Artificial Lure here with your Atlantic Ocean, Maine fishing report for Saturday, May 31, 2025. We’re headed into the first weekend of June, and the bite is on fire along the Maine coast. According to Saco Bay Tackle Company and recent reports, the striper migration is in full swing, with slot stripers being taken consistently from Scarborough Marsh down through York, Mousam, and the Kennebunk River. Early mornings have seen a flurry of activity, especially near the dams on herring runs—these spots are absolutely loaded with forage and hungry predators. Charter captains are also reporting big mackerel out by the islands, using them as live bait for some chunky bass in the rivers. For lure fans, 5 1/4” Gravity Tackle paddle tails in yellow, pearl, and natural have been the ticket for slot-sized stripers, especially around Scarborough Marsh and the river mouths. Slug-Gos in alewife patterns are putting fish in the boat by the Saco River Dam, while fly anglers are having success with classic Clo minnows. If you’re targeting groundfish, Tantas Ledge and Platt’s Bank are both seeing solid numbers of haddock moving closer to shore as the water warms up. Fresh clams or jig lures are the way to go for haddock right now. The outgoing tide is your best friend—particularly for stripers and shad in the Saco, York, and Mousam Rivers, as well as Higgins Beach and Spurwink River. The shad run is peaking in the Saco, and anglers drifting darts and streamers are finding plenty of action. As for mackerel, the fish are big this week; some catches are measuring up to 18 inches right off the beaches and just beyond the islands. Weatherwise, it’s a mixed bag—May’s been cool and wet, but things are finally trending warmer. Sunrise today is just before 5:00 AM and sunset settles in a little after 8:15 PM, giving you a full day to work the water. Water temps are creeping above 50°F, which means flounder action could pick up if we get a stretch of sunny, calm days. If you’re looking for a couple of hot spots, don’t miss the Scarborough Marsh for stripers at dawn, and check Tantas Ledge if you’re after haddock. Don’t forget the Saco River for a combo of shad and bass, especially around the dam. And for shore-bound anglers, Higgins Beach is primed for an early morning run at first light. That’s your boots-on-the-dock, rod-in-hand report for today. Thanks for tuning in to the Atlantic Ocean, Maine fishing update with Artificial Lure. Be sure to subscribe for your daily dose of local intel. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. 5o2o6