Conditions: Water temps upriver are in the mid to low 70s and high 50s on the beaches. The river has lots of bait throughout the 11 miles from Bath to Popham Beach. Water flow is average as is the clarity.

Bait the fish are feeding on: Juvenile Atlantic herring, sand eel, river herring, eel

Species to fish for this week: Striped Bass, Atlantic Mackerel

Fishing Tactics: We’re closing in on August so the striped bass are hanging on the ledges in deeper water my mid morning. Sight fishing with surface lures and flies is productive early then switch to flies and sinking lines and bucktail jigs while spin fishing as the sun gets higher in the sky.

My fly fishing tip of the week: go early and look for tails, dorsal fins and nervous water on the flats.

My spin fishing tip of the week: Carolina rigged eels and cut bait is doing the trick mid day. Bucktails and shad bodies are working great too.

7 day outlook: great tides and fishing conditions all week. Some hot weather coming in late in the week on southerly winds. The wind shifts westerly during the weekend. 

I’ve been getting behind on video editing so here is a short compilation showing some of this week’s action. We’ve been having good success early mornings with lures and fly fishing. When the sun gets overhead we’re swapping to spin fishing live eels in the rips and along the ledges.   

Long time clients the Pecars, joined me for a morning of Kennebec River striped bass fishing while on vacation at their Popham Beach cottage. We had some good action spin fishing with live eels.

Effective August 1st the cost of my offshore shark and tuna trips will go up $50. This increase is due to the jump in chum and bait expenses. Chum Master chum now costs me $42 per bucket.  I use 2 or 3 on each trip... I will honor the old price on those charters that are booked.

Capt. Dave Pecci

Michael Arthur from Brunswick and is buddies Jeff from MA and John from PA had some really good light tackle striped bass action on the Kennebec River Saturday. Carolina rigged eels and bucktail jigs were both effective. The weather couldn’t have been better. They followed their morning of fishing and exploring the River with beverages and a bite of food at the Kennebec Tavern. It was a pleasure getting to know all three of you, Hopefully we can do it again next year!