What is the Maine bag limit for brook trout?

The Maine daily bag limit for brook trout is 5 / day North Zone lakes & ponds; 2 / day South Zone lakes & ponds — PER-SPECIES, no combined trout aggregate; 2 / day on listed Quality Management waters. The possession limit is Same as daily limit (confirm current MDIFW Fishing Law Book). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

Do you need a license to fish for brook trout in Maine?

Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for brook trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Maine license — compare resident and non-resident Maine fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for brook trout in Maine?

Yes. In Maine, brook trout fishing carries these gear rules: Artificial-lures-only NO LIVE BAIT on listed Heritage Fish Waters + Quality Management waters; Fly-fishing-only restrictions on listed wild brook trout streams + ponds (Sourdnahunk + Big Reed + Rangeley Quality reaches); Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated waters; Felt-soled wading boots BANNED on Maine wild trout / salmon waters since 2011 (whirling disease + didymo prevention); MDIFW Inland Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($25 res / $64 NR annual); Confirm current-year MDIFW Fishing Law Book for special waters list — brook trout rules are water-by-water.

Do specific Maine waters have different brook trout rules?

Yes. 7 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide brook trout regulation, including Rangeley Lake, Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Upper Richardson Lake, and 4 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Maine Brook trout 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Salvelinus fontinalis

Last updated May 26, 2026

Maine is the brook trout capital of the United States — the state holds approximately 95% of all remaining intact eastern US wild brook trout pond habitat (the most comprehensive wild brook trout pond inventory in North America). MDIFW's MAINE HERITAGE FISH WATERS program designates 280+ ponds with self-sustaining native brook trout populations — listed Heritage Fish Waters carry NO STOCKING + NO LIVE BAIT + artificial-lures-only restrictions year-round, preserving the last extensive wild-brook-trout pond habitat on the continent. Big Reed Pond (Aroostook County — 90-acre Heritage Pond, one of the most celebrated wild brook trout ponds in the US, fly-fishing-only artificial-only). Sourdnahunk Lake (Piscataquis County — 1,500-acre flagship Heritage Pond, fly-fishing-only artificial-only). Pierce Pond (Somerset County — 1,650-acre Heritage Pond). The Rangeley Lakes Region (Rangeley + Mooselookmeguntic + Upper + Lower Richardson + Aziscohos) is the historic global fly-fishing brook trout destination — site of the all-tackle world-record brook trout 14 lb 8 oz Daniel Webster 1916 Upper Dam between Mooselookmeguntic + Upper Richardson (still standing as the world record). The Allagash Wilderness Waterway (92-mile federally-designated Wild & Scenic river system 1970 — Allagash Lake + Chamberlain + Eagle + Churchill + Umsaskis + Long Lake + Round Pond) carries Maine's most remote brook trout wilderness fishery. Native wild brook trout streams across the state include the Kennebago + Magalloway + Cupsuptic + Spencer Stream + Cold Stream (Bingham area) + Roach River + Moose River + Allagash + St. John River system tier. Under MDIFW's reformed zone-based general law the brook trout daily limit is now PER-SPECIES (there is NO combined trout/salmon/togue aggregate): 5 fish per day in the North Zone but only 2 fish per day on South Zone lakes & ponds, 6-inch minimum length. Heritage Fish + Quality Management waters carry 10-12 inch minimums + 2 fish per day. The modern Maine state-record brook trout is 9 lb 2 oz (Mousam Lake, 2010) — though the all-tackle WORLD record 14 lb 8 oz (Daniel Webster, 1916, Upper Dam between Mooselookmeguntic + Upper Richardson) still stands. Brook trout is the MAINE STATE FISH.

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Season

North Zone lakes & ponds April 1 – September 30 (closed October – March except listed ice-fishing waters); South Zone lakes & ponds open year-round (ice + open water); rivers & streams statewide April 1 – Aug 15 (all methods) then Aug 16 – Sept 30 (artificial lures / flies only); 280+ Heritage Fish Waters carry artificial-lures-only no-bait restrictions year-round.

