On the Run - Maine/NH

[David Churbuck]

David, maybe you can start us off by talking about the striper fishing in Maine and New Hampshire, who you fished with, where you fished, and other observations about the northern start of the fall run.

You mentioned in the welcome thread that the most beautiful spot you fished was in Maine. Can you tell us more about that place, about John Cole, and the effect that the breaching of the Edwards Dam has had on the fishery?

DC

[On The Run]

The highlight of my time in Maine was spending an afternoon with John Cole. Given that I'm a journalist, I've had a few chances to meet some of my heroes and often I've come away a little let down. But not so with John. He was a kind, intelligent, energetic man and his enthusiasm for the striper was infectious. He gladly let me barge in on his day and by the time I left I felt like I had known him for years. When John died the stripers lost one of their finest watchdogs. If any of you haven't read his book Striper, you should. It was, in a large part, responsible for the Emergency Striped Bass Study in the late 70s and the moratoriums that followed.

I also found a few beautiful spots to fish. I mentioned Higgins Beach which is just south of Portland. The town of Higgins Beach is just a collection of beach houses and a small store that closes in the fall. A few other favorites were Reid State Park, Popham Beach, and the Kennebec. A couple of good guides in the area are Dave Pecci and Dave Gittins. Both specialize in fly fishing.