Maine Coast Fishing Report — Week of November 5, 2026: Haddock, Tautog, Cunner

Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 12, 2026

This Maine Coast fishing report is a seasonal outlook for the week of November 5, based on how early November usually unfolds. Most migratory stripers have left the Gulf of Maine, so attention turns to groundfish, rocky-bottom species and the last holdovers. The new moon on November 9 and earlier sunsets after the clock change will color the week, along with how soon the next cold front arrives.

What’s Hitting

Groundfish should be the main story for boats able to reach the ledges off midcoast and Down East Maine. Haddock typically hold over hard bottom and gravel in deeper water, while pollock and the occasional cod roam the same structure. Close to shore, tautog and cunner are generally still around rocky shorelines in southern Maine until the water drops further, and they can provide steady action when the weather allows. A few striped bass stragglers may linger in the warmer tidal rivers, but expect them to be scattered and tougher to find. Smelt and mackerel schools are mostly gone, so bait is thinner, and fishing tends to improve when the wind lays down after a front passes.

Where to Find Them

Southern Maine rocky points around Kittery, York and Cape Neddick are reasonable places to look for tautog and cunner, especially near mussel beds and ledge edges. Midcoast anglers often work the waters off Pemaquid, Monhegan and the Damariscove area for groundfish in deeper water, weather permitting. Casco Bay’s islands and ledges offer sheltered options when the open Gulf of Maine is too rough. In the larger tidal rivers like the Kennebec and Saco, patient anglers can still probe deep holes for holdover stripers. Wind direction matters more than anywhere else on the coast, because exposed headlands can become unfishable quickly.

Tides & Conditions

Maine’s tidal range is large, and the new moon on November 9 should boost it, which means strong current through narrow passages like the Piscataqua River and the Kennebec mouth. For bottom fishing in deep water, the slower periods around high and low tide are usually easiest to hold bait on bottom. Inshore tautog fishing tends to be better on the incoming and high tide, when fish move up into the rocks. Early sunsets leave far less daylight, so many boats now run shorter days. Watch the forecast for northwest wind behind fronts, which can flatten bays but build steep seas offshore.

Tackle & Tactics

For haddock and pollock, use a medium-heavy conventional rod with a high-capacity reel, braided line and two-hook bottom rigs or jigs weighted to hold in the current. Clams and cut herring remain classic haddock baits, and diamond jigs can work for pollock. For tautog and cunner, switch to a stiff short rod, a sturdy hook and green crab or Asian shore crab pieces, fishing straight below the boat or the rocks. Bring spare rigs because snags are guaranteed. Dress in layers, with a waterproof shell, insulated gloves and a flotation device, since cold spray and short daylight raise the stakes.

Local Intel This Week

Public access is good if you plan ahead. Fort Foster in Kittery offers shoreline and pier fishing, and Perkins Cove in Ogunquit is a long-popular spot for tautog and small-boat anglers. In Portland, the Eastern Promenade and the East End boat ramp give access to Casco Bay. Midcoast anglers often use the town landing at New Harbor for Pemaquid-area trips. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish. Because groundfish rules can change, confirm what is open before leaving the dock, and always file a float plan with someone ashore. Harbor masters at each landing can also tell you whether floats and ramps are still in for the season.

This Week’s Tip

Watch the wind forecast, then go out on a morning when northwest breezes are light. Anchor or drift just uptide of a rocky ledge on the incoming tide, and drop crab on a short leader straight to the bottom, as tautog tend to hold tight to structure.