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FISHING GROUNDS
OFF MIDCOAST MAINE
Visit 80 fishing grounds off the coast of Maine, from Monhegan Island east to Petit Manan.

Fishing Grounds from east to west.
Middle Ridge.
Old Egg Rock.
Handspike Ground.
Western Egg Rock
Tibbetts Ledge
Bens Ground.
Mt Desert Inner Ridge.
Joe Ray Ground.
Southeast Rock.
Bakers Island Ridge.
Martins Ground; Hillards Reef.
Enochs Shoal
Abner Ground
Banks Ground.
Shell Ground.
Jones Ground.
Hake Ground.
Hatchell Ground.
Grumpy.
Blue Hill Ground.
Southwest Ground.
Western Reef; Otter Island Reef; Snipper Shin.
Inner Breaker.
Towhead Grounds.
Gravel Bottom and Southeast Ground
New Found.
Matinicus SouSouWest Grounds
New Found.
Western Ridge (or Green Island Ridge) and the Pigeon Ground.
The Bounties (The Bowdies)
Fippenies Ledge.
Maurice Lubees Ridge.
Fifty-five Fathom Bunch
Crie Ridges.
Gilkey Ground.
Barley Hill Ground.
Matinic Ooze.
Matinic Bank.
Freemans Ground.
Burnt Island, Outer Ridge.
Burnt Island, Inner Ridge aka Andrews Shoal
Franklin Ground.
Mosers Ledge aka Middle Ground.
Johns Head Ground
Skate Bank.
Haddock Nubble.
Minerva Hub.
Henry Marshalls Ground.
Bald Ridges.
Outer Shoal.
Monhegan Inner Sou' Southeast Ground
Harris Ground.
Monhegan Western Ground.
Monhegan Outer SouSouWest.
Harvey Blacks Ground.
Cashes Ridge East
A summer cod ground.
Newfound Ground.
Ornes Ground
A Hake Ground
Monhegan Inner SouSouwest Ground
Black Island Ground.
Middle Shoal, Pollock Rip, Allens Shoal, and Deckers Shoal.
Henry Gallants Ridges.
Monhegan SE.
Cod Ridge.
Toothaker Ridge.
John Dyers Ridge.
Cashes Ridge East.
Ridge east of Fippenies.
Big Ridge (Cashes Bank)
Cashes NW Ridge.
Blue Ground.
Outer Fall (also called Monhegan Fall)
Jeffreys Bank.
Inner Schoodic Ridge.
Outer Schoodic Ridge.
Bank Comfort.
Clay Bank.

# Acknowledgements

First published as part of Appendix III to the Report of the US Commissioner of Fisheries for 1929. Bureau of Fisheries Doc # 1059. Submitted for publication Jan 18,1929. Ridge east of Cashes Bank. It furnishes good fishing for cod, hake, and cusk in the spring, April being the best season. Newfound Ground. Cod. cusk, and hake (large fish) are abundant here in the spring. A summer cod ground. A small circular piece of ground rises about 2 miles W. of Jeffreys Bank, lying between it and Toothaker Ridge. This is about 2 miles across and has depths averaging 50 fathoms over a rocky bottom. This spot is a good summer cod ground. A Hake Ground. A summer hake ground extends from 3 miles ESE. of Seal Island to 4 miles SSE of the Wooden Ball, thus it is about 7 ½ miles long by some 2 ½ miles wide. The depths here are from 35 to 60 fathoms. Ornes Ground. A good spring cod ground; also a pollock ground in spring & fall. It is a night fishing ground for hake close to the rocks during September and October. Herring are abundant here in May & June. It is a good lobster ground. Monhegan Inner SouSouwest Ground. Fishing is from May until July for codfish and pollock; hake and cusk are in the deep water in the spring months and halibut on the shoal in July and September. Black Island Ground. A cod ground in spring, and cod & hake are taken here on the edges in summer and fall. Pollock are found about the shoal in summer. It is a good lobster ground. Middle Shoal, Pollock Rip, Allens Shoal, and Deckers Shoal. Cod nearly all the year, for haddock in December and January, and for pollock in early spring and late fall. Henry Gallants Ridges. Both are year-around cod grounds, the spring months, however, having the largest school. Cusk also are abundant on both shoals in the spring. Monhegan SE. A good cod ground from April to July; haddock are taken in December and hake in summer on the edges in 50 to 60 fathoms. Cod Ridge. An all-year cod ground, the season of greatest abundance being from May 1 to November. Haddock here from January 1 to April. Cusk & hake on the edges in deep water, the cusk on the sharpest, hardest bottom, hake on the muddy parts about it. Toothaker Ridge. An all-the-year cusk ground. A few cod present all the year, most abundant here & on the