Maine fishing rules start with your zone, water type and special-law code
Maine does not use one simple statewide rulebook answer. Before keeping a fish, identify whether you are in the North or South Zone, whether you are fishing a lake/pond or river/stream, and whether that exact water has an S-Code or named special regulation.
Maine regulations anglers usually need first
General bag; only 2 from South Zone lakes/ponds.
14″ general minimum.
18″ general minimum.
Only one may exceed 14″.
Under General Law; special waters can differ.
28–31″ inclusive in Maine coastal waters.
Use this order before you cast
MDIFW manages inland fishing; DMR manages marine recreational rules.
Zone changes bait, seasons, brook-trout and bass rules.
General open-water seasons differ sharply.
Look for S-Codes or named special regulations.
Apply size, bag, possession and gear rules last.
North Zone and South Zone do not fish under the same General Law
More protective coldwater framework
North Zone includes Aroostook, Piscataquis, Somerset, Franklin, northern Penobscot and the portion of Oxford County north of the Androscoggin River.
- Live fish as bait: prohibited under General Law.
- Lakes/ponds: open-water fishing April 1–September 30.
- October 1–March 31: North Zone lakes/ponds closed unless a special rule opens them.
- Bass: no General Law size or bag limit.
Broader year-round lake opportunity
South Zone covers Maine’s remaining counties/areas, including southern Penobscot and the portion of Oxford south of the Androscoggin River.
- Live bait: legal under General Law unless a special rule prohibits it.
- Lakes/ponds: open to ice and open-water fishing January 1–December 31.
- Brook trout: only 2 from South Zone lakes/ponds.
- Bass: 2 fish; only 1 may exceed 14 inches.
Rivers and streams change rules on August 16
Rivers, streams & brooks
Open to open-water fishing in both North and South Zones under General Law.
Fall river restriction
Artificial lures or flies only. General lengths apply, but daily bag is reduced to one landlocked salmon and one brook trout.
Rivers/streams closed
Closed to all fishing under General Law unless a special regulation opens the water.
Year-round General Law
South Zone lakes and ponds are generally open January 1–December 31, subject to special laws and safe ice conditions.
Maine freshwater daily bag, possession & length limits
| Species | Daily bag / possession | Lakes & ponds | Rivers / streams / brooks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Brook trout Includes splake & Arctic charr |
5 general; only 2 from South Zone lakes/ponds | 6″ minimum | 6″ minimum |
| Brown trout | 2 | 14″ minimum | 6″ minimum, 25″ maximum |
| Rainbow trout | 2 | 12″ minimum | 6″ minimum |
| Landlocked salmon | 2 | 14″ minimum | 14″ minimum, 25″ maximum |
| Togue / lake trout | 2 | 18″ minimum | 18″ minimum |
| Bass — North Zone | Unlimited under General Law | No General Law minimum | Check exact water / special law |
| Bass — South Zone | 2 | No minimum; only 1 may exceed 14″ | Apply General Law plus exact-water special rule |
| Whitefish | 3 | No General Law minimum | No General Law minimum |
| Smelts | 2 quarts | No length limit | Special smelt closures are common |
| Sea-run Atlantic salmon | NO FISHING / NO HARVEST | Protected species rules apply | Protected species rules apply |
Decode the letters and numbers before fishing a named water
High-value codes to know
Dead fish, salmon eggs and worms are permitted unless another rule says otherwise.
All trout, landlocked salmon and togue must be released alive.
Especially important in the North Zone where live fish are otherwise prohibited under General Law.
12″ minimum; only one may exceed 14″.
10″ minimum; only one may exceed 12″.
18″ minimum.
Less than 6″ and longer than 12″ must be released.
14″ minimum; only one may exceed 18″.
Applies to landlocked salmon and brown trout where listed.
Special season codes
Open to ice and open-water fishing January 1–December 31.
Open to ice and open-water fishing January 1–April 30.
Closed to ice fishing.
Closed to open-water fishing October 1–March 31.
Live bait that is legal in southern Maine can be illegal in northern Maine
Live fish prohibited
Use or possession of live fish as bait is prohibited under North Zone General Law.
Worms, dead baitfish/smelts, artificial lures and artificial flies remain permitted unless a special law says otherwise.
Live bait generally permitted
All legal forms of bait, including live baitfish and smelts, are allowed under South Zone General Law.
A water marked S-4 or another live-bait prohibition overrides that rule.
