Fishing Camden, Maine

Mackerel, photo by Tom Richardson

The inshore waters surrounding Camden Harbor are thick with mackerel through the summer, providing a great source of fun fishing for kids and light-tackle anglers.

Striper photo/Maine Sport Outfitters

These fish aren’t big, but their sheer numbers make for dependable sport on light tackle. While the average mackerel doesn’t weigh much more than a pound, “Monster Macks” weighing up to 3 pounds sometimes invade the area in late September or early October.

One of the most reliable places to find mackerel is the nearby Rockland Harbor breakwater. Thick schools roam both sides of the long, rocky structure, and are suckers for tiny diamond jigs, bucktail jigs, and white flies tied with flashy material. Macks can also be found in most local harbors, although heavy boat traffic often puts the schools down or drives them out.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Penobscot Bay anglers had a blast with striped bass, but catch numbers have since dropped and fishing for them is not reliable.

Bait & Tackle:
Maine Sport Outfitters (Rockland), (888) 236-8797

License Requirements:
Anglers over the age of 16 who wish to fish in Maine’s marine waters out to 3 miles from shore, including the waters surrounding its offshore islands, must register annually with the state. There is a $1 to $2 service fee to register. The permit expires on December 31.

Exemptions:
The following individuals do not need to register:

• ♦Persons under the age of 16.
• ♦Persons fishing aboard a charter or partyboat.
• ♦Persons renting a smelt shack from an individual who holds a commercial operator’s permit.
• ♦Persons with a disability.
• ♦Disabled veterans.
• ♦Persons holding a saltwater recreational fishing license from another state.
• ♦Maine residents who purchased a freshwater fishing license and who checked a box indicating that they intend to fish in saltwater.
• ♦Maine residents fishing on July 4, Memorial Day weekend, or Labor Day weekend.

To register online, go to:
(MOSES) Maine Online Sportsman Electronic System

Seasons, Catch & Size Limits:
For information on Maine’s saltwater fishing regulations, by species, go to: Maine Department of Marine Resources.