other ridge in the spring and through June. Hake on the muddy ground in summer & fall. John Dyers Ridge. Cod all year; most abundant May 1 to November. A cusk ground all year on the hard bottom of the deeper parts. Hake also are abundant in 70 fathoms and deeper on the mud in summer and fall. Cashes Ridge East. Cod is most abundant in April & May, the cusk, as is the rule on these outlying ridges, appears in largest numbers in March and April. Haddock seem to be somewhat rare here. Ridge east of Fippenies. Cod are present here in December and January; cusk the year around, but most numerous in February and March; haddock in December and January; hake in September and October. Big Ridge (Cashes Bank) Cusk abundant in March and April. Halibut here in May and June in 50 to 60 fathoms. It is a cod ground. Cashes NW Ridge. A ridge lying NW. of Cashes Bank and nearly parallel with the main bank, only separated by a narrow deep channel, is about 7 miles long by 1½ miles wide. The species and their seasons are the same here as on Cashes Bank. Cashes Bank. [aka Cashes Ledge] Cod & cusk present year around. Cod most abundant in February, March. & April. Haddock in considerable numbers November to February. Hake on muddy edges in summer. Blue Ground. Circular in form; about 2 miles across. Hake in large numbers in summer & fall; cusk in the deep water the year around but are most abundant in January. Cod are here yearround, the largest school in February & March. Outer Fall (also called Monhegan Fall) Cod, haddock & cusk are the most important species. A lesser amount of pollock. This bank is a winter ground; good also in the spring & early summer before the dogfish strike it. Jeffreys Bank. Cod, haddock, and cusk are the most important species in the fares from this ground, with a lesser amount of pollock and a few halibut, Inner Schoodic Ridge. This ground is nearly circular in form, about 4 miles in diameter, and has depths running from 18 to 60 fathoms. The bottom is of rocks, gravel, and mud; the shoaler portions are sharp and rocky. Cod and haddock are abundant here in spring and fall, and hake fishing is good through the summer. It is a good lobster ground. Outer Schoodic Ridge. Cod, pollock, haddock, cusk, and hake are present here from June to November, and a few large halibut, up to 300 pounds in weight, are taken here in June and July. Bank Comfort. A very good cod ground in spring and summer, hand-liners catching large cod here from May to August. Hake and cusk are present here in summer also. Clay Bank. Cod are the principal catch in spring, hake in summer. There is virtually no winter fishing. Middle Ridge. This is W. by S. from Moosabec Light 3 miles. It lies in a NE. and SW. direction and is about 1 mile long by ½ mile wide. Depths are from 18 to 25 fathoms and the bottom is rough and rocky. <p> Cod are present the year around haddock in late spring and summer with a smaller number in the fall. Cusk are here the year around. A few pollock are here in the spring and fall. Old Egg Rock. This rock is 6 miles WSW. from Moosabec Light, running in a NE. and SW. direction. It is 3 miles long by 1 mile wide; has a rocky bottom and depths of 25 to 30 fathoms. Cod, haddock, and a few pollock are taken in spring and fall; hake in fair number in the fall months. Handspike Ground. Eight miles SW. by S. from Moosabec Light, nearly circular in form, and ¼ mile across. It has a bottom of rocks and depths of from 35 to 40 fathoms. Hake are here from June to September, Pollock are here in spring and fall, and haddock from December to February. Cod in rocks year round. Western Egg Rock. 8 miles SW. from Moosabec Light, lying in a NE. and SW. direction, 3 miles long by 1 mile wide. The bottom is irregular, sharp, and rocky and has 25 to 30 fathoms. Cod and pollock are taken in the spring, summer, and fall; haddock are present in spring and fall; and cusk in 35 to 40 fathoms in spring and fall. This is not a hake ground. Tibbetts Ledge. In May large cod are caught over the muddy bottom just E of the ledge in 27 to 30 fathoms. Hake and haddock are taken in late spring (May) and fall. Bens Ground. A small-boat ground in summer for cod & haddock. Hake are on the muddy bottom near it. a winter haddock ground in calm weather, these fish leaving it in the storms. Mt Desert Inner Ridge. Good cod fishing February to April, inclusive. Haddock in fair numbers in late fall, winter & early spring; pollock and cusk in fall & spring. Rarely, halibut here in June & July. Joe Ray Ground. It is said to be a good cod and haddock ground, Southeast Rock. Cod and haddock are here in May and June, hake from July to September. It is a good lobster ground, also. Bakers Island Ridge. Cod and cusk are found here in the spring and fall; haddock from October to January, Martins Ground; Hillards Reef. Cod and haddock in the spring and fall months and for hake In the fall. It Is a good lobster ground. Enochs Shoal. A few cod in early spring; haddock are here in small numbers in the summer as well as a small quantity of hake. It is a good lobster ground. Abner Ground. This is principally a haddock ground, the best season being in July and August. Banks Ground. In the summer hake are fairly abundant and there are a few haddock and cod. It is a lobster ground, also. Shell Ground. Cod & haddock, together with a few cusk and pollock, are taken here in June, July & August and into the late fall, but it is mainly a hake fishing ground. It is a good lobster ground. Jones Ground. Good fishing from May 1 to September. The principal catch is large cod, but a smaller amount of hake, cusk & pollock are taken also. It is a hake ground in 110 fathoms. Hake Ground. Abundance of hake here during June, July & August. A good haddock ground in December and January, as well as a good lobster ground. Hatchell Ground. Cod and a few pollock are taken here in the spring. Hake are abundant on the edge in the mud throughout the summer. Haddock are plentiful from November to February. There is much of low animal life here to serve as food for the fishes. Grumpy. Considerable cod in 25 fathoms in June & July. Hake are abundant just off the southeast edge in summer. Blue Hill Ground. A good ground for cod in the spring and fall but is best for haddock during the entire winter. Southwest Ground. A cod ground from April to June and from September to November. A few pollock & haddock are taken with the cod. Hake are abundant in summer close to Isle au Haute. A good lobster ground. Western Reef; Otter Island Reef; Snipper Shin. A cod & haddock ground when these fish are in shoal water, but best for cod in winter & spring & for haddock November to January . Snipper Shin, west of Otter Island Reef, has small halibut in June & July. Inner Breaker. A good school of hake is found on the edge of the ground in summer. Good fishing for cod in May & June, while haddock are here in December and January. Towhead Grounds. One of the best inside shoal grounds for cod and haddock in the bay. Good lobster grounds. Gravel Bottom and Southeast Ground. A good cod ground in winter and spring. Haddock are present from November to March, inclusive; hake in summer. New Found. Cod, cusk, and hake (large fish) are abundant here in the spring. Matinicus SouSouWest Grounds .This is one of the best cod and haddock grounds in the vicinity. Cod are sometimes abundant here all winter; haddock are here December 1 to February and are more abundant than the cod. Hake are plentiful during the summer. New Found. Cod, cusk, and hake (large fish) are abundant here in the spring. Western Ridge (or Green Island Ridge) and the Pigeon Ground. The entire bay between Vinalhaven & Matinicus & Green Islands is full of broken, rocky patches of fishing ground. A good cod ground in spring & fall. Haddock in June, November & December. The Bounties (The Bowdies) A good cod and cusk ground in spring and fall and a haddock ground in winter. Fippenies Ledge. Halibut here in fair numbers in 45 to 55 fathom depths in June, July &August. Maurice Lubees Ridge. Cusk are plentiful in the spring. Cod here year around, the Spring school the largest. Hake numerous in the spring and fall. Fifty-five Fathom Bunch. West of Cashes Bank is