Stewart Doyle, an avid fly fisherman from Crested Butte experiences the striper fishing, and the pristine beauty and tranquility of Maine’s tidal rivers. Not only is the scenery great, but the fishing can be darned good too!

Located near Georgetown’s Five Islands, Reid State Park is a wonder. This park is comprised of two distinct beaches, Mile Beach and Half-Mile Beach which are separated by ledge and rocky outcroppings. The park is only about 2 miles from Popham as the crow flies, but is very different. It sits about halfway between the mouth of the Kennebec River and Sheepscot Bay and faces due east.

When compared to Popham, Reid is much smaller in scale, but no less dramatic. From the shore, looking to the southwest, you can see Seguin Island lighthouse sitting majestically on the horizon . To the east you can clearly make out the Cockolds which are off the tip of Southport Island and mark the entrance to Boothbay Harbor. The sand at Reid is coarse and the beach slopes steeply to the water. Being exposed to open ocean, the waves are heavy and when the surfs-up, they crash onto the shore with significant force. So, take care when fishing the ledges, as waves can quickly sweep you off your feet.

For striper fishermen this location offers some great fishing opportunity. In mid-summer, when the waters of the tidal estuaries warm, stripers seek out deep, cool waters adjacent to structure. Reid offers the perfect habitat. Stripers hold in these cooler oxygen rich waters and move onto the beach and rocky shoreline to feed. Every year we hear of some really big fish being caught there.

Angler’s do well throwing poppers along the rocky outcrops and fishing bait from the beach. And for fly fishermen their’s even a small tidal estuary, the Little River, which offers great wading and good fishing off its mouth.

Spending time exploring the fishing opportunities of this beach is well worth the effort. Not only will you stand a chance of catching some nice fish, but you will experience the pristine scenery and some interesting wildlife. I’ve walked the beach at low tide before and found scallops stranded by the tide. And then their are the birds; sea gulls, ducks, bald eagles, ospreys and sand pipers who chance fate with the waves, then dart out of their way just in time.

If you get there at odd hours your likely to have the beach all to yourself. At peak hours the crowds are small and typically limited to the areas in close proximity to the parking lots. But even when crowded, their is plenty of space to spread out and find solitude. Reid State Park is definitely worth the trip!

The Kennebec River is truly a great river. This watershed is huge and drains at least one third of the State of Maine. We’ve heard people call it Maine’s “Hudson”, although we locals think it far exceeds that comparison.

The Kennebec River is the focal point of activity in the mid-coast region for striper fishermen and guide activities. Just before dawn, from June - October, guides and their sports motor from landings and docks to chase stripers throughout the Kennebec tidal estuary. The fishing here is great and the scenery diverse.

The Kennebec River’s estuary is significant! From head-tide, just above Augusta, it is about 50 miles to the Atlantic and the surf casting of Popham Beach. The unique topography of the region results in some very interesting geographic features and habitat, ideally suited for stripers. 

Near Augusta, the river bed is fairly constrained, from a 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile wide. As one travels down river, the geography flattens into a large region where sediments have built up and the soils are rich. Agriculture has been ongoing on these farm lands bordering the river in Dresden, Richmond and Bowdoinham for centuries.

The Abbagadasset River Compliments of Ed Friedman -FOMB

Approximately 25 miles south of Augusta one comes to the north end of historic Swan Island marking the upper end of Merrymeeting Bay. The Bay, might be considered to have three sections: the upper Bay between the top of Swan Island and Abbagadassett Pt., the middle or main section between “Abby Pt.” and “The Chops” and the lower section between “The Chops” and Thorne Head.

Five miles north of Bath, the 280 yard natural constriction in the river known as ”The Chops” backs the river up to form the central part of Merrymeeting Bay. It is here that the Androscoggin, Muddy, Cathance, Abbagadasset, Eastern Rivers converge with the Kennebec River. The combined watershed of all 6 rivers meeting here is just under 10,000 square miles and represent nearly 40% of the water in Maine. 

