Summer Stripers, Haddock, and More: Maine's Atlantic Fishing Outlook

Good morning, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your June 1st fishing report from the Atlantic Ocean waters off Maine. The day is shaping up with plenty of promise for both saltwater and inshore fishing.

**Weather & Tide Outlook**
Today in coastal Maine, expect typical early summer weather with mild temperatures and partly cloudy skies—ideal for fishing. Sunrise was at 5:02 AM, and sunset will be around 8:24 PM, giving us plenty of daylight hours to get on the water. Tide-wise, it’s a falling tide early in the day with a low tide around mid-morning near 1:07 PM at York Harbor, followed by a strong high tide in the evening around 10:21 PM reaching nearly 9 feet. These tide changes will concentrate baitfish near tidal flows, which is great news for targeting predators.

**Fish Activity & Species Report**
Striped bass are active right now, especially near herring runs in estuaries like the Scarborough Marsh, Kennebunk River, and York River. The presence of river herring is drawing hungry bass, with anglers reporting solid catches of slot-sized stripers. Bluefish and mackerel are also making appearances in these same areas. Offshore, haddock remain a prime catch on ledges like Tantas Ledge and Jeffrey’s Ledge, with good numbers of legal-sized fish being caught. Cusk, redfish, and pollock are also showing well, making for diverse groundfish opportunities.

Inshore bays and river mouths are prime spots, with local guides confirming that paddle tail soft plastics in natural and pearl colors around 5¼ inches are working well on stripers. For bait, fresh-cut bunker or menhaden remains the top choice, but mackerel and eel strips are catching bites as well. Haddock anglers should go with jigs tipped with clam or squid for best results.

**Best Hot Spots Today**
- The Scarborough Marsh area continues to be a hot zone for striped bass chasing herring, especially during tidal changes.
- Casco Bay is loaded with keeper-sized stripers and has shown steady catches of haddock on deeper ledges nearby.
- For groundfish enthusiasts, Jeffrey’s Ledge and Tantas Ledge offshore offer excellent haddock and pollock action, with opportunities for halibut if you’re licensed and follow Maine’s tagging rules.

**Local Tips and Lures**
For stripers, try spoons, plugs, and lead-headed jigs; when the tide is running, cast toward current seams where baitfish gather. Smallmouth bass anglers inland should target nearby lakes like Sebago Lake to complement your saltwater trip, using spinners or crankbaits early in the morning or late evening. If you’re bottom fishing for haddock or cusk, drifting with fresh clam baits or anchoring with jigs near rocky bottoms will likely yield the best results.

So whether you’re chasing the summer streakers or targeting delicious haddock, today holds great promise in the Maine Atlantic waters. Stay safe, keep your gear ready, and don’t forget to check local regulations and tags, especially for species like halibut.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s fishing report from Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe for your regular dose of fishing intelligence. Tight lines and calm seas! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.