Fishing in
Maine
9,371 named waters · 1 stocked in the last 30 days
Maine's lakes hold landlocked salmon and brook trout in numbers most states can't match, with Moosehead Lake and the waters around the Allagash Wilderness Waterway at the heart of that fishery. The whole system depends on smelt as forage, and Maine manages its landlocked salmon lakes around protecting that baitfish population.
Maine holds 9,371 fishable waters on the books. MDIFW has logged 887 stockings in the last year, led by brook trout. The biggest water in the state is Moosehead Lake at 75,598 acres.
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When does Maine stock?
Stocking peaks in May, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Brook Trout247 waters
- Landlocked Salmon67 waters
- Brown Trout34 waters
- Splake21 waters
- Rainbow Trout11 waters
- Lake Trout7 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Limestone StreamBrook TroutJul 2, 2026
- Little Androscoggin RiverBrown TroutJun 30, 2026
- Little Androscoggin RiverBrown TroutJun 30, 2026
- Little Androscoggin RiverBrown TroutJun 30, 2026
- Little Androscoggin RiverBrown TroutJun 30, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Little Androscoggin River36× stocked
- Sandy River19× stocked
- Piscataquis River14× stocked
- Androscoggin River14× stocked
- Little River14× stocked
- Carrabassett River13× stocked
- Beaver Brook Lake12× stocked
- Saco River12× stocked
- Little Ossipee River11× stocked
- Presumpscot River11× stocked
Biggest waters
- Moosehead Lake75,598 ac
- Sebago Lake30,544 ac
- Chesuncook Lake18,902 ac
- Big Lake17,751 ac
- Flagstaff Lake17,377 ac
- Grand Lake15,806 ac
- West Grand Lake14,484 ac
- Mooselookmeguntic Lake13,657 ac
Major rivers
- Kennebec Riverorder 8 · ~16,897 cfs
- Bog Brookorder 8 · ~14,294 cfs
- Mill Brookorder 8 · ~14,280 cfs
- Penobscot Riverorder 8 · ~14,207 cfs
- Sebasticook Riverorder 8 · ~1,516 cfs
- Saco Riverorder 7 · ~3,504 cfs
- Piscataquis Riverorder 7 · ~2,724 cfs
- East Branch Sebasticook Riverorder 7 · ~353 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Piscataquis (1,262) · Aroostook (1,199) · Washington (1,079) · Hancock (971) · Somerset (858) · Penobscot (772) · Oxford (638) · Cumberland (467) · York (438) · Franklin (431) · Knox (274) · Lincoln (242) · Kennebec (240) · Waldo (219) · Sagadahoc (145) · Androscoggin (136)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Maine's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Maine fishing — FAQ
Where does Maine stock fish?+
MDIFW logged 887 stockings across Maine in the last year, led by brook trout, landlocked salmon, brown trout and splake. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Maine stock fish?+
Stocking in Maine peaks in May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Maine?+
Yes — Maine requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Maine?+
Maine has 9,371 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.