STATE OF MAINE OPEN WATER FISHING REGULATIONS Regulations Effective January 2008 - March 31, 2010 www.maine.gov/ifw SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR OPEN WATER FISHING Waters which have exceptions to the general law are listed by county. In most cases, the exception will be one of the codes listed below and may affect only a portion of the regulations that govern that particular body of water, i.e. only the bag limit on salmon is different from the general law in which case it would read as follows: Smith Pond, Anytown. S-22. All other provisions of general law would apply. S-1: Closed to the taking of smelts. S-17: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fi sh; minimum S-2: Closed to the taking of smelts, except by length limit: 10 inches, only 1 may hook and line. exceed 12 inches. S-3: Tributaries closed to the taking of smelts. S-18: Daily bag limit on trout: 1 fi sh, minimum length limit 18 inches. S-4: Use or possession of live fi sh as bait is prohibited. (The use of dead fi sh, salmon S-19: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fi sh. eggs, or worms is permitted). S-20: Daily bag limit on white perch: 25 fi sh. S-5: Fly fi shing only. S-21: Daily bag limit on trout: 1 fi sh, minimum S-6: Artifi cial lures only. length limit 14 inches. S-7: Boundary waters with New Brunswick, S-22: Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 1 see page 56. fi sh. S-8: All trout less than 6 inches and longer S-23: No longer used. than 12 inches must be released alive at S-24: Extended Season-Remains open to once. open water fi shing from October 1 - De- S-9: Border waters with New Hampshire, see cember 31: artifi cial lures only; all trout, pages 54-55. landlocked salmon, and togue must be released alive at once. S-10: Daily bag limit on togue: 1 fi sh. S-25:Daily bag limit on bass: 2 fi sh; all bass S-11: Fishing restricted to persons under 16 between 13 and 18 inches must be years of age; daily bag limit on trout: 2 released alive at once. fi sh. S-26: Indian Territory Regulations, see pages S-12: No longer used. 57-58. S-13: No size or bag limit on bass. S-27: All fi sh caught must be released alive S-14: No bag limit on pickerel. From July 1 - at once. September 30, artifi cial lures only and minimum length limit on trout: 8 inches. S-28: Togue do not count towards the 5 trout and salmon, in combination, daily S-15: Daily bag limit on togue: 3 fi sh; minimum aggregate bag limit. length limit on togue: 14 inches, only one may exceed 18 inches. S-16: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fi sh; minimum length limit: 12 inches, only 1 may exceed 14 inches. A MESSAGE FROM THE DEPARTMENT As Commissioner of the Department I would like to thank you for purchasing a fi shing license, and choosing Maine as your place to fi sh. If you haven’t purchased your license yet, they may be conveniently obtained at one of our many license agents or online at www.maine.gov/ifw. There is nothing quite like fi shing on that fi rst real warm spring day. The upcoming fi shing season has fantastic opportunities for everyone. Every county in the state has extended fi shing seasons, and on some bodies of water, you can fi sh, weather permitting, right through the end of December. Maine is rapidly becoming known as the destination for anglers, with unparalleled fi shing for species such as bass and trout. Recently, Maine was recognized as the destination for brook trout in the Eastern United States by the Eastern Brook Trout Venture, a consortium of government agencies and conservation groups. In fact, Maine was singled out as the stronghold for brook trout in the United States. Maine has nearly 600 wild or native brook trout waters, and another 700 waterways that are stocked annually. Please remember that regulations and state law prohibit the unauthorized introduction of any fi sh and plants into maine’s waters. Illegal stocking or careless transportation of aquatic plants is very harmful to the fi sh and aquatic environment in any body of water and it’s also illegal. We continue to work towards simplifying fi shing regulations. Of course, we tailor laws to many individual waters, not only to preserve a resource, but also to enhance it. Some waters we manage for trophy size fi sh, while on another waters, we may want to increase the number of fi sh an angler may catch in a day. The department works with anglers in hopes of improving fi shing throughout the state. Over the past ten years, many anglers have told us that the fi shing in Maine has improved. We want to make sure that we continue in that direction, but we do need your help. While on the water, or perhaps at an access site, you may encounter a biologist or notice a survey box. Please take some time to give us feedback on the water you are fi shing. Contact this department if you are interested in keeping a season long summary of your fi shing trips. You can also go online and submit your data at