FISHING CALENDAR · MAINE

Maine Fishing Calendar

Maine covers the Gulf of Maine coast from Kittery to Eastport, its tidal rivers (Saco, Kennebec, Penobscot), and thousands of lakes and streams such as Sebago, Moosehead and the Rangeley Lakes. Saltwater seasons and closed months come from the 2026 Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) rule sheets, and freshwater rules come from the 2026 Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IFW) lawbook. When-to-fish months come only from DMR, IFW, Maine Sea Grant, NOAA Fisheries and Visit Maine pages. Where no official source gives months, the fish has none listed.

Government fish & wildlife updates

Maine DMR – News & Notices — DMR news, rule changes, closures and advisories.
Maine DMR – Fishing Regulations and Tips — Current 2026 saltwater rule sheets: striped bass, groundfish, sea-run fish and smelt.
MDIFW – Fishing Seasons and Regulations updates — IFW updates on freshwater rule changes.
MDIFW – Fish Stocking updates — Stocking report (by county and town) and stocking update bulletins.
MDIFW – Fisheries News and Reports — IFW fisheries news and biologist reports.

Month by month

Peak (source says best)In season / caughtSpawningClosed seasonOpen, no official month data

Fish	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Notes
Freshwater
Landlocked salmon													In spring and fall they feed near the surface and close to shore. In June through August they go 30–60 ft deep, so troll lead core or a downrigger. Through the ice, fish the top 15 ft. Wild fish spawn from mid-October to late November. General law: 2 a day, 14 in. minimum (in rivers 14–25 in.). Rivers and streams are closed Oct 1–Mar 31. North Zone lakes are also closed Oct 1–Mar 31 unless a water's special rule says otherwise.^[5]^[6]^[11]
Brook trout													In spring and fall you'll find them near shore and at the surface. In summer they hold 10–35 ft deep. In winter they sit near shore in 4–12 ft. Moosehead brook trout spawn in tributaries in early October, and the shore spawners start in mid-November (some into January). General law: 5 a day (only 2 from South Zone lakes), 6 in. minimum. Many waters have special rules.^[5]^[7]^[11]
Lake trout (togue)													In spring and fall, cast or troll close to shore. From late June through August they are usually below 45 ft. Ice fishing is good in 10–100 ft. General law: 2 a day, 18 in. minimum.^[5]^[8]^[11]
Brown trout													The IFW Sebago Lake report says avid anglers rate mid-to-late summer as one of the best times for browns. They feed more at night as summer goes on. General law: 2 a day, 14 in. minimum in lakes (6–25 in. in rivers).^[5]^[10]
Smallmouth bass													In spring and summer, look on shallow rocky bottom and drop-offs in 5–15 ft. IFW calls July prime for warmwater fish, and July–August a great fit for bass. South Zone: 2 a day, only 1 over 14 in. North Zone: no limit (bass are managed as invasive there).^[5]^[10]^[21]
Largemouth bass													Fish weedy shallows and weedy drop-offs. IFW regional reports call July prime for warmwater fish. Same bag rules as smallmouth: 2 a day in the South Zone (only 1 over 14 in.), no limit in the North Zone.^[5]^[10]
Chain pickerel													Found in shallow, weedy water near shore. IFW lists pickerel with bass and perch as a great fit for July–August. No bag or length limit under general law. Sale is prohibited.^[5]^[10]
Cusk (burbot)													Mostly an ice-fishing fish. IFW says mid-February to early March is a great time, in 15–25 ft over sand or gravel. Night fishing is best. Lines set through the ice at night must be checked at least once an hour. They spawn under the ice in late winter. No bag limit.^[5]^[9]^[11]
Rainbow smelt (lakes)													A popular ice-fishing catch. The inland limit is 2 quarts a day. Some waters are closed to smelting, so check the water's special rule codes (S-1, S-2, S-3).^[5]^[11]
Inshore saltwater
Striped bass													Stripers arrive in the Penobscot as early as late May and stay until October or November. Keep 1 a day, 28–31 in. Use non-offset circle hooks with bait, no gaffing, and no fishing in federal waters (more than 3 miles out). Kennebec, Sheepscot and Androscoggin area: closed Dec 1–Jun 30, except catch-and-release May 1–Jun 30 with single-hook artificial lures only.^[2]^[12]^[22]
