noting that fishing kayaks have come a long way since you are no longer beholden to a paddle. With the rise in pedal and motorized propulsion for kayaks, accessing choice spots with your hands free to fish has changed everything. Based on where the best striper haunts are, especially in Maine, traditional paddle kayaks are not the proper tool for the trade. With Maine’s 10- to 20-foot tide swings, chasing stripers with a paddle kayak is just plain reckless. I’ve had the luxury of cutting my striper-fishing teeth from crafts like the Old Town PDL, ePDL, and motorized models, such as the AutoPilot, which features a GPS Spot-Lock motor—ideal tools of the trade.
As striped bass reach the Gulf of Maine toward the beginning of June, fishing naturally improves throughout the summer from south to north. As they work up the coastline, stripers find their way from the open ocean into coastal estuaries and up tidal rivers. Rather than patiently waiting for the first schoolies to reach Penobscot Bay in late June, 100 miles up the coast from Portsmouth and the Piscataqua River, to maximize my season, I take several day trips through early July to the mouth of Saco Bay or Casco Bay.
Like everywhere else along the migration route, the smaller schoolies arrive first. Like MLB’s spring training season, I use the time to dust things off, try new tactics, and explore new places before the larger fish arrive. Given Maine’s diverse and expansive coastline, there’s plenty to explore.
When To Go
If you want to explore Maine’s striper fishery by kayak, you can catch them from May through October; however, the peak months are June and July. Be sure to time your outing with an incoming or outgoing tide around sunrise or sunset since I’ve found that the best topwater action happens at sunrise. If you’re like me, that’s the action you live for.
Where To Go
Since stripers hang close to shore structure and current breaks, estuaries, river mouths, and rocky shorelines should top the list of where to focus. I’ve certainly caught stripers in nondescript spots in open water, but if you don’t have a ton of time to explore, focus on tried-and-true characteristics. A fishfinder with side imaging or live imaging also takes out much of the guesswork. Since most modern fishing kayaks are equipped with transducer mounts and accessory tracks, adding a fishfinder to your watercraft is simple. My friend and colleague, who we call “Sidescan Dan,” uses his fishfinder to identify quintessential striper structure. He’s mastered it and generally outfishes everyone else. I recommend Saco Bay, Casco Bay, and the mouths of the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers.
Tackle Recommendations
Much like boat- or shore-based fishing, I recommend using medium-heavy spinning rods with at least 3000-sized saltwater reels with good drag systems when chasing stripers by kayak. Because careful handling ensures their survival, I use a quality rubber net.
I prefer catching fish from artificial presentations over live bait. No knocks on live bait anglers—I just get more satisfaction knowing I fooled a fish with fake bait. Besides, for all of Maine’s fine qualities, tackle shops and live bait availability are lacking compared to other states.
Generally speaking, I carry a selection of bait presentations for various water columns, which ensures I can modify my tactics based on how the fish prefer to eat that day. I’ve found great success using soft plastics, topwater plugs, and spooks including the Z-Man Mag SwimZ, Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ, Albie Snax, Storm WildEye Sand Eel, RonZ Original, The Doc, and Game On X-Walk.
Safety Considerations
Kayak fishing is not a dangerous sport, especially if you’re prepared. However, Maine’s rugged coastline and aggressive tidal swings add risk and require more preparation. Always wear a PFD. Find one that fits comfortably and is breathable, so you never compromise this rule. Use proper USCG lighting since the best striper fishing happens at dusk and dawn. Always carry a sound-making device, like a safety whistle, and a VHF radio. Make sure you file a float plan with someone you trust so that they know where to look if you don’t make it back to shore by the expected time.
Do some research to understand the tidal impact where you intend to launch. Some boat ramps are inaccessible at low tide. Take it from experience: it’s never fun to realize that a giant mud flat separates you from open water and the boat ramp. Because you can launch a kayak from nearly anywhere, it is essential to understand what happens at your launch during all phases of the tide.
Maine’s undeniably beautiful and untapped coastline is the ideal setting for striper fishing, especially from a kayak. From quiet mornings where the only sounds are the distant rumbles of a diesel-powered lobster boat to the heart-pounding moment a striper crushes your topwater spook, it’s a wonder why more anglers aren’t flocking to Maine.
Kayak fishing offers a stealthy and unique way to target striped bass. It adds some challenges but also creates opportunities not provided by a traditional boat or by fishing from the shoreline.
If exploring Maine’s striper fishery by kayak interests you, consider hiring a registered Maine guide. Many offer a unique experience and possess the local knowledge and skills to ensure your safety along with a great trip. From the seasoned to the newbie, Maine’s coastline and striped bass fishery promise an adventure you’ll cherish for years.
Ryan Lilly (IG @ryanslilly) is a registered Maine fishing and hunting guide who works for Old Town Watercraft. He’s a multi-species angler residing in Hampden, Maine.
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