Regulations › Maine Maine Saltwater Fishing Regulations (2026)
Recreational size limits, bag limits and seasons for 29 saltwater species in Maine, from the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Last checked November 7, 2026. Where a species has several rules (by area or water), the table shows the first; open the species for all of them.
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Official Maine regulations · Saltwater fishing license
Inshore Species Size limit Bag limit Season American Eel minimum size 9 inches 25 eels per angler per day, personal use only — American Shad No minimum size a person may take or possess only 2 fish per day — Rainbow Smelt (3 rules) — From March 15 to September 30, both days inclusive, you may not fish… From March 15 to September 30, both days inclusive, you may not fish… River Herring No minimum size 25 per person — Striped Bass (4 rules) 28–31 in A person may take and possess 1 striped bass per day. January 1 through December 31, inclusive (except the Kennebec…
Reef fish Species Size limit Bag limit Season Black Sea Bass Minimum size 13 inches. 10 fish per angler per day. May 19 – September 21 and October 18 – December 31, inclusive. Cunner No minimum size none — Tautog No minimum size none —
Offshore & pelagic Species Size limit Bag limit Season Atlantic Mackerel No minimum size 25 fish per angler per day — Atlantic Menhaden No minimum size 25 menhaden per angler per day, personal use only — Bluefin Tuna — — — Bluefish No minimum size. 5 fish per angler per day. — Sharks — — —
Groundfish & flatfish Species Size limit Bag limit Season Acadian Redfish Minimum size 9 inches. No bag limit. — Atlantic Cod Minimum size 23 inches. 1 fish per angler per day. Sept 1 – Oct 31, inclusive. Atlantic Halibut (2 rules) Minimum size 41 inches. Vessels may land no more than 5 fish (recreational) / 25 fish… Halibut can be retained from sunrise on May 18 through sunset on June… Atlantic Wolffish — — — Cusk no minimum size none — Haddock Minimum size 17 inches. 15 fish per angler per day. Cannot possess from March 1 through March 31 inclusive. Monkfish Minimum size 17 inches none — Pollock (2 rules) No size or bag limits. No size or bag limits. — Red Hake No minimum size none — Silver Hake/Whiting no minimum size none — Summer Flounder Minimum size 20 inches 2 fish per angler per day — White Hake No minimum size none — Winter Flounder Minimum size 12 inches. 8 fish per angler per day. —
Salmon & trout Species Size limit Bag limit Season Atlantic Salmon — — — Trout Rainbow Trout: minimum size 14 inches Brook Trout: minimum size 6… Unlawful to possess more than 5 fish, of which, not more than 2 may… —
Other species Species Size limit Bag limit Season Atlantic Sturgeon — — —
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