Merrymeeting Bay is truly unique.  It is arguably, the most significant waterfowl habitat in the northeast. It is the only waterbody in the Gulf of Maine that provides spawning and nursery habitat to all of the migratory diadromous [collectively the anadromous (salt to fresh) and catadromous (fresh to salt)] fish species found in the Gulf of Maine. The Bay also has a major concentration of bald eagles and is home to about a dozen globally rare tidal plants. At high tide this area is flooded and appears as a huge bay, but at low tide, it is revealed to be a giant tidal flat with numerous channels winding throughout expanses marsh grasses like bulrush and wild rice. It is a great place for kayaking.

While the middle Bay is noted for its expansive marshes and flats, the upper section is more riverine in nature but for the marshes at the southern end of Swan Island and inside the jetty at the mouth of the Eastern. The lower section is marked by quite a few islands with their associated eddys, whirlpools and upwellings from the strong current passing by. While tidal, it is worth noting that the salinity is quite low in the lower section 20 miles upstream from the sea and virtually non-existant above the Chops where it is mostly river water backing up that makes the tide. Varied striper opportunities and habitats abound in all three sections of the Bay.

The Muddy River Compliments of Ed Friedman - FOMB

Just down river is the City of Bath, Maine. The city has a long tradition of boat building and is the home of BIW. Their naval boat building facility is huge and sports one of the largest cranes in the world. You can’t miss it.

Below the Rt 1 bridge, the geography changes. The river is split by fingers of granite ledge that run to the southwest and make up all the many points and communities of the mid-coast region. It’s here where the Sasanoa River splits-off from the Kennebec River, and flows to the southeast, connecting with the Back river and eventually the Sheepscot. When viewed on a chart or map, the land is a maze of back channels, bays and waterways. If you venture into this area, do take a chart!

If one is up for a boating adventure, you can travel from Augusta, down the Kennebec, across the Sasanoa and all the way to Boothbay Harbor, taking the back channels and protected waterways. It’s really a neat trip!

One notable feature on the Sasanoa River is Hell’s Gate. Here another geographic constriction and elevation drop results in a truly unique tidal sluce. During the later part of the going tide, this 1/2 mile stretch becomes a torrent. It’s estimated it to be class 2-3 rapids. So, hold on! And, the setting is really beautiful and pristine.

Below the City of Bath, the main branch of the Kennebec River continues on for another several miles to the open ocean. This is a drift-fishermans paradise. You’ll find great striper runs with plenty of deep holding water, rocky outcroppings, moving current, sandy flats and the “mouth of the Back River” (the Back River breaks off from the Sasanoa and gently flows southwest until it converges again with the main Kennebec and several miles closer to Popham). It’s not uncommon for huge sturgeon to jump right next to the boat or bump your leg when wading these waters, although they are now a protected species.

Sturgeon Fishing Early 1900’s - Compliments of Ed Friedman (FOMB)

At the mouth of the Kennebec River, to the west, is Fort Popham and Popham Beach State Park. Popham was first colonized in 1607 and was one of the first attempts at settling the new world. It actually predates Jamestown. A couple miles to the east and you’ll find Reid State Park and equally beautiful sand beach.

Reid and Popham are both great areas for family fun. There you’ll find miles of sandy beach, surf and sun, and scenic islands sit on the horizon adorned with light houses. The most notable of which is Seguin island. On the ledges seals bask on the rocks, and osprey’s and eagles dive for fish in the surrounding waters. Wildlife is evident all around.

Oh, and the fishing at both these beaches is really good too!

Popham Beach State Park is one of Maine’s most beautiful beaches and the fishing here can be great.

Located in the Town of Phippsburg it represents one of the very finest beaches in all of Maine. Miles of sandy beach offers families ample access to great fishing, swimming, body surfing and board surfing (although the water is a wee bit cold, but it’s Maine). Access is typically easy on all but the very hottest days of summer, when parking lots overflow.

Striper fishing from the beach affords anglers access to miles of productive waters which can yield some really nice fish. And the action can be as hot as the sun.

In recent years, fly fishing has become more popular here. It’s often funny to see fisherman wearing neoprene waders and decked out in gear, strolling the beach adjacent to bikini clad women.

Here John Sabach from NY, proudly displays a schoolie which recently arrived in Maine on vacation. John welcomed this fish with a #2 circle hook, a minnow pattern of his own devise.