Artificial Lure here with your Maine Atlantic fishing report for Sunday, November 16, 2025. The air’s crisp with a classic November chill, but that hasn’t kept the seasoned anglers indoors—especially with conditions shaping up for some real solid action offshore and around the coves.

Today’s **sunrise came at 6:57 am**, and **sunset will be at 5:57 pm**, which gives you just under 11 hours of daylight to chase your catch. Over in Kennebunkport and York County, the **first low tide hit at about 2:16 am** and **high tide peaked at 8:23 am**, with the next **low at 2:37 pm and another high at 8:53 pm**. With a tidal coefficient trending up and strong moving water, the bite should turn on around those high tide marks, especially in the morning and again before dusk. The moon’s on the wax, which can give the fish a bit of extra boost to their feeding windows, particularly in the early and late light according to Tides4Fishing and Surfline.

Weather-wise, the **National Weather Service reports a Gale Warning for today and into Monday**, so be sharp if you’re thinking of heading offshore. Winds are up, seas are kicked, and smaller craft should think twice about straying too far beyond the protection of the rivers or sheltered bays. Near shore, things are more manageable, and with a cold, flat morning, it’s a good time for tautog, haddock, or groundfish on the bottom.

Fish activity this past week has been steady despite some rough spells—according to Eastman’s Docks, boats have been picking away at huge pollock and a solid uptick in haddock, with no bad days in the past two weeks. Some days are massacres, others are more up and down, so expect variability. If you’re dropping bait or jigs out of Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, or down toward Wells, you can count on some action so long as you work the tides and don’t mind a brisk wind.

As for **species on the chew**:
- **Pollock** and **haddock** are the main event for deeper bottom fishing;
- **Atlantic mackerel** and some late-season school **stripers** still hanging near estuaries;
- Lobster and crab traps are still being tended, and if you’re set up right, you might tangle with a stray cod or the odd winter flounder in the mud.

Best lures and bait right now? For bottom fish, drop **7- to 12-ounce diamond or butterfly jigs** in chartreuse or pink, or classic Norwegian-style jigs if you’re on a headboat. Bait-wise, nothing beats a chunk of fresh mackerel or salted clam strips for haddock, and whole or cut herring for cod and pollock. Artificial soft baits on heavy jigheads also take fish, especially when worked close to the bottom over structure. If you’re set on shore casting, bring your heavier gear; tin spoons and bucktail jigs tipped with Gulp! have been moving schoolies near the river mouths at sunrise.

**Hot spots to try:**
- The Saco River mouth and Biddeford Pool for both late bass and mixed groundfish, especially during incoming tide.
- The offshore ledges southeast of Kennebunkport—boats working 120–200’ are scoring pollock and haddock, especially if you can hit them in between this wind.
- Wells Harbor jetty and Ogunquit Beach, both consistent spots for surfcasters chasing the last waves of stripers, and good for nighttime bottom fish on the higher tide.

Remember, with gale warnings in effect, use common sense and check conditions before setting out, especially offshore. For the ones launching today, keep those hands warm, the drag set loose, and expect a mixed bag—November can surprise you with both quantity and quality if you pay attention to the tide and weather.

Thanks for tuning in to the report and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any of the fish talk coming up.

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