Maine Public Waters
3 notable public water bodies. Use “Fishing near me” to sort by distance.
| Water | Type | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moosehead Lake ME | lake | — | Landlocked salmon and brook trout. |
| Sebago Lake ME | lake | — | Landlocked salmon. |
| Kennebec River ME | river | — |
Coordinates are approximate. Always confirm public access, boat-launch status, and local rules with the managing agency before you travel.
Spot profiles
Each profile covers the water’s type, the species recorded there, access notes, and the regulations or special rules that apply to that specific waterbody.
Moosehead Lake
Sebago Lake
Kennebec River
Planning a trip in Maine
Everything below is drawn from FishFig's verified Maine data layer — license fees, stocking records, resolved statewide limits, and reported license-free dates. Each figure names its source.
Public waters in Maine covered here
This state hub indexes 3 notable public water bodies: 2 lakes, 1 river. The dataset is a curated list of destination waters rather than every public access point, so a productive local pond or municipal lake near you may still be missing.
Species profiles exist for 3 of the 3 tracked waters. Commonly indexed destinations include Moosehead Lake, Sebago Lake and Kennebec River.
Use the "Fishing near me" sorter on this page to reorder the list by straight-line distance from your location. Straight-line distance is a planning estimate, not a drive time — a water 20 miles away across a ridge or a bay can take far longer to reach than one 40 miles down a highway, and seasonal closures, launch fees, and permit requirements are set by the managing agency rather than by this list.
What a Maine fishing license costs
A resident annual license for Maine is $30.00, and the non-resident annual license is $83.00 — a difference of $53.00. The non-resident rate is roughly 2.8 times the resident rate — meaning the license is usually the smallest expense in the trip budget.
Short-term options as published: 1-day $18.00; 3-day $30.00; 7-day $62.00; 15-day $66.00.
At the published short-term prices, a resident annual license breaks even at about 2 single days, 1 three-day passes, 1 seven-day passes. Below that trip count the short-term pass is cheaper; above it the annual license is. (Break-even arithmetic from the published fees — confirm current products with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.)
Saltwater: Saltwater recreational fishing registration is separate via Maine DMR: $1.00 online / $2.00 via license agent..
Senior and reduced-rate options: Resident lifetime fishing license $8.00 at age 70+; tiered lifetime rates by age (e.g., 65 $50.00, 69 $10.00)..
Separate aquatic-invasive-species stamp: Included in ME registration fee ($25); non-Maine/non-resident boat $60 (increased from $59, effective Jan 1, 2025).
Source: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — License Requirements and Fees (2026).
Stocking in Maine
A statewide annual stocking total for Maine is pending verification in this dataset, so this tool shows no number rather than an estimate. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife publishes stocking by water, county, and species.
Stocking totals for Maine are pending verification. State fish agencies publish annual stocking lists by water, county, and species; consult Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for current figures before relying on any number.
Source: verify locally — see Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocking reports.
Why stocking matters to planning: put-and-take fisheries are the most catch-rate-sensitive to plant timing, so a water that fishes poorly in April can fish well in May once the trucks arrive. Check the current-year plant list before writing off a water, and check it again before assuming a hot bite will last.
Size and bag limits tracked for Maine
Maine has 7 statewide limits resolved in this tool — Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Flounder, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass and Striped Bass. Each entry below carries the agency citation it came from.
Brook Trout: minimum length 6 in; bag 5 (only 2 from South Zone lakes/ponds); season Lakes/ponds: North Zone Apr 1 – Sep 30, South Zone year-round; rivers/streams Apr 1 – Aug 15; Splake and Arctic charr included in brook trout limit.. Citation: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — 2026 Maine Open Water Fishing Regulations (Statewide General Laws).
Brown Trout: minimum length 14 in; bag 2; season Lakes/ponds: North Zone Apr 1 – Sep 30, South Zone year-round; rivers/streams Apr 1 – Aug 15; Rivers: 6 in minimum, 25 in maximum.. Citation: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — 2026 Maine Open Water Fishing Regulations (Statewide General Laws).
Flounder: minimum length 12 in; bag 8; season Year-round (saltwater); Winter flounder; saltwater only.. Citation: Maine DMR — 2026 recreational saltwater fishing regulations (winter flounder).
Largemouth Bass: bag South Zone: 2 (only 1 over 14 in); North Zone: no limit; season North Zone lakes/ponds Apr 1 – Sep 30; South Zone year-round (rivers/streams Apr 1 – Aug 15); No minimum size. North Zone = counties north of the Androscoggin River; South Zone = remainder. Special waters (e.g., Great Pond, Cobbosseecontee Lake) differ.. Citation: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — 2026 Maine Open Water Fishing Regulations (Statewide General Laws).
Rainbow Trout: minimum length 12 in; bag 2; season Lakes/ponds: North Zone Apr 1 – Sep 30, South Zone year-round; rivers/streams Apr 1 – Aug 15; Rivers: 6 in minimum.. Citation: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — 2026 Maine Open Water Fishing Regulations (Statewide General Laws).
Smallmouth Bass: bag South Zone: 2 (only 1 over 14 in); North Zone: no limit; season North Zone lakes/ponds Apr 1 – Sep 30; South Zone year-round (rivers/streams Apr 1 – Aug 15); No minimum size. North Zone = counties north of the Androscoggin River; South Zone = remainder. Special waters differ.. Citation: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — 2026 Maine Open Water Fishing Regulations (Statewide General Laws).
These are statewide general rules only. Slot limits, special-regulation waters, catch-and-release stretches, and zone-by-zone seasons override them — and a general rule that is absent from this list is not the same as no restriction. Confirm the rule for the exact water you are fishing with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife before keeping a fish.
Free fishing days in Maine
Reported license-free dates for 2026: February 14–15 & May 30–31, 2026. Most states waive the license only, not the rules — size and bag limits, gear restrictions, seasons, and any required report card still apply, and some states still require a free or zero-cost license to be issued before you fish.
Reported for 2026 by public aggregators and may not match the official state schedule. Always confirm the current year’s dates and any species/stamp exceptions with the agency before planning.
Source: Compiled from 2026 public Free-Fishing-Day roundups (modefreefinds.com, heyitsfree.net, fishkillflea.com). Not an official source — verify with the state agency. (compiled 2026-08-29).
State agency & contact
Licenses, regulations, and stocking are set by the agency below. When FishFig can’t verify a figure, contact them directly.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
FishFig is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Verify every figure with the agency before purchasing a license, keeping fish, or relying on stocking data.