Maine inland rules anglers commonly miss
Fly-fishing-only water
No more than three unbaited artificial flies may be individually attached to one line.
No trolling a fly
Trolling is unlawful on a water restricted to fly fishing only.
Advance baiting prohibited
Depositing meat, bones, dead fish or other food into inland waters to lure fish is unlawful.
Fish in the daily bag
A non-baitfish/non-smelt caught from inland water must either be released alive immediately or killed at once. Once killed, it becomes part of the daily bag limit.
Label fish away from home
Bass, landlocked salmon, togue or trout kept at a sporting camp, hotel or other place that is not the angler’s residence must carry the name and address of the person who caught the fish.
150 feet can turn a legal fishing spot into a closed area
Maine’s general inland law closes the area within 150 feet of an operational fishway to fishing. Marine rules also close the area within 150 feet of a dam containing a fishway and/or 150 feet of any part of the fishway.
Special-law exceptions can exist. Read the exact water listing instead of assuming every dam has identical rules.
FISHWAY
CLOSURE
Maine fishing license cost and age rule
Maine’s 2026 license-free weekends have passed
Striped bass: one narrow legal slot
Maine’s 2026 statewide coastal striped-bass limit is 1 fish per person per day, between 28 and 31 inches inclusive.
Measure total length
Maine DMR measures striped bass in a straight line from the lower jaw to the tip of the tail with the tail pinched together.
- Personal use only.
- Recreational sale is prohibited.
- Fish must remain whole and intact.
- Hook and line only.
Using bait changes the hook you must use
Non-offset circle hook required when using bait.
No more than two barbed or barbless treble hooks on an artificial lure/fly.
Kennebec and Saco striped-bass rules override the statewide calendar
Kennebec watershed
Closed
Striped-bass fishing prohibited.
Catch & release
Single-hooked artificial lures only. Marine bait—dead or alive—may not be used or possessed.
Open season
Statewide size/bag framework applies unless another restriction controls.
The Kennebec special area includes the Kennebec, Sheepscot and Androscoggin rivers plus related bays and tributaries to head of tide within the DMR-defined watershed.
Saco River
Protected and regulated migratory fish in Maine coastal waters
| Species | 2026 recreational rule |
|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon | It is unlawful to angle for, take or possess Atlantic salmon from Maine waters, including coastal waters. An incidental fish must be released alive and uninjured and should not be removed from the water. |
| Atlantic / shortnose sturgeon | No fishing for, taking or possessing sturgeon. Incidental fish must be released immediately alive and uninjured. |
| American eel | 25 per angler/day, personal use only; 9″ minimum. Allowed methods include speargun, harpoon, trap or hook and line. |
| River herring | 25 per day, personal use only; hook-and-line or dip net. Waters not under municipal lease are closed 6 a.m. Thursday through 6 a.m. Sunday. |
| Atlantic menhaden | 25 per angler/day, personal use only; no minimum size. |
| American shad | 2 fish/day; hook and line only; no minimum size. |
| Sea-run trout / salmon group | Combined possession maximum 5. Rainbow trout 14″ minimum; brook trout 6″ minimum; landlocked salmon and brown trout 14–25″. No more than 2 brown trout, 2 landlocked salmon or 2 rainbow trout; all 5 may be brook trout. |
Maine saltwater fishing uses a registry—not the ordinary inland license system
Common registry exemptions
- Anglers under 16.
- Holders of a valid Maine freshwater fishing license, except a Lifetime License.
- Passengers on properly licensed for-hire charter/head boats.
- Anglers registered/licensed for saltwater recreational fishing in another state or with the National Registry.
- Maine residents fishing recreational saltwater only on Memorial Day weekend, July 4 or Labor Day weekend.
Maine’s freshwater eating guidance is separate from harvest law
Pregnant/nursing women, women who may become pregnant & children under 8
Maine’s statewide mercury guidance says not to eat freshwater fish from inland waters, except up to one meal per month of brook trout or landlocked salmon.
Other adults and children older than 8
General guideline: up to two freshwater-fish meals per month. Brook trout and landlocked salmon may be eaten up to one meal per week.
Maine ice-fishing rules require the exact water check
North Zone
Inland waters are closed to ice fishing unless specifically opened by rule.
South Zone
Lakes and ponds are generally open year-round under General Law, but CI and other special codes can close individual waters.
