Maine

Outdoors in Maine: State’s bait rules stingy for a reason

Published

2 years ago

January 27, 2024

Outdoors in Maine: State’s bait rules stingy for a reason

There was a day when an ice fisherman didn’t concern himself much with the kind of live bait used to entice a landlocked salmon or a trout under the ice. You always used live smelts if you could find them.

Short of that, you used what were generically called “minnows.” Sometimes we caught our own live bait; and sometimes we purchased a couple dozen from the local bait dealer.

V. Paul Reynolds, Outdoors Columnist

Bait was bait. As long as they were fish, small and lively, any kind would do.

Not so today. There are live bait regulations galore. And, unless to want to get crossways with the law, you really want to familiarize yourself with the many varieties of live bait species before you venture forth, especially if you trap your own live bait. There are only 17 species of live bait that are legal to use in Maine. The list of permissible live bait can be found on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife website and the fishing lawbook.

Good luck trying to distinguish a Finescale Dace from a Mummichog or a Fathead Minnow from a Banded Killfish.

Unless your favorite uncle is a Maine fisheries biologist, you are probably better off to purchase your live bait from a reputable, state-licensed live bait dealer. (Find a list of bait dealers at the MDIF&W website.)

Here is a summary of the state-wide live bait regulations:

• South Zone: Use of all legal forms of bait (including live baitfish/smelts), artificial lures, and artificial flies is PERMITTED under General Fishing Law.
Exception: Some waters in the South Zone have the “S-4” Special Law Code, meaning use or possession of live fish as bait is prohibited (the use of dead fish, salmon eggs or worms is permitted.) To see if the water you intend to fish in the South Zone has this special law, look in the Special Fishing Laws to see if the water is listed and has the S-4 code. If the water is not listed under special fishing laws then it falls under General Law and live bait is allowed, if the water is listed but does not have the S-4 code, then live baitfish is allowed.

• North Zone: Under the North Zone General Fishing Law, the use or possession of live fish as bait is PROHIBITED, unless the individual water contains Special Fishing Laws to allow the use of live fish as bait. This conservation approach helps protect the abundant native resources in this part of the state. To determine if the North Zone water you wish to fish allows the use of live baitfish, find the water in the Special Fishing Laws section and look for the “S-11” Special Law Code indicating that the use or possession of live baitfish/live smelts is permitted. If your water is in the North Zone, and has that “S-11” Special Law Code, you can use live baitfish/live smelts.

• North and South Zone: Waters in both the South and North Zones with Special Law Code “ALO” do not permit live baitfish, worms, or dead baitfish. These waters are artificial lures only.

Once an ice angler has purchased bait from a licensed dealer, the burden is still on the angler, especially in the northern zone, to make sure that that legally bought bait is, indeed, legal for a particular body of water.

Yes, recreational fishing, like modern life, is not as simple as it used to be with all of the “S” codes and zone determinations. The live bait regulations are there for a purpose, however, to protect our precious sport fishery from invasive species getting in waters where they don’t belong.

To this end, a couple of good practices: 1) Never dump live bait into your ice hole at the end of the day; and 2) If you are putting on fresh bait, don’t dump the old bait into the ice hole.

If you are a nonresident angler visiting Maine, know that it is illegal to bring any baitfish into the state. Conviction for illegal transportation of live bait into Maine can result in a fine as high as $10,000 — a costly fishing trip.

This winter, especially, with the ever-changing weather patterns and mild startup of the winter, be sure to check ice thickness before heading out onto the lake. And, if possible, avoid snow sledding across inlets and outlets of water bodies.

Stay warm, stay safe and good fishing.

V. Paul Reynolds is editor of the Northwoods Sporting Journal, an author, a Maine guide and host of a weekly radio program, “Maine Outdoors,” heard at 7 p.m. Sundays on The Voice of Maine News-Talk Network. Contact him at vpaulr@tds.net.

