Maine State Library Digital Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Law Books Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 1-1-1961 Maine Open Water Fishing Laws 1961-62 Summary Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalmaine.com/ifw_law_books Recommended Citation Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game, "Maine Open Water Fishing Laws 1961-62 Summary" (1961). Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Law Books. 219. https://digitalmaine.com/ifw_law_books/219 This Text is brought to you for free and open access by the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife at Digital Maine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Law Books by an authorized administrator of Digital Maine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maine Open Water Fishing Laws 1961-62 Summary Department of Inland Fisheries and Game Augusta, Maine Roland H. Cobb, Commissioner George W . Bucknam, Deputy Commissioner Members of Commissioner’s Advisory Council Dr. Alonzo H. Garcelon, Augusta Arthur M. Bennett, Presque Isle George Fletcher, Rangeley Maine Hills, Sr., Belfast Nicholas G. Morrison, Oquossoc John C. Page, Jr., Gorham Don Wilson, Moosehead [2] DEFINITIONS “ Closed Season ” means the period during which it is unlawful to fish for, take, catch, kill, or destroy any fish. “ Open Season ” means the period during which fish may be taken as specified and limited by law and includes the first and last day thereof. (For opening dates in the respective counties please refer to the special rules and regulations to be found in this book.) “ Fly Fishing ” means to cast upon water and retrieve an un­ baited, unweighted, artificial fly attached to a line to which no extra weight has been added. “ Jigging ” shall mean the use of any fishing tackle or device used in an attempt to snag or snare fish. “ Transport ” includes to offer or to receive for transportation. “ Aliens.” All aliens shall be classified as non-residents. Any alien who has resided in this State continuously for 2 years and in addition thereto is assessed and pays taxes on real estate in the municipality in which he resides, may purchase any resident license issued under the provisions of this chapter. This privi­ lege applies to the tax paying alien only and not to any member of his family. “ Resident.” A resident is a citizen of the United States who is domiciled in Maine with the intention of remaining and who has resided in this State during the 3 months next prior to date of application for license. (A ll employees of the Veterans’ Ad­ ministration Facility residing in Maine and employed by the Togus Facility are classified as residents for the purpose of ob­ taining fishing licenses.) “ Non-resident.” Non-residents are persons not coming within the definition of “ resident ” and includes “ aliens ” as defined above. Aliens may not purchase 3-day licenses. The word “ tributary ” means a brook or stream flowing di­ rectly or indirectly into a lake, pond or another stream. A lake or great pond (over 10 acres) shall not be construed to mean “ tributary.” The tributary to a great pond shall not be consid- I ered a tributary to the outlet of that great pond. A “ water thoroughfare ” means a waterway without flowage connecting 2 bodies of water. All thoroughfares and bogs, cov­ ered by the same laws applicable to lakes and ponds. “ Possession limit.” Whenever any waters have a special bag limit, no person shall have in possession more than 1 day’s bag limit taken from those waters. [3] “ Bag limit ” means the maximum limit, in number or amount of fish which may lawfully be taken by any one person during one day. In all waters where the bag limit on black bass has been removed by rule and regulation, the season and method of taking shall be the same as for trout and salmon. “ Inland Waters ” shall include all waters within the State above the rise and fall of the tide. MISCELLANEOUS GENERAL PROVISIONS No person shall fish with more than 2 lines at any one time. It shall be lawful to angle or fish by use of the single-baited hook and line, artificial flies, artificial minnows, artificial insects, spoon hooks and spinners. All pools of state fish hatcheries and rearing stations and all waters within 200 feet of such hatchery and rearing station pools shall be closed to all fishing. Closed Season for Fishing. During the period of the respec­ tive closed season it is Unlawful for any person to fish for, take, catch, kill or have in possession any fish of any kind from such closed waters. Possession of Fishing Tackle. The possession of fishing tackle in the fields, forests, or on the waters