"Stripers, Haddock, and More: Fishing Report from Maine's Atlantic Coast"

Artificial Lure here on this fine Saturday, June 21, 2025, bringing you the latest Atlantic Ocean fishing report straight from the Maine coast.

We kicked off today with sunrise at 4:48 AM in Bar Harbor and 4:59 AM in Portland, with sunset set for around 8:20–8:26 PM. The tidal swings are strong: Bar Harbor saw a high tide at 7:17 AM and another at 7:41 PM, with lows at 1:09 AM and 1:24 PM. Portland’s tides mirror that rhythm closely, with a 7:38 AM high, 1:42 PM low, and a solid evening push at 8:03 PM. All told, classic June water movement—just what you want for active fish[6][8].

The weather’s been a true blessing after last week’s cool snap. Expect partly cloudy skies, a gentle southerly breeze, and air temps in the mid-60s to low 70s. The water’s warming fast, which has the fish firing, especially as we edge toward peak summer[5][7].

Let’s talk bite. Striped bass are lighting up the coast. Schools of 24- to 30-inch stripers have pushed out to sand beaches and river mouths as the herring thin out. Early mornings and late evenings are hot, especially during moving water around the tides. Pine Point, Camp Ellis, and Parsons Beach have all produced well—sandworms and Whip-it Eels are top picks for schoolies, while chunk mackerel is tricking the bigger linesiders. Drakes Island continues to yield strong numbers of keeper bass, with several in the 30-inch class landed just this week according to Saco Bay Tackle Company[1][5][7].

Offshore, groundfishing is outstanding for this point in June. Haddock are running strong—great size and big numbers reported from boats working beyond 150 feet. Standard jigs tipped with clams or Gulp! baits are the ticket. Haddock limits are common, and you’ll see plenty of redfish and the odd cusk in the mix[2].

Looking to mix it up? Inshore mackerel are thick right now, thanks to recent east winds. Sabiki rigs and small shiny metals are filling coolers at local piers and breakwaters[1].

As for bait, nothing beats live mackerel if you’re targeting trophy stripers, but don’t overlook the old standbys: fresh clams, chunked pogies, and sandworms all draw big hits. For lures, stick with soft plastics on jigheads, especially olive or chartreuse, and don’t leave home without a topwater bottle plug for the dusk blitz.

If you want a couple hot spots—hit Pine Point at dawn for stripers, or jump on a head boat out of Portland for haddock. For the kayak crew, Parsons Beach and the mouth of the Saco are both seeing steady action.

That’s the wrap for today, folks. Thanks for tuning in and remember to subscribe so you never miss a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.