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Family Fishing
By Harry Vanderweide
Reeling in a wriggling fish on the end of a line is a thrill enjoyed by people of all ages. The variety of fishing available in Maine is what makes the sport so easy for everyone in the family.
Local outfitters offer basic fishing gear and instruction to equip you and your family for a Maine fishing adventure. No experience is necessary! Since fishing does require patience, children might appreciate occasional planned games, activities and snack breaks throughout the day. Keep in mind that warm-water fish are the easiest to catch, and might offer children and beginners the best opportunity for excitement and action.
Whatever game fish is your favorite, you'll find it here. Best of all we've got lots of them. With more than 2,500 lakes and ponds and 5,000 streams, you can spend a lifetime fishing new places in Maine.
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Brook Trout
The brook trout is Maine's favorite fish and there are more wild, never-stocked brook trout waters in Maine than anywhere else. In addition there are hundreds and hundreds of waters stocked with brook trout.
However you want to catch a brookie, you can do it in Maine. If fishing with worms and a bobber off a dock or bank is your thing, you'll find walk-to spots to cast your line. If you enjoy fly casting tiny dry flies on a river or stream, then Maine offers ``name waters," such as Kennebago River, the Roach River and the Rapid River.
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Landlocked Salmon
As popular as brook trout are, Maine's glamour fish is the landlocked salmon. No freshwater fish fights harder or jumps higher than the landlock. If you're a river angler, then you'll head for places like the West Branch of the Penobscot, Grand Lake Stream, or the East Outlet of the Kennebec. If big lakes and trolling are your style then prime waters such as Rangeley Lake, East Grand Lake or Aroostook County's Long Lake are waiting. About 160 Maine waters are managed for landlocked salmon, a number not matched elsewhere.
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Lake Trout
Rounding out Maine's native cold-water game fish is the lake trout, locally called togue. This is a big fish, often reaching 20 pounds or more. You'll find togue in the deeper lakes, with Moosehead and Sebago lakes two productive destinations. Lake trout are dependent on cold, oxygen-rich waters. They are pelagic during the period of summer stratification in dimictic lakes.
What Else Can You Catch in Maine?
The state has a new rainbow trout stocking program and rainbows are now found over a dozen waters where they grow large and feisty. Splake, a cross between brook trout and lake trout that grows to 10 pounds or more, are stocked in dozens of waters too.
Anglers from all over the country flock to Maine these days because the bass fishing is so good. Maine's three largest rivers--the Penobscot, Androscoggin and Kennebec are chockablock full of smallmouths. Most large ponds in southern half of Maine have abundant populations of smallmouths as well. You'll also find plenty of largemouths in the southern third of the state.
What else is available? How about pike over 25 pounds, muskies in the St. John River, crappies in over 300 lakes, plus pickerel, white perch, yellow perch and sunfish just about everywhere.
Yup. Maine's got your fish.
Find fishing information by region at Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and start exploring Maine waters.
Use our trip planner and plan your fishing adventure!
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