States·ME
Maine fishing
News-desk briefs whose primary water is Maine.
Maine’s rare Arctic char are showing orange-red spawn colors as cooling lakes pull them shallower — and most heritage char waters close to fishing Sept. 30.
Al Raychard's Sept. 21 Bangor Daily News column says Maine's third prime stretch of the year — the fall landlocked salmon run — is starting as fish leave Sebago, Rangeley, Moosehead, and other deep lakes for natal rivers.
As of Sept. 1, 2026, using small painted lead jigs on Maine inland waters is illegal. Sale of those jigs was already banned. Coastal water is a different rule.