Ice shack
Shack owners must follow removal deadlines and display the owner’s name and address in two-inch letters.
Twelve ways Maine fishing rules are commonly misread
Season, bait, trout and bass rules can change.
Special laws override the baseline.
Generally prohibited unless S-11 or another rule permits it.
Artificial lures/flies only under General Law.
It is a code: brook trout daily limit 2.
Trout, salmon and togue must go back alive.
The 150-foot rule is easy to overlook.
The legal slot begins at 28 inches.
The legal statewide slot ends at 31 inches.
Federal waters are closed to striped-bass fishing/possession.
Incidental Atlantic salmon must be released alive and uninjured.
Maine DMR specifically excludes Lifetime licenses from that exemption.
Maine fishing regulation trip checklist
- Identify the zone: North or South.
- Name the exact water: include pond/lake/river section and town when possible.
- Search Special Fishing Laws: screenshot every S-Code for that water.
- Confirm the season: lake/pond and river/stream calendars are not identical.
- Check bait legality: especially live baitfish in the North Zone or S-4 waters.
- Save the species rule: daily bag, possession, minimum, maximum and release requirement.
- Check fishway closures: know whether a dam or fishway creates a closed buffer.
- Saltwater anglers: verify registry status and current DMR species rules.
- Eating the catch: check Maine freshwater consumption guidance separately.
Finish the license side of your Maine trip
Ask the agency that controls the water
Inland fishing and lawbook questions.
Marine recreational regulation questions.
“I’m fishing [exact Maine water] on [date], targeting [species] using [bait/method]. Can you confirm the zone, season, current S-Codes, legal length, daily limit and any fishway or tributary closure?”
Official Maine sources used for this guide
Common Maine regulation questions
What is the Maine brook trout limit in 2026?
Maine’s General Law daily bag limit for brook trout, including splake and Arctic charr, is five fish, except only two may be taken from South Zone lakes and ponds. The General Law minimum length is six inches. Many waters use special S-Codes that reduce the bag or change the size limit.
Can I use live bait in Maine?
It depends on the zone and exact water. Live fish as bait are prohibited under North Zone General Law. South Zone General Law generally permits legal live baitfish and smelts. S-4 prohibits live fish as bait, while S-11 specifically permits live baitfish/live smelts on a listed water.
When are Maine rivers and streams open to fishing?
Under General Law, rivers, streams and brooks are open April 1 through September 30. From August 16 through September 30, artificial lures or flies only are allowed and the daily bag is reduced to one landlocked salmon and one brook trout. They are closed October 1 through March 31 unless a special regulation provides otherwise.
What does S-19 mean in Maine fishing regulations?
S-19 means the daily limit on brook trout, including splake and Arctic charr, is two fish. It does not mean 19 fish.
What is Maine’s 2026 striped bass limit?
The statewide Maine coastal limit is one striped bass per day. A retained fish must measure from 28 through 31 inches inclusive in total length. Special Kennebec watershed and Saco River rules apply.
Do I need a circle hook for striped bass in Maine?
Yes when using bait. Maine requires a non-offset circle hook while using bait for striped bass, subject to the specific tube-lure exception described by DMR.
Can I fish for striped bass more than 3 miles offshore in Maine?
No. Federal rules prohibit fishing for, taking or possessing striped bass in federal waters more than three miles from shore.
Can I keep an Atlantic salmon caught in Maine?
No. It is unlawful to angle for, take or possess Atlantic salmon from Maine waters, including coastal waters. An incidentally caught Atlantic salmon must be released immediately alive and uninjured and should not be removed from the water.
How much is a Maine fishing license in 2026?
A resident season fishing license is $30 and a nonresident season license is $83 before any applicable agent fee. Nonresident short-term options include 15-day $66, 7-day $62, 3-day $30 and 1-day $18.
Do I need a separate Maine saltwater fishing license?
Maine uses an annual Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry. Registration is generally $1 online, by mail or at the DMR office, or $2 through an appointed IF&W agent. Multiple exemptions exist, including anglers under 16 and many holders of a valid Maine freshwater fishing license, but a Maine Lifetime freshwater license does not provide that exemption by itself.
General Law is only your starting point
The safest Maine workflow is: identify North/South Zone → determine lake/pond or river/stream → search the exact water → decode every S-Code → apply the species rule.
Regulation review completed using current Maine MDIFW and DMR official resources and 2026 regulation PDFs.
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