Stripers, Haddock, and Trout: Fishing Report from the Maine Coast

This is Artificial Lure reporting in from the Atlantic coast of Maine with your fishing report for Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Sunrise this morning was around 5:10 am, and sunset will be about 8:10 pm, giving anglers a long day to work the water. High tide in the Portland area came just after midnight and again around 12:45 pm, with falling tides through the morning and a rising tide after lunch. The water temperatures have been slowly creeping up, inviting our favorite migratory species into the mix.

Striped bass action is heating up all along the southern Maine coast. There’s a good push of fresh stripers moving into rivers like the Saco, Webhannet, Kennebunk, and Mousam. Schoolies are common, but a few slot fish are already being reported, especially in the Saco and Webhannet where river herring are running thick. Early risers throwing white or natural-hued soft plastics like AlbieSnax and 6-inch Slug-Gos have been rewarded, particularly around Scarborough Marsh, Higgins Beach, and the “Graveyard.” Bloodworms have been a solid bet from shore, and tube-and-worm rigs are taking fish in the rivers.

Groundfishing offshore is as good as it gets for late May. Haddock numbers are excellent from Outer Schoodic down to the Cove, and some large fish are mixed in with steady numbers. Jeffrey’s Ledge and Platt’s Bank are hot right now for haddock and redfish. Bait is working best—think fresh clams or squid strips—since dogfish aren’t thick yet. If you’re trying for something bigger, mackerel are moving onto the offshore ledges, which could attract early bluefin tuna in the coming weeks.

The York River and Ogunquit Beach are giving up good catches of sea-run brown trout, while winter flounder are still an option for those fishing sandier stretches like Ogunquit. For fly anglers, Clouser minnows in white or olive remain the ticket for early season bass.

Today’s hot spots to check out: Hit the Saco River mouth on the dropping tide for stripers pushing bait. Offshore, Platt’s Bank is a solid choice for a box of haddock and redfish—just bring enough bait. For shore folks, try Higgins Beach at first light or the Kennebunk River on the incoming tide.

Best lures today are white soft plastics and tube-and-worm rigs for stripers, and traditional bait rigs for haddock and redfish. For bait, bloodworms and cut herring are drawing the most strikes inshore, with squid strips offshore.

That’s the scoop from the local docks. Tight lines and see you on the water.