When is striped bass season in Maine?

Atlantic + tidal Penobscot + Kennebec + Androscoggin year-round under ASMFC plan. Circle hooks required on natural bait. DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE required ages 16+. 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 striped bass?

The Maine daily bag limit for striped bass is 1 / day per angler (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational). The possession limit is 1 in possession (recreational). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size striped bass can you keep in Maine?

The Maine size rule for striped bass is 28–31 in protected slot (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational). Slot limit: 28–31 in slot — only slot-size fish retainable in the recreational fishery. Trophy rule: Oversized fish (>31 in) MUST be released in the recreational fishery; circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR rule since 2021); Kennebec River + Casco Bay produce 40-50 in trophy fish (50+ lb class) annually.

Do you need a license to fish for striped bass in Maine?

Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for striped bass, 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 striped bass in Maine?

Yes. In Maine, striped bass fishing carries these gear rules: Circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR mandatory rule since 2021); DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE registry-based ages 16+ — registration required, no fee, mandatory under ASMFC interstate plan; Reciprocal Saltwater Registry exemption for CT + NY + NH + MA + RI + NJ + DE saltwater permit / registry holders; No targeting striped bass for sale — strictly recreational fishery; Confirm current-year DMR Marine Fisheries notices — striped bass rules change in-season under ASMFC plan.

Do specific Maine waters have different striped bass rules?

Yes. 8 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide striped bass regulation, including Kennebec River main stem, Penobscot River main stem, Androscoggin River main stem, and 5 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Maine Striped bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Morone saxatilis

Last updated May 26, 2026

Maine's striped bass fishery is anchored by the tidal sections of the three major rivers — Kennebec River (170 miles, Augusta to Bath / Phippsburg estuary), Penobscot River (350 miles, Bangor to Penobscot Bay), and Androscoggin River (178 miles, Brunswick / Topsham estuary) — plus the major Atlantic coast bays (Casco Bay + Penobscot Bay + Frenchman Bay + Cobscook Bay + Passamaquoddy Bay). The Kennebec River is Maine's most celebrated striped bass tidal river — the 2024 removal of the Edwards Dam (Augusta, removed 1999) opened 17 miles of historic spawning habitat back to anadromous fish (striped bass + American shad + alewife + river herring + sea-run brook trout + sturgeon), with the Kennebec striped bass run now one of the most productive in northern New England. DMR adopted ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational rule in 2023 — 28-31 in slot + 1 fish per angler per day. Circle hooks REQUIRED on natural bait for striped bass since 2021 (DMR rule, matches ASMFC mandate). DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE registry-based since 2010 ages 16+ (no fee, mandatory under ASMFC interstate plan — same registry-based no-fee approach as RI + CT + NJ + NC + GA + DC + DE — contrast with MA $10/yr + NH $11/yr). Casco Bay (Portland area, multi-island archipelago — the Calendar Islands 200+ islands) produces the densest summer striped bass concentrations on the Maine coast. Penobscot Bay (Mount Desert Island + Isle au Haut + Vinalhaven + North Haven), Frenchman Bay (Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor area), and the extreme-tidal Cobscook + Passamaquoddy Bays (Eastport / Lubec — 24-ft tides among the highest in the contiguous US) round out the Down East tier. The Penobscot River was historically Maine's most celebrated sea-run Atlantic salmon rod fishery at Bangor — producing 1,000+ salmon in record years — before the 2008 USFWS Distinct Population Segment listing closure (Atlantic salmon now FEDERALLY ENDANGERED catch-and-release ONLY on 14 listed Maine rivers under the DPS recovery plan).

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Season

Atlantic + tidal Penobscot + Kennebec + Androscoggin year-round under ASMFC plan. Circle hooks required on natural bait. DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE required ages 16+.

Jan 1 – Dec 31Atlantic coast bays + tidal Kennebec + Penobscot + Androscoggin
Year-round open ASMFC plan — 28-31 in slot + 1 / day; practical season May – October

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 1 / day per angler (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational)
Possession: 1 in possession (recreational)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 28–31 in protected slot (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational)
Slot: 28–31 in slot — only slot-size fish retainable in the recreational fishery
Trophy rule: Oversized fish (>31 in) MUST be released in the recreational fishery; circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR rule since 2021); Kennebec River + Casco Bay produce 40-50 in trophy fish (50+ lb class) annually

Gear restrictions

Circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR mandatory rule since 2021)
DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE registry-based ages 16+ — registration required, no fee, mandatory under ASMFC interstate plan
Reciprocal Saltwater Registry exemption for CT + NY + NH + MA + RI + NJ + DE saltwater permit / registry holders
No targeting striped bass for sale — strictly recreational fishery
Confirm current-year DMR Marine Fisheries notices — striped bass rules change in-season under ASMFC plan

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Maine waters:

Kennebec River main stem
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; tidal section below Augusta — Maine's most celebrated striped bass tidal river (Edwards Dam removed 1999 reopened 17 miles of historic spawning habitat)
Penobscot River main stem
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; tidal section below Bangor; sea-run Atlantic salmon FEDERALLY ENDANGERED catch-and-release ONLY (USFWS DPS rule since 2009)
Androscoggin River main stem
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; tidal section below Brunswick
Casco Bay
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; densest summer striped bass concentrations on the Maine coast
Penobscot Bay
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; central coast tier
Frenchman Bay
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; Acadia NP / Bar Harbor tier
Cobscook Bay + Passamaquoddy Bay
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; Maine's easternmost Atlantic tidal waters, extreme tidal range (Cobscook Bay 24-ft tides among the highest in the contiguous US)
Salmon Falls River
28-31 in slot, 1 / day; tidal section under NH/ME boundary-waters reciprocity

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

Visit official Maine fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Striped bass 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 striped bass season in Maine?: Atlantic + tidal Penobscot + Kennebec + Androscoggin year-round under ASMFC plan. Circle hooks required on natural bait. DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE required ages 16+. 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 striped bass?: The Maine daily bag limit for striped bass is 1 / day per angler (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational). The possession limit is 1 in possession (recreational). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size striped bass can you keep in Maine?: The Maine size rule for striped bass is 28–31 in protected slot (ASMFC Addendum II harmonized recreational). Slot limit: 28–31 in slot — only slot-size fish retainable in the recreational fishery. Trophy rule: Oversized fish (>31 in) MUST be released in the recreational fishery; circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR rule since 2021); Kennebec River + Casco Bay produce 40-50 in trophy fish (50+ lb class) annually.
Do you need a license to fish for striped bass in Maine?: Yes. Maine requires a valid fishing license to fish for striped bass, 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 striped bass in Maine?: Yes. In Maine, striped bass fishing carries these gear rules: Circle hooks REQUIRED when fishing natural bait for striped bass (DMR mandatory rule since 2021); DMR Recreational Saltwater Fishing Registry FREE registry-based ages 16+ — registration required, no fee, mandatory under ASMFC interstate plan; Reciprocal Saltwater Registry exemption for CT + NY + NH + MA + RI + NJ + DE saltwater permit / registry holders; No targeting striped bass for sale — strictly recreational fishery; Confirm current-year DMR Marine Fisheries notices — striped bass rules change in-season under ASMFC plan.
Do specific Maine waters have different striped bass rules?: Yes. 8 named Maine waters carry rules that override the statewide striped bass regulation, including Kennebec River main stem, Penobscot River main stem, Androscoggin River main stem, and 5 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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