I took a few casts out on the Kennebec yesterday evening- it was beautiful. Snagged a couple of foot-long Micropterus dolomieu's, but nothing really to speak of...except for the COOLEST thing ever. I heard and saw the first splash, but missed the fish. The splash was terrific, and I thought for a split second maybe a car had flown off the bridge and into the water, but then I realized. Then I saw the great fish jumping, and boy do those suckers jump. I've never seen so big fish so far out of the water in all my life.

I took a few casts out on the Kennebec yesterday evening- it was beautiful. Snagged a couple of foot-long Micropterus dolomieu's, but nothing really to speak of...except for the COOLEST thing ever. I heard and saw the first splash, but missed the fish. The splash was terrific, and I thought for a split second maybe a car had flown off the bridge and into the water, but then I realized. Then I saw the great fish jumping, and boy do those suckers jump. I've never seen so big fish so far out of the water in all my life.

That sounds awesome, I saw an online video of sturgeon (I think gulf sturgeon in florida) breaching before and it was cool.

How big was it? I've seen three sturgeon breach in the James so far, ranging from about'4 to '8.

Meh...it's hard to gauge accurately. I'd say 6 to 8 feet, but they were jumping and were a ways away. They were big.

I hope it's ok to bump this, I never saw it first time round.

I've done a lot of striper fishing on the Kennebec for the past 20 years and it is amazing how fast the sturgeon have appeared in the river since the dam came down.
We never used to see them but one or twice, now you see a dozen. Anywhere from 2 footers to rockets that look 10 feet long.
Obviously these are old fish so they didn't just appear after the dam came down. Can't explain it, they're just there.
They are also spreading. We see them frequently on the near by New Meadows river as well is in open water in Casco Bay. One was spotted in the Charles river near Boston recently.

The best way to experience dozens of breaching sturgeon is to kayak at night on a moonless night. It is nerve racking to say the least when one comes ten feet out of the water and lands like a ton of bricks close enough for the ripples to rock the kayak.

I hope it's ok to bump this, I never saw it first time round.

I've done a lot of striper fishing on the Kennebec for the past 20 years and it is amazing how fast the sturgeon have appeared in the river since the dam came down.
We never used to see them but one or twice, now you see a dozen. Anywhere from 2 footers to rockets that look 10 feet long.
Obviously these are old fish so they didn't just appear after the dam came down. Can't explain it, they're just there.
They are also spreading. We see them frequently on the near by New Meadows river as well is in open water in Casco Bay. One was spotted in the Charles river near Boston recently.

The best way to experience dozens of breaching sturgeon is to kayak at night on a moonless night. It is nerve racking to say the least when one comes ten feet out of the water and lands like a ton of bricks close enough for the ripples to rock the kayak.

wow dude.....that sounds absolutely awesome. I'd be flipping out every time i heard something...most likely capsize a kayak due to freaking out if one landed within a few feet of me.

Yeah, I dunno...I've had bad luck after dark. They're pretty consistent if you hit the Kennebec in Augusta near the bridges. Go in July or August and hang out in one of the parks by the river from early evening to dark. Majestic sturgeon breaches guaranteed.

They're there earlier and later than that too.
A great place to go is the seafood place at the mouth near fort popham. Get a window seat. Go in May and see the seals feeding on alewives while the sturgeon breach and the eagles bully the seagulls. Cool place.

It's that time of year again! I cannot tell you people how dramatic this is- it's really worth checking out. Those suckers fly so far out of the water and make such a giant splash!

Also, the fishing can be really good in the right spots. A couple days ago on hook and line in a few hours we landed both large and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white perch (which in this area often live land-locked), redbelly sunfish, white catfish, and a stray american eel. The action was nonstop and the fish were beautiful.

Perhaps one day we'll see healthy numbers of salmon and stripers come up river again.