Bluefish													Bluefish generally, but not always, show up along the Maine coast in summer, chasing menhaden and mackerel. Keep 5 a day, no minimum size. Use circle hooks with bait, and no more than 2 treble hooks per lure. No official best months found.^[1]^[18]
Atlantic mackerel													DMR says mackerel show up in harbors, coves and rivers in late spring. NOAA says the Gulf of Maine mackerel fishery runs May through December. Keep 25 a day, no minimum size. Great on ultralight gear and as bait.^[1]^[13]^[14]
Winter flounder													Fish bottom baits like marine worms and clams in estuaries and harbors. Keep 8 a day, 12 in. minimum. No official best months found.^[1]
Rainbow smelt (sea-run)													There are three fisheries: dip-netting the spring spawning run, hook-and-line in rivers and bays in fall, and ice fishing from smelt shacks on tidal rivers in winter. Zone 1 (NH line to Owls Head): 4 quarts a day Oct 1–Mar 14, 2 quarts Mar 15–Sep 30, hook and line only. Zones 2 and 3 have different dip-net rules. No standing in the water while smelting.^[4]^[11]^[19]^[23]
American shad													Called the poor man's tarpon. Spring is the most popular time, when shad run up rivers to spawn. Keep 2 a day, hook and line only. Waters within 150 ft of a dam fishway are closed. No official best months found.^[3]^[20]^[24]
Offshore
Haddock													Found in 100–500 ft over clay, sand or shell bottom. Keep 15 a day, 17 in. minimum. Closed (no possession) Mar 1–31. NOAA says Gulf of Maine haddock spawn between January and June.^[1]^[15]
Atlantic cod													Open only Sep 1–Oct 31. Keep 1 a day, 23 in. minimum. Closed the rest of the year.^[1]
Pollock													Strong fighters on jigs, bait or trolled lures. No size or bag limit in Maine state waters. In federal waters the minimum is 19 in., with no bag limit. No official best months found.^[1]
Cusk													A deep-water bottom fish, often caught by accident while fishing for cod or haddock. No minimum size or bag limit in Maine's rules. No official best months found.^[1]
Atlantic halibut													Maine state waters: open from sunrise May 18 to sunset June 13, with no fishing on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Minimum 41 in. Each vessel may land 5 a year (charters 25), and each fish must be tagged right away. Use 14/0–16/0 circle hooks. Federal waters: 1 a day, no season. No official best months found.^[1]
Bluefin tuna													DMR says bluefin move into the Gulf of Maine starting in May–June and stay through summer into late fall. A federal HMS permit is required. For 2026, NOAA closed keeping trophy fish (73 in.+ curved fork length) in the Gulf of Maine from Aug 4 to Dec 31. Fish 27 to under 73 in. stay under federal Angling rules.^[16]^[17]^[25]
Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher)													Blue sharks are plentiful and mostly released. Fishing for them in federal waters needs a federal HMS permit. Coastal sharks, including shortfin mako, may not be taken in Maine state waters. No official best months found.^[1]^[26]

Never keep: In Maine you may never keep sea-run Atlantic salmon, Atlantic or shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic wolffish, or coastal sharks (including shortfin mako) in state waters. Inland, redfin pickerel and swamp darter are also protected.^[1]^[3]^[5]

Bait & rig for each fish

Landlocked salmon

Bait: Not allowed: salmon rivers are fly fishing only.

Lures: Classic wet flies and hair-wing flies (Green Highlander, Blue Charm, Cascade), bombers and riffling hitches on the surface.

Leader: 10–15 lb tippet, 9–12 ft.

Maine Fishing Calendar

Government fish & wildlife updates

Month by month

Bait & rig for each fish

Landlocked salmon

Brook trout

Lake trout (togue)

Brown trout

Smallmouth bass

Largemouth bass

Chain pickerel

Striped bass

Bluefish

Atlantic mackerel

Winter flounder

Haddock

Atlantic cod

Pollock

Bluefin tuna

Sharks (blue, porbeagle, thresher)

Local fishing reports — what’s biting now

Sources