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May 30, 2019
MDIFW NEWS: Free Fishing Weekend Is This Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3
For Immediate Release: May 30, 2019
AUGUSTA, Maine - This weekend is Maine's free fishing weekend and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is encouraging everyone to get outside and enjoy a day fishing with family or friends on one of Maines many waters.
Free fishing weekend takes place on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, 2019 and any person may fish for free without a license on Maines waterways, except those who have had their license suspended or revoked. All other rules and regulations, including bag and possession limits, apply. For more information on the rules and regulations on your favorite water, please visit https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/index.html.
Anglers also have a new tool that makes it quick and easy to find out the fishing regulations on any of Maines inland waters. Maines Fishing Laws Online Angling Tool (FLOAT), is an online map-based tool that can be accessed from your computer or your smartphone, giving you access to fishing regulations for all your favorite fishing waters.
With the online angling tool, you can quickly locate a body of water, determine the fishing regulations, download a PDF of those regulations if you wish, and even identify your location and the body of water you are on with a GPS-enabled phone.
Fishing is one of the most popular ways to enjoy Maines great outdoors. There are wonderful fishing opportunities throughout the state on the nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds and more than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.
Wondering where to go? Check out the improved Maine fishing guide at https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/fishing-resources/maine-fishing-guide/index.html. This statewide guide features the top fishing destinations in the state, broken down by species, tips on how to catch various species, and even provides advice on how to fish with children. You can even use the Departments Google Earth data layers on your desktop to select your next fishing destination.
And the fun doesnt have to stop after the weekend. You can go online at mefishwildlife.com and get your license. There are license options for a day, a week, 15 days or a season. The cost for a day of fishing is less than you would pay to go to the movies. And kids under 16 always fish free.
Last year, over 345,000 people were licensed to fish in Maine and fishing contributes over $370 million to Maines economy. Money from license sales helps protect Maines waters, it enhances Maines fisheries and provides water access on many of Maines lakes and rivers.
The Department stocks more than 1 million fish each year and manages more than 20 species of freshwater game fish. Wondering where we stocked fish lately? Go online at https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/fishing-resources/fish-stocking-report.html.
The Department also offers a free ice fishing weekend in February each year.
For a complete list of fishing regulations, including limits and sizes, visit https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/index.html.
For more information on fishing opportunities in Maine, visit https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/fishing/fishing-resources/maine-fishing-guide/index.html.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries of Wildlife (MDIFW) preserves, protects, and enhances the inland fisheries and wildlife resources of the state. Established in 1880 to protect big game populations, MDIFW has since evolved in scope to include protection and management of fish, non-game wildlife, and habitats, as well as restoration of endangered species like the bald eagle. In addition to its conservation duties, MDIFW is also responsible for enabling and promoting the safe enjoyment of Maines outdoors - from whitewater rafting to boating, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. The agencys constituents include the fish, wildlife, and people who call Maine home, as well as the visiting outdoor enthusiasts and ecotourists who call Maine Vacationland and contribute hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the states economy.