When is brown 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). 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 brown trout?

The Maine daily bag limit for brown trout is 2 / day statewide (per-species, no combined trout aggregate). 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 brown trout can you keep in Maine?

The Maine size rule for brown trout is 14 in min lakes & ponds; 6 in min, 25 in max rivers & streams. Trophy rule: Maine state-record brown trout 23 lb 8 oz (Square Pond, Robert Hodsdon, March 6 1996 — an ice-fishing catch); Sebago Lake + Square Pond + the lower Kennebec sea-run reaches produce 5-10+ lb holdover + salter browns.

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

Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for brown 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 brown trout in Maine?

Yes. In Maine, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Rivers & streams convert to artificial-lures / flies only August 16 – September 30 (statewide general law); Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated trout / salmon 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 + Special Fishing Laws for water-by-water S-codes.

Do specific Maine waters have different brown trout rules?

Yes. 5 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Sebago Lake, Square Pond, Sebasticook Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

Salmo trutta

Last updated May 30, 2026

Brown trout (Salmo trutta — a European import first brought to North America in 1883) is MDIFW's workhorse stocked salmonid across southern + central Maine, thriving in warmer, lower-elevation lakes, ponds, and tailwater rivers where native brook trout struggle. MDIFW stocks brown trout into dozens of waters annually, building put-grow-and-take fisheries plus genuine holdover trophy populations. Flagship brown trout waters include Sebago Lake (Cumberland County — browns alongside the landlocked salmon + togue flagship), Square Pond (Acton / Shapleigh, York County — source of the Maine state-record brown trout 23 lb 8 oz), Auburn Lake + Sabattus Pond (Androscoggin County), Mousam Lake + the Mousam River (York County), Sebasticook Lake (Penobscot County), Long Lake (Cumberland County), and the cold tailwater reaches of the Kennebec River below Wyman + Williams dams, the lower Androscoggin River, and the St. George + Sheepscot rivers. Under MDIFW's reformed zone-based general law, brown trout carry a PER-SPECIES daily limit of 2 fish per day (there is NO combined trout/salmon/togue aggregate), with a 14-inch minimum length on lakes & ponds and a 6-inch minimum / 25-inch maximum on rivers & streams (the 25-inch cap protects the largest sea-run + holdover browns). Maine's most celebrated brown trout fishery is the sea-run 'salter' run that ascends the lower Kennebec + Androscoggin + Mousam + coastal rivers each fall.

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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).

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
Apr 1 – Aug 15Rivers & streams (all methods)
All-methods open water April 1 – Aug 15; Aug 16 – Sept 30 artificial lures / flies only

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 2 / day statewide (per-species, no combined trout aggregate)
Possession: Same as daily limit (confirm current MDIFW Fishing Law Book)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 14 in min lakes & ponds; 6 in min, 25 in max rivers & streams
Trophy rule: Maine state-record brown trout 23 lb 8 oz (Square Pond, Robert Hodsdon, March 6 1996 — an ice-fishing catch); Sebago Lake + Square Pond + the lower Kennebec sea-run reaches produce 5-10+ lb holdover + salter browns

Gear restrictions

Rivers & streams convert to artificial-lures / flies only August 16 – September 30 (statewide general law)
Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated trout / salmon 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 + Special Fishing Laws for water-by-water S-codes

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Maine waters:

Sebago Lake
South Zone: 2 / day, 14 in min; browns alongside the landlocked salmon + togue flagship
Square Pond
South Zone (York County): 2 / day, 14 in min; source of the Maine state-record brown trout 23 lb 8 oz (1996)
Sebasticook Lake
South Zone (Penobscot County south of Routes 11 & 157): 2 / day, 14 in min
Kennebec River main stem
Rivers & streams general law: 2 / day, 6 in min / 25 in max; cold tailwater browns below Wyman + Williams dams; Aug 16 – Sept 30 artificial only
Androscoggin River main stem
Rivers & streams general law: 2 / day, 6 in min / 25 in max; lower-river sea-run salter browns; Aug 16 – Sept 30 artificial only

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.

The brown trout rules on this page are sourced from Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (MDIFW) — freshwater; Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) — saltwater's official brown trout regulation page.

Visit official Maine fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Brown 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 brown 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). 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 brown trout?: The Maine daily bag limit for brown trout is 2 / day statewide (per-species, no combined trout aggregate). 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 brown trout can you keep in Maine?: The Maine size rule for brown trout is 14 in min lakes & ponds; 6 in min, 25 in max rivers & streams. Trophy rule: Maine state-record brown trout 23 lb 8 oz (Square Pond, Robert Hodsdon, March 6 1996 — an ice-fishing catch); Sebago Lake + Square Pond + the lower Kennebec sea-run reaches produce 5-10+ lb holdover + salter browns.
Do you need a license to fish for brown trout in Maine?: Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for brown 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 brown trout in Maine?: Yes. In Maine, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Rivers & streams convert to artificial-lures / flies only August 16 – September 30 (statewide general law); Live fish bait PROHIBITED on listed designated trout / salmon 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 + Special Fishing Laws for water-by-water S-codes.
Do specific Maine waters have different brown trout rules?: Yes. 5 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Sebago Lake, Square Pond, Sebasticook Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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