2023 Maine Fish Stocking Report (2024)

FAQs

Is Moosehead Lake stocked? ›

Salmon are the only species MEIFW stocks in Moosehead Lake, and we've been able to slowly reduce the number over the years to just 5,000 spring yearlings annually. Each spring the hatchery trucks roll into the Junction Wharf, the Rockwood Boat Launch, and the Lily Bay Barn to unload their cargo.

Outlook on the fall season: Fall is a busy season for Maine's biologists and hatchery personnel. In central and midcoast Maine, this is the season when the majority of our fish are stocked.

Moosehead Lake: Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in Maine and is known for its excellent ice fishing. The lake is home to a variety of species, including salmon, brook trout, and togue (lake trout). China Lake: Located in central Maine, China Lake is a quiet, secluded spot that is popular with ice fishermen.

There are cases where “holdover” trout turn up in a stream or river, but there aren't enough of them to establish a significant self-sustaining population. Stocked trout aren't adapted to surviving and reproducing in the wild.

Some of the most popular public fishing sites at the lake are located in Greenville Junction, Rockwood, and Seboomook. Popular non-lake destinations include Sawyer Pond, which is a great place for beginning anglers, and Mountain View Pond, which is excellent for brook trout.

The water quality of Moosehead Lake is considered to be above average, based on measures of SDT, total phosphorus (TP) and Chlorophyll-a (Chla).

In Maine, the current distribution of self-sustaining RBT populations are limited to portions of the Kennebec, Androscoggin, and Dead River drainages (Figure 1). All three of these waters provide principal fisheries for rainbow trout and are the most significant fisheries for the species.

In 2022, the number of stocks on the overfishing list decreased slightly, the number of overfished stocks also slightly decreased, and two stocks were rebuilt. We continue to implement management measures that will end overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, and sustain our fisheries for future generations.

Water Temperature And Turnover

As a rule, fish that like warmer water will be surface feeders in the summer and bottom feeders in the fall. And fish that like cooler water will feed deep in the spring and on the surface in the fall.

Use or possession of live fish as bait is PROHIBITED. The use of all other legal forms of bait (including worms and dead baitfish/smelts), artificial lures, and artificial flies is PERMITTED.

What is the best bait for ice fishing? ›

For ice fishing live bait, try wax worms (bee moth larva), maggots, spikes (fly larvae), wigglers (mayfly larvae) or minnows. You can drop your bait and leave it alone, or you can slowly jig to attract the fish. Ice fishing jigging also works with artificial ice fishing bait.

Aptly named because they feed on beeswax, waxworms are the larvae of the bee moth and are good natural baits to use when ice fishing for bluegill, crappie or sunfish. When storing waxworms, it's best to use a small container filled with sawdust and keep them in the refrigerator.

Wax worms, red worms, night crawlers, and minnows are a sure bet to get a fish's attention. Try hooking a cut piece of night crawler onto an unweighted size 6 hook and floating it into a deep, cool hole in a stream.

Use gold or copper blade spinners to tempt stocked browns and golden trout. Try silver blades for rainbows, cutthroats and brookies. When trout are rising on shallow flats, run a size 2 Panther Martin Regular Fly spinner can be a super selection when retrieved just below the surface.

As long as fish have been properly cleaned and the outer scales fully removed, the skin is typically safe to eat. Because fish is a great source of nutrients like iron and omega-3 fatty acids, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends eating a 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of fish 2–3 times per week ( 2 ).

The summer season opens April 1 and closes September 30. Ask an old Maine Guide when the best time to fish is and he'll probably tell you “trolling is usually best May, June, September; stream fishing July, Aug; fly fishing ponds May, June, and fly fishing rivers May, June, Sept”.

Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in Maine. It is approximately 40 by 10 miles, with an area of 120 square miles, and over 400 miles of shoreline. It has an average depth of 55 feet with a maximum depth of 246 feet.

Moosehead Lake is the epicenter of Maine's expansive watershed. The surrounding ponds, streams, and rivers provide the boater, canoeist, rafter, and kayaker with unlimited opportunities for water-based adventures.