The landlocked salmon is one of Maine’s most highly prized and sought after sportfish. Sewn smelts or artificial lures that imitate smelts are effective baits. Fly-casting can be productive in lakes during insect hatches, and is the preferred method for catching salmon in rivers.

Read the entire 2013 Maine Open Water & Ice Fishing Guide online! Our unique digital edition allows you to page through the entire guide, just as if you were reading the magazine.

Over 90% of Maine is privately owned, yet through the generosity of private landowners, we have access to millions of acres for outdoor activities. The Outdoor Partners Program works with landowners, large and small, to keep land open for outdoor recreation.

Some ponds that support high growth rates are managed to provide anglers an expectation of catching larger than average size trout. Conversely, some waters that tend to produce high abundances of trout are managed to provide anglers an expectation of ‘faster fishing’ or higher catch rates for smaller trout.