Stripers, bluefish running in waters of Penosbcot Bay

ROCKLAND — Striped bass and bluefish are schooling in Penobscot Bay, just in time for the Great Penobscot Saltwater Open which will take place the weekend of July 16-18.

Billed as “The Biggest and Best Striper Tournament in Maine” the open features $25,000 in prizes, including two boats with motors and a four-wheel-drive pickup truck.

“We have been getting legal stripers for two weeks,” tournament organizer Mark Eller reported. “The Kennebec and Sheepscot (rivers) are loaded with fish. I’ve seen 50-pounders caught already, and there’s been a lot of 40-pounders.”

Eller said tournament headquarters will be located at the Rockland Landings Marina off Park Street. Rules require that all fish be taken by rod and reel. Fishing times are from sunrise Friday, July 16, through noon Sunday, July 18. Weigh-ins will take place at 3 and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. and noon Sunday. No late entries will be accepted and all fish must be clipped and tagged by derby officials.

A GMC 4×4 pickup truck will be awarded to the first entrant to weigh in with a striper topping the state record of 67 pounds.

A grand prize featuring a Yamaha outboard, Sylvan boat and trailer, a Furuno color video sounder, two Diawa rods and reels and Atom lure set, will be awarded to the person tagging the largest striper.

The largest bluefish will earn the lucky angler a Smoker craft boat, Yamaha outboard, Eagle fish finder and Diawa rod and reel. Scores of other prizes will be awarded each day in various categories.

Eligible anglers must purchase a $20 ticket to compete for the prizes and state record. Tickets can be purchased at Rockland Landings; Johnson’s Sporting Goods in Boothbay, Brunswick and Portland; Maine Sport, Rockport; Bucko’s Bait and Tackle, Fall River, Mass.; Taylor’s Sporting Goods, China; Brown’s Sporting Goods, Richmond; Hoskin Enterprises, Bath; D.L. Fleury’s, Winthrop; Outdoor Sportsman, Belfast; Yank’s Sporting Goods, Oakland; Packard’s Sport Shop, Brewer; The Bait Barn, Warren; and Willey’s Sporting Goods, Ellsworth

Eller said the tournament was organized by noted commercial and sport fisherman Larry Peters and would become an annual event. He said stripers are already in most southern Maine waters and are heading toward the upper Penobscot Bay.

“There was a big school of poggies in Rockland Harbor the other day, so I assume bass and bluefish were chasing them,” Eller said.