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GENERAL FISHING LAWS AND DEFINITIONS
GENERAL FISHING LAWS
Advance Baiting: It is unlawful to deposit any meat, bones, dead fish, or other food material in inland waters for the purpose of luring fish. However, it is lawful to place food particles in a baitfish trap for the purpose of luring baitfish( Title 12, § 12657).
Bag Limit( All Fish): Any fish, except baitfish and smelts, taken from inland waters shall be immediately released alive into the water from which it was taken, or killed at once. Any fish killed becomes part of the daily bag limit( Title 12, § 12611).
Bait Containers: A person selling bait may not provide or sell the bait in containers composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam plastic. This does not apply to baitfish( Title 12, § 12553-2).
Baitfish: See laws on pages 55-56 concerning the use of baitfish( live or dead).
Closed Waters: All inland waters, including those in Indian Territory( See page A-3), are closed to ice fishing except those opened by rule( Open Water Fishing – Title 12, § 12453, Ice Fishing – Title 12, § 12454).
Cusk Lines: All lines set through the ice at night( sunset to sunrise) for cusk must be checked at least once every hour by the person who set them( Title 12, § 12659-A-4).
Complimentary( Free) Fishing License Provisions: A free fishing license will be issued, upon application, to the following( these free licenses may be obtained at the Department Office in Augusta):
1. Any Maine resident who is blind( Title 12, § 10853-2);
2. Any Maine Native American who is a member of the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, or Micmac Tribe( must obtain licenses from their respective tribal headquarters)( Title 12, § 10853-8);
3. A resident or nonresident, if reciprocal privileges exist in the home state of the nonresident, who is a war veteran and has a service-connected disability of 50 %( Title 12, § 10853-4);
4. Any Maine resident( or nonresident, if reciprocal privileges exist in the home state of the nonresident) who is suffering from the loss, or loss of use, of both lower extremities( Title 12, § 10853-3);
5. Any person with a developmental disability( as defined in Title 5, § 19503)( Title 12, § 10853-10);
6. Any person with a head injury( as defined in Title 22, § 3086)( Title 12, § 10853-12); and
7. Any resident 16 or 17 years old in the custody of the Dept. of Health and Human Services( Title 12, § 10853-16).
8. Any person or entity that allows a group of persons with disabilities to fish in a location for a period of time as specified on the license( Title 12, § 10853-17).
Complimentary License Holders: Complimentary license holders eligible to fish in S-9 waters includes all of those listed under the Complimentary Fishing License Provisions above except item 2.
Failure to Label Fish: It is unlawful to keep bass, landlocked salmon, togue( lake trout) or trout at any sporting camp, hotel, public lodging place or any place other than a person’ s residence without attaching the name and address of the person who caught the fish( Title 12,§ 12608).
Fishways: The area within 150 feet of any operational fishway is closed to fishing. For purposes of this subsection“ operational” means a fishway capable of fish passage whether or not it is allowing the passage of fish at any given time).
Note: These provisions do not restrict the taking of alewives and smelts in accordance with laws regulating marine resources( Title 12, § 12457).
Exceptions: Any fishway exceptions are noted in the special fishing laws section.
Fly Fishing: No more than 3 unbaited artificial flies individually attached to a line may be used.( Title 12, § 12654-A).
Note: It is unlawful to troll a fly in waters restricted to fly fishing only( Title 12, § 12658).
Free Fishing Days: Will take place on February 14-15, 2026 and May 30-31, 2026. On these days, any person( except those whose license has been suspended or revoked) may fish without a license. All other laws and regulations apply on these days( Title 12, § 12503-3).
Ice Fishing Shack: A person who owns any shack or temporary structure used for ice fishing:
• Must remove the shack or structure( 1) In any area of the State in which there is a closed ice fishing season, by ice out or 3 days after the close of the ice fishing season, whichever is earlier; and( 2) In any area of the State in which there is no close of the ice fishing season, by ice out or March 31st, whichever is earlier.( Title 12, § 12661).
• Shall identify on the outside of the shack or structure in 2-inch letters, the owner’ s name and address when the shack or structure is on the ice of any inland waters( Title 12, § 12661).
• A person may not leave a structure on another person’ s land without permission of the landowner( Title 17, § 2263-A). A landowner may immediately remove or destroy a structure left on their property and may recover the costs associated with doing so( Title 12, § 12661).
Illegal Fishing: Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful to fish other than with a single baited hook and line, artificial flies or artificial lures and spinners.
Exception: This does not apply to hook and line smelt fishing( Title 12, § 12654). All other rules and regulations governing the taking of smelt apply. Use of gaff is unlawful( Title 12, § 12656).
Illegal Use of Antifreeze: Adding substances containing ethylene glycol or other antifreeze agents to waters of this State is illegal( Title 38, § 413).
Illegal Use of Implements:
A. Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful to possess any grapnel, trawl, weir, seine, gill net, trap, set line or drop net on or adjacent to any of the inland waters of this State.
B. Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful to fish with a grapnel, spear, spear gun, trawl, weir, gaff, seine, gill net, trap, or set lines( Title 12, § 12656).
Importation of Fish: It is unlawful to import any live freshwater fish or eggs into this State without a valid permit( Title 12, § 12509 & Title 12, § 12556).
Lead Sinker and Lead Jig Sale and Use: It is unlawful to use, sell, or offer for sale lead sinkers and unpainted lead jigs measuring 2.5 inches or less in length or weighing one ounce or less.
It is unlawful to sell or offer for sale painted lead jigs measuring 2.5 inches or less in length or weighing 1 ounce or less. Effective September 1, 2026, the use of painted lead jigs measuring 2.5 inches or less in length or weighing 1 ounce or less will be prohibited( Title 12, § 12663-B & Title 12, § 12664).
Sale restrictions are statewide; use restrictions only apply in inland waters.
2026 STATE OF MAINE LAWS & RULES FISHING