Apr 1 – Sep 30North Zone lakes & ponds
Open-water harvest April 1 – September 30; closed Oct – Mar except listed ice-fishing waters
Jan 1 – Dec 31South Zone lakes & ponds
Open year-round to ice + open-water fishing

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day North Zone lakes & ponds; 2 / day South Zone lakes & ponds — PER-SPECIES, no combined trout aggregate; 2 / day on listed Quality Management waters
Possession: Same as daily limit (confirm current MDIFW Fishing Law Book)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 6 in min general law; 10-12 in min on listed Heritage Fish + Quality Management waters
Trophy rule: Maine produces the world-record all-tackle brook trout — 14 lb 8 oz Daniel Webster 1916 Upper Dam (between Mooselookmeguntic + Upper Richardson, Rangeley Lakes Region) still standing as the IGFA all-tackle world record; 4-6 lb fish from Heritage Fish Waters + Allagash + Rangeley region annually

Gear restrictions

Artificial-lures-only NO LIVE BAIT on listed Heritage Fish Waters + Quality Management waters
Fly-fishing-only restrictions on listed wild brook trout streams + ponds (Sourdnahunk + Big Reed + Rangeley Quality reaches)
Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated waters
Felt-soled wading boots BANNED on Maine wild trout / salmon waters since 2011 (whirling disease + didymo prevention)
MDIFW Inland Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($25 res / $64 NR annual)
Confirm current-year MDIFW Fishing Law Book for special waters list — brook trout rules are water-by-water

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Maine waters:

Rangeley Lake
12 in min, 2 / day Quality Management; historic global fly-fishing destination
Mooselookmeguntic Lake
12 in min, 2 / day Quality Management; world-record 14 lb 8 oz Daniel Webster 1916 Upper Dam
Upper Richardson Lake
12 in min, 2 / day Quality Management; Upper Dam fly-fishing reach
Maine Heritage Fish Waters
Native brook trout preservation; NO STOCKING + NO LIVE BAIT + artificial-lures-only year-round; standard 5 / day trout aggregate, listed waters 10-12 in min
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
Wilderness brook trout; multiple Heritage Fish Waters within corridor — artificial-lures-only on listed ponds; 6 in min + 5 / day aggregate standard
Moosehead Lake
8 in min, 2 / day; native brook trout flagship lake
West Branch Penobscot River below Ripogenus Dam
Fly-fishing-only artificial-only catch-and-release on designated reaches; cold-water releases support trophy brook trout year-round

Official source

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) — freshwater; Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) — saltwater publishes the authoritative 2026 Mainefishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Maine fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Brook trout closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Maine trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is brook trout season in Maine?: North Zone lakes & ponds April 1 – September 30 (closed October – March except listed ice-fishing waters); South Zone lakes & ponds open year-round (ice + open water); rivers & streams statewide April 1 – Aug 15 (all methods) then Aug 16 – Sept 30 (artificial lures / flies only); 280+ Heritage Fish Waters carry artificial-lures-only no-bait restrictions year-round. Those are the 2026 Maine dates; always confirm against Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) — freshwater; Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) — saltwater before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.
What is the Maine bag limit for brook trout?: The Maine daily bag limit for brook trout is 5 / day North Zone lakes & ponds; 2 / day South Zone lakes & ponds — PER-SPECIES, no combined trout aggregate; 2 / day on listed Quality Management waters. The possession limit is Same as daily limit (confirm current MDIFW Fishing Law Book). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size brook trout can you keep in Maine?: The Maine size rule for brook trout is 6 in min general law; 10-12 in min on listed Heritage Fish + Quality Management waters. Trophy rule: Maine produces the world-record all-tackle brook trout — 14 lb 8 oz Daniel Webster 1916 Upper Dam (between Mooselookmeguntic + Upper Richardson, Rangeley Lakes Region) still standing as the IGFA all-tackle world record; 4-6 lb fish from Heritage Fish Waters + Allagash + Rangeley region annually.
Do you need a license to fish for brook trout in Maine?: Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for brook trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Maine license — compare resident and non-resident Maine fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for brook trout in Maine?: Yes. In Maine, brook trout fishing carries these gear rules: Artificial-lures-only NO LIVE BAIT on listed Heritage Fish Waters + Quality Management waters; Fly-fishing-only restrictions on listed wild brook trout streams + ponds (Sourdnahunk + Big Reed + Rangeley Quality reaches); Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated waters; Felt-soled wading boots BANNED on Maine wild trout / salmon waters since 2011 (whirling disease + didymo prevention); MDIFW Inland Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($25 res / $64 NR annual); Confirm current-year MDIFW Fishing Law Book for special waters list — brook trout rules are water-by-water.
Do specific Maine waters have different brook trout rules?: Yes. 7 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide brook trout regulation, including Rangeley Lake, Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Upper Richardson Lake, and 4 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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