Wednesday September 5th, 2007 Doug Rafferty aired a nice news piece on the tournament. For those of you interested in viewing the piece it’s posted on their website. Click here to view the report.

The morning of August 30th, Doug Rafferty, News Anchor for WGME News 13 went out on Casco Bay to do a little striper fishing with Eric Wallace of Coastal Fly Angler. While on the water we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise, did some fly fishing and shot a news piece on the tournament. The news piece is slated to air September 4th on Doug’s Discovery. 

Here’s a little video clip depicting our excursion.

Publication: Coastal Journal (August 27th, 2007)
Author: Robert Fernald

Are you a serious saltwater fisherman? If you are, you’re certainly looking forward to this falls striper fishing and you already know the stripers are beginning to gather in anticipation for their fall migration south.

Those who have never experienced the fall striper action, are really missing out. The fishing during September offers some of the hottest action anglers can experience all season. Not only will you catch plenty of schoolies, but you are also likely to hook into a big striper. The fish are plump and fat from gorging all summer and have put on inches since spring. The added size makes for great fun on light tackle.

As the days shorten, stripers congregate into large schools and feed with increasing intensity in preparation for the coming journey. These behavior patterns afford anglers some great fishing opportunity. And with the tourists departed and the kid’s back in school, their’s time for us locals to pursue such quality activities.

With weather cooling and as fall rains sweeten the stale summer waters, alewives begin dropping out of the lakes and ponds, heading towards the ocean. This abundance of bait coincides with the stripers fall migration and they take full advantage of a readily available food supply.

In the tidal rivers, anglers can expect to find schools of stripers working the alewives as these balls of baitfish drop out of the rivers. Stripers are often lurking just under the bait and slash at the panicked minnows in a feeding frenzy. The bait typically moves fast on the tide and the stripers follow in hot pursuit. Dropping a lure into this chaos can produce some fast action.

This September, the 17 Rivers Striper Tournament provides a great excuse for serious anglers to get out on the water and experience this fall sports fishery. The tournament takes place in the coastal waters of mid-coast Maine, which offers fishermen the setting for great adventure. The fishing there is wonderful and the scenery, including the early fall foliage, can be spectacular. It’s fun exploring the tidal estuaries of the Kennebec, Back, Sasano, Sheepscot, Damariscotta or the Marsh rivers in pursuit of that illusive monster striper, the potential derby winner.

Tournament organizers anticipate hundreds of serious fishermen will participate in this catch & release tournament all vying for the adult division grand prize of $2,500. A junior division also exists and prizes of tackle and gear will be awarded to youth ages 16 and younger.

For those anglers registering as adults, a special promotional discount allows children to participate in the tournament for FREE. This special discount is designed to encourage family participation in the tournament and engage youth in a positive, healthy outdoor activity like fishing.

Across America, the Department of U.S. Fish & Wildlife estimates “nearly 50 million adults and children participate in fishing activities”. Taking a youth fishing is a great opportunity to teach a children about boating, nature and conservation. Maine’s Inland Fisheries & Wildlife program, Hooked on fishing - Not on drugs, recognizes “these types of experiences often create favorable memories which will last a life time“.

For today’s youth, physical activity appears more sedentary. Watching TV, playing hand held electronic games or surfing the net are common. Research conducted by the Center for Disease Control indicates “nearly 1 in 10 children living in Maine have not participated in a vigorous or moderately physical activity in the last 7 days“. Our children’s health suffers due to such inactivity. Research by Stanford University further illustrates the resulting problem, “13% of children ages 6-11, and 14% of children ages 12 -19 are over weight“. Fishing is a recreational activity that represents a healthy form of exercise and exposing youth to such activities at an early age, promotes a life time of interest.

This September, serious anglers are wanted to join in the fun of the 17 Rivers Striper Tournament. The tournament is the reason to go outdoors and enjoy the great fall weather with friends and family, while attempting to catch that monster striper. Who knows, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to achieve the highest tournament score and win the grand prize. But even if you don’t win the tournament, you’ll enjoy some great experiences from participating in these activities.

