MAINE MONITOR • October 30, 2026
From May to October each year, hundreds of thousands of anglers fan out across the Maine coast, casting their lines from beaches, piers and boats. Most are fishing for Atlantic striped bass, affectionately called “stripers,” which make up the largest recreational saltwater fishery in the state. For now, the fishing is good, with plenty of big stripers around to catch (and mostly, release). But a current of anxiety runs underneath the sport and the industry. Captain Marco Lamothe, who runs Keeper Charters out of Saco, went on more than 100 fishing trips this year. He worries about the fishery’s future because he’s not seeing many smaller, younger fish.