Fly Fishing - Saltwater Fly Rod & Saltwater Flies

jmize · Location: So. NH

New to Flys and Fins webiste (very cool) site and forums, looking to see if anyone here has had any success at Higgins Beach and Spurwink River in Scarborough ME. Vactationed there last August and (considering a return trip this August) and got the big skunk. I also should ad that saltwater flyfishing is my new addiction and am not as skilled (yet) as some of the others here. Any info would be awesome.

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

Hey,

The striped bass fly fishing has been better this year than last in Maine .. and its still early due to a kind of unseasonably colder season and lots of rain. Put it this way, you are definately not the only one hoping for a better run of striped bass this season, in maine, than last year. Word on "the street" is that fishing was good to really good prior to all of the big rains (which makes the rivers high and there are lots of rivers that dump into casco bay, etc.. and super high river waters basically can sometimes shut down the inshore ocean fishing due to water clarity issues and water temperature issues) .. the spurwink river would be a good example of one of those locations. So, higgins beach is "no big secret" but its also one of those spots that is a safe bet if you are looking for a good vacation and general spot for fly fishing for stripers. Here are some tips, that may help

1. focus on first 1/2 of incoming and last 1/2 of outgoing tide
2. have some big flies if you are fishing near rocks etc and (deceivers etc..)
3. floating line works .. but intermediate and even sinking (200-300 grain line) works nice if you are blind casting on the flats or beaches.
4. definately have some black clousers, brown and white clousers and chartreuse and white clousers ..
5. floating line and gurglers are nice too
6. definately consider having 1 fly reel with 2 spools .. perhaps 1 spool with intermediate and another with floating line .. that way its super easy to switch lines .. just pop on one of the spare spools.
7. early morning and evening are nice - usually low wind and good feeding times.
8. blind casting can and does produce results, BUT LOOK - by that i mean look for "the life force" birds picking up bait, fish busting, fish swirling etc.. bring binoculars.
9. the "strip" of let's say a clouser makes a lot of difference. think short little rythmatic strips and think about what that fly is doing on the bottom .. think that you are, to some degree, trying to emulate a sand eel or crab or small baitfish that is close to the bottom.
10. look for fish in the water. if you have polarized glasses and the light and the wind is right - you can often see fish .. many times the fish will be at your feet and very very close to the shore

Hope this helps ... I would definately consider the following resources

1. A 1/2 or full day guided trip of flats sight fishing with Capt. Eric Wallace of www.coastalflyangler.com

2. Stop into "The Tackle Shop" in Portland Maine on India street. Buy some flies, etc.. and get some good information of other spots to try etc.. Just google "The Tackle Shop, Portland Maine"

Good Luck.