Publication: The Maine Sportsman (September Issue)
Author: Robert Fernald

It’s the end of summer. The oppressive heat and humidity is waning. The sun is lower in the sky and its rays are less intense. But, before we turn our attention to hunting, there is one last hurrah, the fall run of stripers.

The fishing can be sizzling in September; so don’t put your fishing tackle away just yet.

The number of boaters is fewer once Labor Day is over. Generally speaking, we have the waters to ourselves. The fishing is great and it’s easier to get on fish busting bait without other boater’s or fisherman putting the schools down.

In the fall the rivers run clear. The debris typically found in the water in June has flushed out to sea. Late summer rains sweeten the waters and juvenile alewives begin dropping out of the lakes and migrating down the rivers to the sea. Schools of stripers are gathering, preparing for a massed migration south to their wintering grounds. Stripers take advantage of this abundant bait and feed heavily, bulking up before they depart.

Some of these fish began their fall migration in Canadian waters; others are local residents having stayed handy all summer moving from flats and runs to deeper holding waters along the coast of Maine. Many of these resident fish have taken on the colorations of the tidal waters in which they’ve lived and have a golden green hue to their normal silvery appearance.

Aggressive Fish
Fall stripers are plump and healthy, having lounged in the balmy waters during the summer slurping bait like children eat french-fries. In preparation for their migration stripers become aggressive, often chasing fast moving balls of bait. Dropping a lure in their midst produces fast action.

For those fishermen in the know, fall striper season offers one of the best chances for landing a real cow. Tidal rivers, such as those in the mid-coast region and the outer ledges are often full of fish. Targeting flats, structure and flows can produce great results.

This fall fishery differs from June. Stripers are often bunched and in fast moving schools. It’s therefore a good idea to stay flexible. Plan to try a number of spots. If the action is slow, move on. When you start locating fish, you’re in the money!

The fall is also hurricane season. It’s common for seasonal weather patterns to produce a series of storms that sequentially roll up the east coast. It’s these storms that can result some of the best fishing of the season.

Bait Bonanza
A few years back, a hurricane passed some 200 miles off shore to our east. The resulting swells pushed an enormous amount of bait onto the coast of Maine. From Kittery to Rockland, the beaches and coves were thick with bait. A band several yards wide lined the coast. Following the bait onshore were mackerel and stripers, who gorged on the four-inch long, silvery pogies. Stripers were everywhere, slashing into the bait. In the pandemonium, panicked bait skittered across the waters surface trying desperately to escape this feeding frenzy. The chaos was so great, bait literally jumped onto the shore to escape feeding stripers.

During that two-week period, we slammed the stripers. Our flies fell apart from use and the leader became ragged. And it wasn’t just schoolies, the big cows were right there in the mix. At times we’d see pods of 20- to 40-pound stripers prowling the shallows, right in the middle of the day.

I can attest, it was a terrible experience, but humbling too. Ever try to tie on a fly, when big stripers are aggressively smashing the waters all around you and bait is literally jumping across your feet to escape? When action is this hot and the water is exploding, it is hard to think clearly. Your hands shake and just picking a direction to cast can tax your mind.

Stripers in the midst of such feeding frenzies are sometimes so keyed in on the bait they won’t touch anything you throw at them. This can be an incredibly frustrating experience, but the anticipation of the next fish keeps you going. The reality is, you’re fishing over lots of fish, and that next cast might produce a monster that will test your tackle and possibly take you to open ocean.

17 Rivers Tourney
Every year is different. What will this fall yield? Some years the stripers are concentrated in schools and prowling very localized areas. A section of shore or river can be totally devoid of fish, but a half mile away, the waters are exploding. While other years the fish are everywhere. So, local knowledge is a key factor for success.

Local tackle shops represent a great resource for fishermen who can’t be on the water daily. Although these business-fishermen are reluctant to tell you where their honey-hole is, they’re often willing to point you to the general areas where the action is hot and tell you what bait or lures are working.

