This weekend is Maine’s free fishing weekend and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging everyone to get outside and enjoy a day of fishing with family or friends on one of Maine’s many waters.
Free fishing weekend takes place on Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3, and any person, including nonresidents, may fish for free without a license on Maine’s waterways, except those who have had their license suspended or revoked. All other rules and regulations, including bag and possession limits, apply. For more information on the rules and regulations on one’s favorite water, go to mefishwildlife.com/fishinglaws.
Fishing is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Maine’s great outdoors. There are wonderful fishing opportunities throughout the state on the nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds and more than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.
Wondering where to go? Check out the improved Maine Fishing Guide at mefishwildlife.com/maine-fishing-guide. This statewide guide features the top fishing destinations in the state, broken down by species, tips on how to catch various species, and even provides advice on how to fish with children. One can even use the department’s Google Earth data layers on one’s desktop to select one’s next fishing destination.
And the fun doesn’t have to stop after the weekend. One can go online at mefishwildlife.com and get a license. There are license options for a day, a week, 15 days, or a season. The cost for a day of fishing is less than one would pay to go to the movies. And kids under 16 always fish free.
Last year, over 345,000 people were licensed to fish in Maine and fishing contributes over $370 million to Maine’s economy. Money from license sales helps protect Maine’s waters, enhances Maine’s fisheries, and provides water access on many of Maine’s lakes and rivers.
The department stocks more than one million fish each year and manages more than 20 species of freshwater game fish. Go online to maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/fishing-resources/fish-stocking-report.html for information on where fish have been stocked lately.
The department also offers a free ice fishing weekend in February each year.
For a complete list of fishing regulations, including limits and sizes, visit mefishwildlife.com/fishinglaws.
For more information on fishing opportunities in Maine, go to mefishwildlife.com/maine-fishing-guide.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife preserves, protects, and enhances the inland fisheries and wildlife resources of the state. Established in 1880 to protect big game populations, the department has since evolved in scope to include protection and management of fish, nongame wildlife, and habitats, as well as restoration of endangered species like the bald eagle. In addition to its conservation duties, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is also responsible for enabling and promoting the safe enjoyment of Maine’s outdoors — from whitewater rafting to boating, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. The agency’s constituents include the fish, wildlife, and people who call Maine home, as well as the visiting outdoor enthusiasts and ecotourists who call Maine “Vacationland” and contribute hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the state’s economy.
