08/01/2026
It has been interesting to watch what’s happening with the striped bass fishery this season.
Over the past several weeks, it seems that nearly every guide from the Wells and Kennebunk area has gravitated to one particular location outside of their normal home waters. I’m not criticizing anyone for doing what they need to do to put clients on fish—that’s part of the business. But it does highlight something worth thinking about.
What has stood out to me is the difference in how the local guides in that area have handled the influx. They haven’t been getting into confrontations, calling people out publicly, or telling visiting guides to “stay in their own area.” Unfortunately, that same courtesy hasn’t always been extended in the past when guides from elsewhere ventured into the Wells or Kennebunk area. It’s a good reminder that the same respect and professionalism should go both ways, regardless of whose “home water” we’re fishing.
The bigger issue, though, is what this says about the striped bass fishery itself. The fact that so many guides are converging on one location isn’t because they want to crowd each other—it’s because there are so few dependable concentrations of fish left. That’s the part that should concern all of us. As anglers, guides, and conservationists, we need to recognize what we’re seeing on the water. Personally, I believe we’re headed toward a moratorium or much stricter regulations sooner rather than later if the fishery continues on its current trajectory.
Hopefully this sparks a respectful discussion—not about who owns a fishing spot, because nobody does—but about showing each other the same courtesy we’d like to receive and, more importantly, about protecting the future of this incredible fishery.