With striper fishing growing in popularity, the eco-tourism industry is maturing around this sports fishery. As a result, those making their living guiding anglers in the coastal waters of Maine have formed a professional organization, the Maine Association of Charterboat Captains. This organization represents professional saltwater fishing guides who primarily target stripers. They are knowledgeable about the coastal waters of Maine and their tactics yield results. Their often-daily forays, provide experience and intimacy with the waters that is necessary to consistently put their sports onto fish. It’s this type of local knowledge that can be invaluable to fishermen who don’t know the waters and want to catch big fish.

This September, the 17 Rivers Striper Tournament offers fishermen a month-long excuse to explore the mid-coast region and experience this world-class fishery.

If you haven’t fished the Kennebec, Sheepscot or Damariscotta rivers in the fall, this tournament is a reason to plan for some quality time on the water. So, get out while the weathers still nice and catch some great striper action before the snow flies.

Publication: Coastal Journal (August 16th, 2007)
Author: Robert Fernald

This September, anglers will have an opportunity to participate in the 17 Rivers Striper Tournament a catch & release, saltwater fishing tournament being held across the mid-coast region of Maine. This tournament will utilize a photo format for judging fish entries and illustrating scenic-nature pictures. The supporting website http://www.mainestriperseptember.com/ will allow interested persons the opportunity to view photo submissions in a e-slideshow presentation and track tournament standings.

Many anglers are outdoor enthusiasts. For them, fishing is only part of the experience they value. What is of value is often difficult to define and highly personal, but leaves a lasting impression. Images of fishing, scenic settings, wildlife and the peace and tranquility often experienced while on the water, are at the core of what is valuable. So, tournament participants will be challenged to catch the winning fish and capture in pictures those images which reflect the importance of nature in our lives.

Society derives a certain value from communing with nature too. Nature provides us with the opportunity to reflect and to find a place of quiet in our lives. Access to places where we can enjoy the beauty of Maine is of great importance. It offers perspective and the opportunity for quiet contemplation, activities that help revitalize the soul. So, preserving both nature and the nature of Maine is important.

Many differing organizations, both public and private, are working to preserve land and protect  resources for future generations.

The State of Maine’s Bureau of Parks & Lands manage many large tracks of land providing public access to some of the finest sites in Maine. Places like Reid State Park and Popham Beach offer significant recreational opportunity in the mid-coast region. They represent sun, fun, sand, surf, fishing, walking and bird watching, all activities which families and individuals alike value.

Numerous local municipalities in Maine have taken a lead in preserving valuable parcels of land for local use. These acquisitions represent investments in the future. All along the mid-coast region we find examples of such acquisitions creating open space, protecting ponds, preserving farm lands and providing access to shore land and tidal waters. Many communities are also developing parks and trail systems on these lands for their citizens. In Phippsburg we can cite the example of  the Towns acquisition of Totman Cove Preserve, a beautiful tidal sand beach and a wonderful resource where kids and families can play and swim.

In the private sector, many regional and local non-profits are pursuing similar land acquisition. The resources they pursue represent a finite possibility. In twenty or fifty years, the communities we live in will likely have changed radically. Population densities are projected to increase significantly and demographic trends indicate growth in areas along the East coast and surrounding bodies of water. Consequently non-profits are working hard to preserve valuable resources as quickly as possible. Successes include preservation of islands, large blocks of land and critical wildlife habitat. The Marsh River is a great example of success. “In partnership with the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, the State of Maine, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Gulf of Maine Coastal Program, and the Damariscotta River Association, Maine Coast Heritage Trust has helped protect more than 1,100 acres and 11 miles of shoreline within the watershed”.

In aggregate, such activities speak to the value we place on these wild places and the recreational resource opportunities they represent. Preserving such lands and waters has a trickle down effect that protects and sustains a vibrant and healthy ecosystem in which wildlife thrives. And it’s such experiences which bring man into contact with nature that sustain us as individuals.