a rocky ridge extending ENE. and WSW. about 4 miles and having a width of about 1 mile. This is mainly a cod ground, the seasons for the species being as on Cashes Bank. Crie Ridges. Cod, pollock, and cusk are here in the spring, and haddock are abundant in the fall. Gilkey Ground. This is a cod ground in spring and fall, a haddock ground in winter, and hake are taken on the edges in summer. It is also a good lobster ground. Barley Hill Ground. A good cod ground in spring & fall and a hake ground on the mud & rocks in summer. Occasionally a few halibut are taken here during June and July. It is also a lobster ground. Matinic Ooze. Cod and haddock in the spring and for cod and hake in the summer and fall. A fall haddock ground. Matinic Bank. Halibut are sometimes abundant here in 10 to 15 fathoms during May and June. In depths of from 40 to 50 fathoms, the bottom is soft mud, on which hake abound in summer. Freemans Ground. A good spring ground for cod and for cod, hake, and pollock in the fall. Haddock are not numerous on this ground, though a few are usually to be found here in December. Herring are here May to August. Burnt Island, Outer Ridge. A cod ground from April to June, and cod and hake are taken from September to November; haddock in December. It is a good lobster ground. Burnt Island, Inner Ridge aka Andrews Shoal. There are strong tidal currents here, the flood being NE., the ebb A cod ground from April to June, and cod and hake are taken from September to November; haddock in December. It is a good lobster ground. Franklin Ground. Cod and haddock are found here from April to June and pollock in summer. In summer and fall hake are taken by night fishing. It is a lobster ground. Mosers Ledge aka Middle Ground. A good ground for cod and haddock in the spring and for herring in June and other top-schooling fish In their season. Mackerel occur in late August and September. It is a lobster ground the year around. Johns Head Ground. A good cod ground in April and May. Skate Bank. Cod and cusk from April to July. Hake abound in July and August. Haddock Nubble. A June cod ground, usually furnishing good haddocking also, from November to January. Minerva Hub. Abounding with cod in spring and fall. It is a summer ground for hake and cusk. Henry Marshalls Ground. Cod are taken here in the spring, haddock in January and February, and hake in the summer months. It is a good lobster ground. Bald Ridges. A good cod ground when the fish are on the coast, the spring school being the largest. Haddock are present from January 1 to February 15. A good lobster ground. Outer Shoal. A cod ground from spring to fall and a good pollock ground in September. Hake abundant on the edges on the mud in 45 to 50 fathoms during the spring, summer & fall. Monhegan Inner Sou' Southeast Ground. Cod & cusk in the spring, summer and fall. Hake & pollock are abundant in September and October. Harris Ground. Cod, cusk and hake are found here the year around. Halibut are here in June, July and August. Monhegan Western Ground. A good spring ground for cod and a summer ground for hake and cusk in 40 to 50 fathoms. Pollock are found here in September and October. Monhegan Outer SouSouWest. A cod ground in spring and fall. In summer hake are abundant here, and halibut are quite plentiful in July on the shoalest part. Harvey Blacks Ground. Cod are here all year. Haddock are in the deep water in the spring; cusk all year in deep water, together with hake in summer. Pollock and other surface-schooling fish are found here in their proper season. Metinic Island aka Matinic Isl. Monhegan Island Matinicus Island Matinicus Rock Wooden Ball Island Seal Island Isle au Haut Vinalhaven Island North Haven Island Brimstone Island Deer Isle Little Deer Isle Swans Island Mt. Desert Island Cranberry Islands Mount Desert Rock Islesboro Island Winter Harbor Gouldsboro Steuben Jonesport Addison Harrington Millbridge Jonesboro Sorrento Surry Blue Hill Brooklin1 Castine Trenton Lamoine Hancock Brooksville Penobscot Verona Island Stockton Springs Searsport Northport Rockland Lincolnville Camden Rockport