Casco Bay, Maine, in July- advice?

I'm new to the sport but expect to have done a lot of small lake and stream fishing in Missouri by summer. I will be in Maine to see family in July and would like to try salt water fly fishing. I do expect/hope to use a guide for a half day, or something like that, but after that, I'd like to be able to wander down to the water and cast off the shore, or wade in and cast, or rent a kayak..., just something where I try stuff alone, or with my boys or extended family members. I'm reading Lefty Kreh's saltwater FF book, which has lots of info, but I'm not always sure what will apply to my location/timing.

I'm wondering if anyone has general suggestions about fishing lines and perhaps leaders? I find the options to be confusingly broad. I don't even have a clue what fish to go for (or care, really, I'm happy to attempt to catch anything within reason, as long as it isn't endangered, which may only be an issue in Maine's freshwater or at river mouths, I'm not completely sure).

I wonder if I can get by with one reel and one line, a WF8F Sage Saltwater Equator Taper II that I happen to have, or whether I need to bring spools with, for example, sink-tip and full-sink lines. I'll be on one of the islands off Portland, in the bay. Thanks much for any comments!

In July, stripers and bluefish and mackerel should be present. along with small pollock. An intermediate would work , though the water is cold in Maine-tropic lines will act stiff and be coily. I highly reccomend Capt. John Ford , His company is called Potland Guide Service and can be found on the website of the same name. He's a great guy, and not only can he take you out on Casco Bay out of South Portland, he'll tell you a number of places to shore fish that are very good. I'm not going to burn any of my spots on the net-Maine doesn't have the best shore access. An 8 wt. is perfect, stripping basket is very helpful and a sinking line 5-7 inch per second sink rate would be good. Clousers in chartreuse and white and golden tan and white in size 2 thru 2/0 would about cover all bases. Throw in a couple of white deceivers.
A couple of places that produce alot of fish- Marginal way in Ogunquit, Nubble Light, and Higgins beach on the mouth of the Scarborough River. Reid State Park and Hermit Island further north are good , too. Plan to fish at first light, the tourists are thick at that time of year.:)

Charlie

The last couple of years, the striper fishing in Maine has been poor.
Hopefully this season will be better.
There's a resident population out of Merrymeeting Bay, but the migrant fish are not making it that far up the coast.

A couple of books that may interest you are Ed Mitchell's Fly Rodding the Coast and Lou Tabory's Inshore Fly Fishing
Here's a link to Ed Mitchell's site
http://www.flyroddingthecoast.com/

Dudley, around Portsmouth has been OK, some of my spot s in NH gave up good size and numbers of fish, as did some spots in lower Maine. That's why I suggested John Ford. He has a good handle on which estuaries have bait and hence, fish. Hopefully the bait doesn't stay out on Stellwagen and Jeffreys like they have the past 2 years. :mad:
Chemrat, you can pm me before you go- I usually have a good handle on what's happening then. The books Dudley suggested will explain lots about the fishery. One warning- Pay attention to the tides and fog!!!!!!! You can get yourself in trouble wading out too far at low tide.

Charlie

Thanks, Bluefish! I wasn't expecting personal fishing sites anyway: I don't want to be greedy and I gather that fish levels can be low- I can live with being skunked as long as I know it wasn't just because I had completely the wrong gear and was totally due to my own skill level, though I guess they are pretty inter-related... :). The advice on Captain Ford, the line and flies is very helpful and much appreciated. I will PM come summer. Best wishes!

Thanks, Dudley, for the book suggestions and link. All the best.

Charlie, thanks also for the warning about the tides and fog. I've been to Casco Bay and nearby areas a lot, a week at a time, but it isn't my neck of the woods, and I don't have a good, built-in feeling for where safety ends and danger begins. In fact, my brother in law became lost in the fog on a boat returning from Cranberry Island, where he was recording music a number of years ago. It wasn't fun, but luckily it worked out in the end. "Music from Cranberry Island" is the CD he recorded there in a classical ensemble.