Publication: Coastal Journal (August 8th, 2007)
Author: Robert Fernald
Picture: Matt Boutet

The 17 Rivers Striper Tournament is a month long saltwater fishing tournament promoting catch & release practices and sustainability. This format uses photos to establish fish scores and by doing so sets a new standard for tournament organizers. Slated for September, anglers have the opportunity to participate in a fun fishing tournament and possibly win big prizes.

The tournament website http://www.mainestriperseptember.com/ offers a great deal of useful information for saltwater anglers. The site will support the tournament and allow anglers to easily upload digital photos and share them with others in the fishing community via a unique photo slideshow element.

The striped bass fishing in the coastal waters of Maine is world-class. It offers anglers the opportunity to explore the many interesting “nooks and crannies” of Maine while casting for fish. It is a reason to get out on the water with family and friends, to enjoy nature, view wildlife and capture memories of scenic vistas. Even more importantly, to enjoy fantastic fishing action!

Recreational saltwater fishing has a significant impact on the local economies of Maine. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, in 2006 Maine anglers spent in excess of $28 million on saltwater fishing. For this reason, it’s not hard to imagine why the striper fishery is such a valuable economic resource. Next time you are out on the water, take notice of the numbers of fishermen drift-fishing a shoreline, trolling a bay, wading a flat or casting to breaking fish. Consider all the gear anglers have accumulated pursuing these activities - boats, motors, trailers, a vehicle to pull the load, float tubes, waders, sunglasses, fly rods, reels, flies, hats, specialized clothing, sun block, bug spray, spinning gear, surface lures, jigs, rubber fish, live eels, mackerel, worms… Anglers invest a lot of money in pursuit of fish!

Eco-tourism is another aspect of fishing that is growing and significantly impacts the local economy. Most locals  take this fishery for granted - for others, this opportunity is awesome. Hardcore fishermen think nothing of traveling around the world in pursuit of great fishing opportunities, and they enjoy visiting destinations like Maine. While here they hire guides, rent cottages and spend money dining out and shopping. A whole industry is developing around servicing the needs of these sportsmen.

Overall, the saltwater striper fishery has a meaningful impact on our local economy. The Maine Department of Marine Resources estimates in 2005, nearly 400,000 anglers fished for saltwater species and participated in over 1,000,000 fishing excursions. In recognizing the significance of this fishery and its economic impact, we should also recognize the need for protecting this recreational fishery to ensure sustainability. An old farm saying applies, “if you take care of your crop, it will take care of you”.

Avid striper fishermen often catch hundreds of stripers each year and most are released due to their size. The Maine Department of Marine Resources estimates anglers successfully landed 3.25 million stripers in 2005 and harvested over 70,000 fish. The majority of the stripers landed fall between 16-20 inches in length. Their are however fewer of the larger stripers, which are of real significance. These big fish represent the brood fish within the population . They are mature adults and have the quality genetics that are important to sustaining favorable genetic variability within a population. These large fish also produce an exponentially greater number of eggs. For these two reasons alone, anglers should think hard about killing large striper.

What can we do locally to sustain this valuable resource?

If anglers practice catch & release, the striper population will stand a greater chance of remaining vibrant. And if you want a fish for eating, take a slot fish, the impact is much less significant. Also, remember to pack your camera to take a photo of that really large fish before releasing it. The memory of catching a huge striper and having a quality picture is often meaningful years down the road.

Those who fish with bait know it is a very effective strategy for targeting striper and one of the best tactics for catching big fish. However, when fishing bait, the angler typically lets the fish swallow the bait before setting the hook. This often results in the fish being hooked deep in the throat and can be damaging to the fish.

A simple solution to decrease fish mortality is for bait fishermen to use single hooks and in particular, circle hooks. These hooks are shaped with the barb offset towards the shank of the hook. This design results in the hook hanging on the lip and not getting caught in the gut. It is much easier to remove and less harmful for the fish

So, this fall, get out and enjoy the great striper fishing and think about the future of this wonderful recreational resource when you release that monster striper. You’ll be grinning ear-to-ear when you do.