Early June Fishing on Maine's Coast: Stripers, Groundfish, and More

Hey everyone, this is Artificial Lure with your June 4th, 2025, Atlantic Ocean Maine Fishing Report.

The Maine coast is showing off its classic early June character—cool mornings and a promising uptick in both inshore and offshore fishing action. We’ve had a mix of sunshine and scattered showers this week, with onshore winds keeping things brisk. Today’s air temps are topping out in the mid-60s, and sea temps are nudging up near the high 40s to low 50s. Sunrise was at 4:56 AM and sunset’s coming at 8:18 PM, giving you a full stretch of daylight to work with.

Tidal movement is prime for early and late action. According to Surfline’s Long Sands Beach tide report, we’re seeing an early morning high tide just before 7 AM and another just after 7 PM—perfect for those dawn patrols and dusk missions.

On the ground, striper activity is picking up steam along the beaches and estuaries. On The Water reports a surge of striped bass moving in, focusing around the marshes and river mouths close to the herring runs. Folks are catching schoolies and some slot fish, especially around the Saco River mouth and the flats off Scarborough Marsh. Best baits right now are live eels, mackerel, and chunked herring. Top artificials include white paddle tails, seven-inch soft plastics, and classic swimming plugs—especially around structure or moving water. Plenty of local anglers are reporting the night bite is strong, especially on the outgoing tide.

Groundfishing offshore is still in high gear, with Bunny Clark Deep Sea Fishing noting excellent haddock catches, along with cusk, a few halibut, redfish, and the occasional pollock. The best offshore action continues to be around Jeffrey’s Ledge and Platt’s Bank. Drifting with jigs tipped with clams or Gulp! baits has been the ticket, and anchoring over hard bottom is producing the heaviest bags. For those chasing groundfish, keep an eye out for cusk and the chance at a wolfish or two.

Flounder are getting active closer to shore as ocean temps climb. The bite’s especially good around sand and mud bottom—look toward Wells Harbor and off Cape Elizabeth. Best baits are sandworms and clams on small, hi-lo rigs.

If you’re a smallmouth or largemouth bass angler looking to sneak inland, Maine IFW mentions the Belgrade Lakes and Megunticook Lake are both fishing very well right now with jerkbaits, soft plastics, and topwaters working especially well in the evenings.

Hot spots for today? Try the Saco River mouth at high tide for stripers, especially on the east side near the sandbars, and if you’re heading offshore, hit the western edge of Jeffrey’s Ledge. Don’t overlook the early outgoing tide for both areas; that moving water really fires up the bite.

That’s your Atlantic Ocean Maine fishing fix for today. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for your daily dose of local fishing action. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.