This guide covers Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing out of Saco / Biddeford for anglers running their own boat: when fish are around, how far boats run, which ledges they fish and who fishes them. The Saco / Biddeford port page has the harbor basics, and the Atlantic bluefin tuna guide covers species biology and general tactics. This page gives the numbers for planning where to look: a 10 to 30 mile run, ledges at 300 ft, and one buoy worth checking before you leave the dock.
When bluefin are around Saco / Biddeford
Bluefin trips out of Saco run from late May or June into early October. Broad Reach lists its shark/tuna days from late May into early October. Wider Gulf of Maine timing is covered in bluefin in the Atlantic Northeast (see also the Atlantic Northeast offshore fishing guide).
| Operator | Listed window |
|---|---|
| Broad Reach Adventures | Late May into early October |
| Charter listings across the port | Late May or June into early October |
Where boats run and what holds fish
Distance and depth set the plan. Every number below comes from charter listings and published station data for this port.
How far out
Boats run 10 to 30 miles offshore. Miss Madison runs 10 to 12 hour bluefin trips at that range, and Broad Reach and Maine Tuna Fishing sell 12 hour shark/tuna days. For a private boat, a 10 to 12 hour day at 10 to 30 miles is the local benchmark for planning fuel, crew and daylight.
Tantas Ledge and Jeffreys Ledge
These are the offshore grounds named for this port:
- Tantas Ledge: 300 ft
- Jeffreys Ledge: 300 ft
Getting out of the Saco River
The Camp Ellis jetty sits at the Saco River mouth, with Biddeford Pool and Fortunes Rocks south of it. Two shallow ledges lie on the way out: Ram Island Ledge at 6 ft and Negro Island Ledge at 8 ft. Nearshore, Goose Rocks Beach has a night striper bite on eels.
Chart and map layers are not for navigation.
Reading conditions
The nearest NOAA buoy is the NDBC 44007 Portland station, 12 NM southeast of Portland, ME, at 43.525N 70.140W. Check it and the official NWS marine forecast before the run.
How bluefin are fished from this port
Shark/tuna days at Saco are mixed trips, with sharks and tuna sharing the day. Mako, blue, thresher and porbeagle are the sharks on the list.
Mixed shark/tuna days
Broad Reach and Maine Tuna Fishing sell 12 hour shark/tuna days with those four sharks as the other targets. The Struggle Is Reel and Keeping It Reel also pair tuna with sharks.
Chumline drifting in 300 to 600 ft
Pritnear Heaven describes chumline drift fishing for sharks 10 to 30 miles offshore in 300 to 600 ft. That is the shark side of a mixed day.
Tuna with bottom fishing
Keeping It Reel’s bluefin trips mix in sharks and bottom fishing.
Who fishes bluefin out of Saco / Biddeford
These charters list Atlantic bluefin tuna out of this port. Booking a day is one way to see how the port is fished.
| Operator | Captain | Boat | Trip format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Tuna Fishing | Capt. Shawn Tibbetts | Miss Megan II | 12 hour shark/tuna days |
| Broad Reach Adventures | n/a | Miss Megan II, 31 ft custom charter boat, as named on its shark/tuna page | 12 hour shark/tuna days, late May into early October |
| Miss Madison Charter Service LLC | Captain James Kelley | 36 ft Pacemaker sportfisher with outriggers | 10 to 12 hour bluefin trips, 10 to 30 miles |
| The Struggle Is Reel Charters | Captain Chris Cobbett | 2502 Parker offshore sportfisher, 4 passengers | Tuna paired with sharks |
| Keeping It Reel Charters | Capt. Dylan Cobbett | n/a | Bluefin with sharks and bottom fishing |
| Maine Offshore Adventures | n/a | n/a | Lists bluefin |
The Struggle Is Reel, Keeping It Reel and Maine Offshore Adventures appear on FishingBooker’s Saco bluefin listings.
FAQ: bluefin tuna out of Saco / Biddeford
When is the bluefin season out of Saco / Biddeford?
Charter listings run from late May or June into early October.
How far offshore do boats run?
Boats run 10 to 30 miles offshore, on 10 to 12 hour or 12 hour days.
What depths are fished?
Tantas Ledge and Jeffreys Ledge are 300 ft each. Pritnear Heaven drifts chumlines for sharks in 300 to 600 ft.
Which ledges matter on the way out?
Ram Island Ledge at 6 ft and Negro Island Ledge at 8 ft sit on the run out of the river. Chart and map layers are not for navigation.
Which buoy should I check?
NDBC 44007, 12 NM southeast of Portland, at 43.525N 70.140W. Check it alongside the official marine forecast.
Do trips mix in sharks?
Yes. Shark/tuna days pair bluefin with mako, blue, thresher and porbeagle sharks. How other tuna species and ports are fished is in our tuna fishing guides.
