June was a windy one!
The good news is the fish cooperated very well. Stripers bit in Casco Bay, which was a welcome break on high fuel bills. The fish in the bay were larger than they have been in the past, and for the most part, very willing to eat chunks. Their willingness to take chunks was a good thing because mackerel were difficult and sometimes impossible to catch, especially on an ebb tide. Don't count on catching bait! Always swing by your local bait shops and come prepared with fresh or frozen bait as a backup! One trick for catching mackerel, especially as summer sets in, is to try fishing ledges that are 1-3 miles from shore. Places like three tree ledge and west cod ledge often hold mackerel when other spots don't. A quick look at a chart will give you plenty of places to try for mackerel when the mackereling is tough.
Speaking of near shore ledges, if you drop your sabiki to bottom, you'll likely find some resident cod. Of course they can't be kept until their fall season, but they're fun to catch and can break up the monotony of mackerel fishing.
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The offshore ledges have hosted a solid haddock bite, whiting have moved in to some of their favorite spots, too. They're a very good eating fish that you can fry, bake or grill as you would any other white fish. Unfortunately there are plenty of dogfish around, so your ability to avoid them will translate into your success with the target species. If you do make the trip offshore, save the racks (carcasses) from the fish you catch for your local lobstermen. Bait is in short supply right now and they'll appreciate it. Preserve the racks with liberal amounts of salt and you might just get a few lobsters as a thank you!
Most charter boats are fairly busy, but if you're looking to fish and can be flexible, some might be able to accommodate you if they have a cancellation or a random opening.