Braving the Icy Atlantic: Winter Fishing in Coastal Maine

If you're heading out to fish in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine today, January 24, 2025, here's what you need to know.

First, let's look at the tides. For Bar Harbor, the high tide is at 6:17 AM with a height of 9.84 feet, followed by a low tide at 12:51 PM at 1.68 feet. The next high tide is at 6:59 PM, reaching 8.67 feet[5].

The weather is expected to be chilly, typical for this time of year, with frosty conditions forecasted for the next week. This has already started to form ice on some of the larger lakes, but the ocean waters remain open[4].

Sunrise today is at 6:58 AM, and sunset will be at 4:31 PM. Moonrise is at 3:01 AM, and moonset is at 11:34 AM[5].

Fish activity has been good, especially for those targeting smelt. The Maine Smelt camps are active in the Kennebec River and Merrymeeting Bay region, with reports of smelt staging in larger portions of the river. Anglers have found success near Worthings and Bakers[4].

For saltwater fishing, the focus has been on species like cod and haddock. However, with the cold weather, some anglers are also venturing onto the ice for species like white perch and lake trout on the larger lakes that are starting to freeze over.

If you're looking to catch some cod or haddock, using clams or mackerel as bait can be very effective. For smelt, small jigs or tiny spoons that mimic their natural prey work well.

Hot spots include the areas around Sebago Lake, though this is more for ice fishing as the lake is starting to freeze. For saltwater, the coastal areas near Bar Harbor and the islands off the Maine coast are good spots to try your luck.

Remember to dress warmly and be prepared for the cold conditions. Good luck out there

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI