ABOUT THIS SERIES MAINE: SEE IT LIKE A TOURIST offers a sketch of some of the state's tourist spots, many of which Mainers recommend to out-of-state visitors but never visit themselves.
THE SERIES WILL RUN through the summer in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
FISHING MADE EASY
WHAT YOU NEED: Rod, reel, lures and a camera for the one that gets away.
WHERE TO GET IT: For about $40 to $60 you can purchase a complete package at area fishing stores, such as The Bait Shop in Portland (773-3474) and Saco Bay Tackle in Saco (800-499-4453).
You also can rent a package for $15 at Saco Bay Tackle on Route 1 in Saco.
WHERE TO GO: In Portland, try the Maine State Pier next to Casco Bay Ferry Lines; the rocks off of East End Beach; and up off outer Congress Street, the Fore River along the Fore River Sanctuary nature trail.
Elsewhere, try Mackworth Island via Route 1 in Falmouth; Scarborough Marsh via Pine Point Road in Scarborough; and Camp Ellis by way of Route 9 in Saco.
WHAT TO KNOW: Timing is everything in life. In saltwater fishing that means knowing the tides. Two hours before high tide is perfect, but some say you can go a little earlier and a little later. Carry a tide chart with you no matter which way you go. Find one for the area of Maine you're fishing at www.maineharbors.com/
WHAT YOU WON'T NEED: A fishing license! In Maine, fishing in the ocean is free.Fishing Made Easy
Many of Maine's ocean fishermen sit back and wait for the fish to come to them. Others seem to pray over that rod and line.
Yet, other than absolutely nothing, what are they thinking?
The only way to understand the attention, the concentration and the sheer sense of relaxation fishermen bring to the ocean's edge is to become one.
Fishing from the ocean is not just a great way to pass time.
It is an integral link to our primal past, and a terrific way to express our need to, every once in a while, chill out.
So how long would it actually take for a novice to fish from the ocean with success?
Try 30 minutes. That's the time it takes to walk into a tackle shop to the moment the line is cast from a rocky outcrop.
Maine's fishing shops will outfit you with a rod, reel, bait and hooks for less than $50.
The Bait Shop in Portland and Saco Bay Tackle in Saco can sell you everything you need to saltwater fish for between $40 and $60.
The Saco shop also rents a complete package for $15. Keep in mind, tackle and live bait -- those creepy sandworms -- would run another $15.
And here is the really cool part. Since a saltwater fishing license is not required in Maine, the gear is all that's needed.
"That's the benefit of being a tourist in Maine -- you don't need a fishing license to fish in tidal water here," said Peter Mourmouras, owner of Saco Bay Tackle.
Of course, the gear does not guarantee a fish on the line.
So be prepared to listen, watch and blunder about a bit.
STRIPERS INTO SEPTEMBER
From now until the middle of September, striped bass are running up the rivers along the Maine coast, but not all the time, and in some places more than others.
Dana Eastman, owner of The Bait Shop, said right now the stripers can be found in Scarborough Marsh, near the mouth of the Saco River at Camp Ellis and off of Route 9.
Spots around Portland Harbor such as Mackworth Island in Falmouth; the rocks of Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth; or the Stroudwater River off Congress Street are other good places to try.
Eastman sends parents with children to the Scarborough Marsh, where the Maine Audubon Nature Center rents canoes.
"There is so much to see, birds, and so much wildlife. There is enough to appreciate in the marsh without fishing. When I was growing up, my parents always used to send me to places like that," Eastman said.
No matter where you go, the time to fish is right around high tide, or an hour or two after.
In fishing, the tide chart is your best friend, one that can be truly trusted.
The tide chart never lies.
The complete Portland and Saco tidal chart can be found online, or at area fishing shops.
"Two hours before high tide, the bait (fish) is coming up the river, traveling up the river. As the bait is coming up the river, so are all the stripers, the schoolies, 18 to 20 inches," Mourmouras said.
These smaller stripers that are running this time of year are not the legal size of 26 inches, which can be kept. They are fun to catch and release.
But, even with the right tackle and a perfect tide, fishing can be a little like bushwhacking.
There are so many questions, such as: Where to cast from? Where are the fish feeding?
Just enjoy being on the water, and accept the fact that fish can be as persnickety as any person.
Then, when impatience sets in, watch what the guy who's catching fish is doing.
NO STRICT ETIQUETTE NEEDED
It all seems so easy when the gear is rented and the line is cast during that "golden hour," the hour right before high tide.
It's very encouraging to cast alongside (but not too close to) another fisherman on a sun-baked jetty and not see him hook a fish, either.
There is some satisfaction in getting your line out as far as his.
The higher the line goes, the better the chance to pitch it out...
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