Fishing

Situated just beyond the crowded mooring field of Pepperrell Cove and on the fringe of busy Portsmouth Harbor, Fishing Island is a familiar landmark to Kittery-area boaters. Located in Maine, the island is just a short distance from the New Hampshire border and is viewable from just about any mainland point in the harbor. The owners generously allow others to use the island for low-impact day use so long as visitors are considerate of others and practice Leave No Trace.

A favorite stopping place for locals, Fishing has retained its wild character despite the surrounding shoreline development and abundant boating activity. Measuring about an acre in size, the island consists of a larger southern islet connected by a gravel bar to a series of ledges to the north. A lone spruce tree stands like a beacon at the center of a grassy area on the high point of the island. Fishing is believed to have been inhabited until the late 1960s. A crumbling retaining wall rims much of the southern islet and a remnant juniper tree can be found among the grass, sumac and rosa rugosa shrubs in the upland portion. Wild asparagus has also been reported on the island.

The best landing option is on the west side of the bar that connects the southern islet to the northern ledges. Mudflats extend to the east of the island and enable adventurous travelers to arrive by foot at low tide. As Fishing is a small island in a congested area, visitors are asked not to monopolize the island for extended periods of time, which might discourage others from visiting.