April and May

Ground fishing for cod and haddock is at its best. This is the time of year to fill your freezer with tastey fillets. Full and half day trips are available.

June

Groundfishing remains good off shore and there are plenty of fish to catch near shore for half day trips (great trips for kids).

Giant Bluefin Tuna can be had trolling large spreader bars and daisy chains. The tuna this time of year range in size from 150 lbs to 500 lbs. It is intense when you see one or two of these giants hit the spread. Full day and marathon trips are required. Give us a call and we will be happy to answer any questions.

Striped Bass and bluefish start to arrive. Casting live and dead bait at the rocks usually produces bites from 18-30 inch fish. Schools of mackerel also begin to show around this time.

July

Groundfishing is limited mostly to the offshore grounds. These areas are 30 to 60 miles out, requiring a 12 hour marathon trip. The weather also plays a factor but July is usually perfect for offshore trips like these. You will likely encounter other species on trips like these such as big sharks, giant bluefin tuna. Small ground fish and sand sharks are still catchable close to shore for half day trips. These trips are perfect for small children and anyone who wants to spend quality time on the water and get a view of the beautiful Kennebunkport area from sea.

Tuna and shark fishing is at its prime right now. Trips for chumming tuna and large makos offshore are targeted towards serious fisherman but experience is not required. This style of fishing takes time and there are long periods of inactivity hopefully followed by huge payoffs when you experience the thrill of landing a 400+ lb fish.

August

Groundfish start to come back to Jeffrey's Ledge in good numbers. Cod from 6 to 15 lbs and good size Haddock come over the rail regularly. This time of year the sea conditions are at their finest, which makes it perfect for the whole family. A full day is required to get to Jeffrey's but the action and sights along the way are usually enough to catch the full attention of most children 12 years and up.

Tuna and Sharks are still around. Shark fishing begins to pick up in August as the giant bluefin tuna and large blue sharks move closer to shore. Small bluefin tuna (50 - 150 lbs) also show up around this time. This is a new and exciting fishery. These tuna are caught by casting large spinning outfits to crashing fish or by trolling. In Captain Jon's opinion, this is the most exciting fish to catch in the Gulf of Maine. Occassionally you can find these fish right in front of Kennebunkport, other times a full or marathon trip is required to find them. Pick up and drop off in other ports is also an option for fisherman that want the best chance for success. Call Captain Jon to talk more about school bluefin tuna fishing.

Blue fish are at their peak. These trips are great for everyone from the serious fisherman to young kids and people who just want to get on the water. The fish are big and the sights are beautiful.

September

Groundfish are a mixed bag offshore at this time. Cod and haddock can still be caught with decent success. Large schools of big pollock also make themselves available.

Tuna and shark are still in their prime. Lots of mackerel and herring are around to keep the giant and school tuna close to shore. Large blue sharks are also easy to target now. During September and October their is more life on the water than any other time of the year. These large predators are gaining as much weight as they can before they start their migration south. For the best shot at catching a bluefin tuna on light tackle, get on the tuna call list. With good weather windows getting shorter, it is important to catch when the catching is good. Call Captain Jon for more information on this special service.

Stripers and bluefish are hit or miss at this time of the year. After the first few cold snaps they start to migrate south. This is the time of year that we catch the largest stripers but the catch rate decreases significantly. If they are here today, don't expect the same fish tomorrow.

October and November

Groundfish such as cod and haddock start to slow but the large pollock are available in large supply. Now is the time to fill your freezers to capacity. It is not uncommon to catch fish on almost every drop. This is when we have to remind people to only kill what they will be able to eat.

Tuna and shark are still around as long as the bait and water temperature hold up. Last season lasted through Thanksgiving. Captain Jon has seen tuna crashing from shore. Fall is definitely evolving into the best time of the year for light tackle tuna fishing. Call or email Jon for more information on how to target these fish.