www.triptracks.com. This input helps guide the management of many of Maine’s favorite fi shing waters, so I hope you take the time to let us know what you have caught and how many hours you have spent enjoying Maine while fi shing. A remider from the Maine Warden Service - please wear a life jacket! Unfortunately during every open water fi shing season tragedies occur. The most common cause of such tragedy is an unexpected cold-water immersion without a lifejacket. Even if the weater is warm, the water is often cold. Don’t take a chance. Enjoy your license. Maine is a wonderful state in which to spend time outdoors. I encourage you to contact your local game warden for answers to your questions about fi shing in your area - from laws to conditions to good spots to go, a warden is there to help you out. I wish you many safe and enjoyable fi shing trips this year. Thank you. Roland D. Martin, Commissioner COMMENTS & COMPLAINTS — If you wish to make a comment about any member of the Department, please come to or call the closest offi ce and talk to the appropriate staff member. Written com- ments should be mailed to: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 284 State St., 41 SHS Augusta, ME 04333-0041 Receipt of your correspondence will be formally acknowledged in writing. 1 STATE of MAINE DEPARTMENT of INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE ROLAND D. MARTIN Commissioner PAUL F. JACQUES Deputy Commissioner MAIN OFFICE 284 State St., 41 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333-0041 (207) 287-8000. Visit our web site: www.maine.gov/ifw Operation Game Thief - 1-800-ALERT US (253-7887) In State or (207) 287-6057 Out of State REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS Ashland ....(207) 435-3231 Greenville ..(207) 695-3756 Bangor.......(207) 941-4440 Jonesboro ..(207) 434-5925 Enfi eld .......(207) 732-4131 Sidney .........(207) 547-5300 Gray ..........(207) 657-2345 Strong .........(207) 778-3322 IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF THE SERVICES OF A GAME WARDEN OR MARINE PATROL OFFICER, CALL THE REGIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER NEAREST YOU AT THE FOLLOWING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS Augusta ...........1-800-452-4664 Houlton ............ 1-800-924-2261 Gray .................1-800-482-0730 Orono ............... 1-800-432-7381 Members of the Commissioner’s Advisory Council Sheridan R. Oldham — Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Sagadahoc Counties ...(207) 872-7136 R. Leo Kieffer (Chair) — Aroostook County ........................................................(207) 493-3190 Ron Usher — Cumberland County .....................................................................(207) 854-8530 Stephen Philbrick — Franklin and Oxford Counties ...........................................(207) 864-3671 Frank Dunbar — Hancock County ......................................................................(207) 469-2667 Michael Witte — Knox, Lincoln, and Waldo Counties.........................................(207) 677-2587 Joe Clark (Vice-Chair) — Penobscot County .....................................................(207) 723-9262 Raymond Poulin, Jr. — Piscataquis and Somerset Counties ............................(207) 924-3912 Albion Goodwin — Washington County..............................................................(207) 726-5574 Robert Savage — York County ...........................................................................(207) 637-2261 NOTE! The Regional Communication Center numbers may be used to report a fi re, ONLY if a fi re warden or forest ranger cannot be reached. To report wildfi re arson call 1-800-987-0257 — The Maine Forest Service, Department of Conservation. 2 STATE of MAINE OPEN WATER FISHING REGULATIONS NOTE: As indicated on the front of this publication, the regulations contained in this book are effective until March 31, 2010. Please DO NOT DISCARD this publication. General Department Information Licensing Information Contact Information ....................................2 Fish License Revocation Information .......61 Message from the Governor .......................7 Laws About Bait and Bait Dealers ............60 Message from the Department ...................1 Laws Pertaining to Licenses ................59-60 License Fees .................................. 61 & 71 General Laws Laws & Defi nitions .................................8-11 Indian Territory .................................57-58 Season/Bag/Possession/ Minimum Length Limits ............................8 International Boundary and Border Waters Special Regulations ...........Back Cover Flap New Hampshire ...................................54-55 New Brunswick .........................................56 Special Exceptions by County & River Androscoggin ............................................12 Other Information Aroostook ............................................13-16 Access Rights to Public