or ice of the State, by any person without license, shall be prima facie evidence of fishing in violation of law. Boats, canoes and boats propelled by outboard motors for hire shall be licensed by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Game. Fishways. No person shall fish within 150 feet of any dam in which a fishway is located. Except at Upper Dam in Richard- sontown (T 4 R 1) at the outlet of Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Oxford County, at Middle Dam in T C at the outlet of Lower Richardson Lake in Oxford County and at East Outlet Dam in Sapling (T 1 R 7) in Somerset County and in Big Squaw Moun­ tain in Piscataquis County at the outlet of Moosehead Lake, the fishway and the area within 50 feet of any part of these fishways shall be closed to fishing at all times. This section shall not include the taking of alewives and smelts in the manner provided under the laws regulating sea and shore fisheries. Ponds Formed by Brooks, Streams and Rivers. Ponds 10 acres or less, formed on brooks, streams or rivers shall be governed by the same law regulating fishing that applies to the brook, stream or river on which they are situated, whether said pond be natural or artificial. [4] Thoroughfares and Bogs. The general laws governing lakes and ponds also apply to thoroughfares and bogs. Aircraft, required to have permit for transportation of fish, game or fur-bearing animals. Salmon, trout, togue, black bass, white perch or pickerel from inland waters. No owner, keeper or employee thereof or any other person shall have in his possession any salmon, trout, togue, black bass, white perch or pickerel from the inland waters of the State for the purpose of serving or consuming the same in any camp, house or other building used partly or wholly in lumbering operations, log driving or construction of any kind. Exception, pickerel in Washington County. Explosive, poisonous or stupefying substance. Prohibited in taking fish. Fish spawn, grapnel, spear, trawl, weir, gaff, seine, gill net, trap and set lines, prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to use or have in possession a gill net on any of the inland waters of the State. Smelts, above tide waters may be taken with a dip net except waters prohibited by rule and regulation of the Commissioner. No person shall take, kill, catch, or have in possession more than 4 quarts of smelts in any one day. Live bait for fishing; dealers licensed. It shall be unlawful to sell, use or have in possession, either dead or alive, for use as bait for fishing in the inland waters of this State any pickerel, goldfish, yellow perch, white perch, bass, sunfish, crappie, horn­ pout, carp or any spiny-finned fish, except that fish caught in Little Sebago Lake, Cumberland County, may be used as bait on the day caught. It shall be lawful to take minnows usually used as bait for fishing, other than the above named species, for fishing in all the inland waters of the State during the period that such waters are open for fishing, as bait for fishing only in this State, except that the commissioner may grant permits to take minnows for bait purposes from certain waters at any time. All persons dealing in live bait shall be licensed to do so by the commissioner, and the fee therefor shall be $5 for each calendar year. The license shall authorize the person holding the same to use the ordinary commercial type minnow seine not to exceed 4 feet in depth by 25 feet in length, in the taking of minnows and other unprotected fish commonly used for bait purposes. Persons having a bait dealer’s license under this section may take smelts in accordance with section 55, and a licensed bait dealer may possess more than 4 quarts of bait at any time pro­ [5] viding the taking was legal. No live fish for use as bait for fishing within this State shall be imported from without the State. Hellgramites, transportation out of State, prohibited. Suckers, eels, hornpout, alewives and yellow perch may be taken for market by permit. Spearing of suckers, is lawful in brooks and streams which are open to fishing between April 15 and May 30. Eels, trappers may procure permit to take 20 pounds. Fishing Licenses: Resident Non-Resident (between (16 years old) $2.75 10-16 yrs.) $2.25 Non-Resident Combination 5.25 (16 years old) 8.75 Non-Resident 15-Day 5.75 3-Day 3.75 3-Day 3.75 Resident may exchange 3-day license he has purchased for season license on payment of Clerk’s fee. The 3-day license is for 3 consecutive days only. This license cannot be exchanged for any non-resident license, but may be exchanged by a resident for fishing license only, not for a hunt­ ing or combination.