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Experienced New Hampshire hiker dies on solo trek in blinding, waist-deep snow in White Mountains

Maine

Obituary: Craig Joseph Ahlemeyer

Published

4 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

Craig Joseph Ahlemeyer

STANDISH – Craig J. Ahlemeyer, 48 of Standish, passed away unexpectedly, Saturday, June 13, 2026.A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 27 th at Standish Congregational Church, 25 Oak Hill Road in Standish. A reception will follow.To see Craig’s full obituary, share a memory or leave the family an online condolence, please visit http://www.athutchins.com.

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Maine

A Weekend in Maine | Cup of Jo

Published

15 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

A Weekend in Maine

“Do you ever think we could find some woods to walk in?” my outdoorsy 12-year-old asks me, every now and again. As a kid growing up in New York City, Anton appreciates all the skate parks and bagel shops, but he also really craves nature, like in his bones.

Joanna goddard anton maine

So, when school got out, I offered to take him for a weekend in Maine, a place with not only woods but also lakes and rocks and periwinkles that come out of their shells when you hum. We were both really excited.

aragosta hotel maine

The first night, we were lucky enough to snag a room at Aragosta, a beautiful small hotel in Deer Isle that Alison had recommended.

aragosta hotel breakfast maine

The chef-owner, Devin Finigan, is famous for her seasonal tasting menus, but we focused on the breakfast that came with the room, including these Maine blueberry pancakes. I don’t even usually like pancakes and these blew my mind.

Joanna goddard chess

We also played a LOT of chess on our little travel board.

A Weekend in Maine

After breakfast, we set out to hike up Blue Hill Mountain.

A Weekend in Maine

Here’s the summit!

stonington maine

In the afternoon, we explored the charming fishing village of Stonington…

Julie O'Rourke Maine

…then joined my friend Julie (of Rudy Jude fame) and her family for dinner at the Burnt Cove Boil.

burnt cove boil

Basically, a crab gets plonked down in front of you, followed by a corn on the cob, then a lobster, then a classic ice-cream sandwich. Julie and her husband Anthony taught us how to get all the meat out. (Their kids were already pros.)

burnt cove boil

Afterward, the four boys scrambled around on the rocks, while the adults chatted. It’s always such a treat to hang out with people who live in the place you’re visiting, don’t you think? Julie and Anthony described how they brought their recently hatched chicks into their home to keep them warm, and all the peeping was sooooo loud — and then a cricket got into the house and added to the noise and no one could find it and everyone was going nuts, haha. Very different from city life!

asticou hotel

The next day, Anton and I stayed at the lovely Asticou Hotel near Acadia National Park.

Jordan pond hike Acadia national park

We drove to a couple trailheads but they were PACKED — you had to stand in a long line, just to start the hike! Luckily, we found a quieter area and took a long walk around Jordan Pond, playing Would You Rather and Categories along the way. Do you have any favorite travel games?

anton stones

anton maine

Finally, we skimmed stones on our last afternoon before heading back to Brooklyn.

A Weekend in Maine anton

Epic travel buddy

Oh, Maine, what a magical place! Not pictured, of course: traffic, grumpy preteen moments, locking our keys in the rental car, etc., but all that’s to be expected.

Have you been to Maine? Do you live there? What parts do you love? Any pro tips? I’d love to hear. xoxo

P.S. Our Maine trip — and another amazing hotel — when the boys were much younger, and a Maine home with a bedroom looking over water.

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Maine

Matt Dunlap wins primary in Maine’s 2nd District as Democrats seek to hang on to Jared Golden’s seat

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Press Room

Matt Dunlap wins primary in Maine’s 2nd District as Democrats seek to hang on to Jared Golden’s seat

June 22, 2026 / 7:25 AM EDT
/ CBS News

Matt Dunlap won the Democratic primary in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District after three rounds of ranked-choice voting, the state’s Secretary of State’s office announced Friday.

Democrats are seeking to hang onto a seat in a district that President Trump won in the last three presidential elections. State Sen. Joe Baldacci led after the first two rounds of ranked–choice voting, but Dunlap overtook him after challengers Paige Loud and Jordan Wood were eliminated.

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate, is retiring after four terms. His decision not to run for reelection was a blow to Democrats’ efforts to retake the House majority.

In the 2024 election, Golden was one of 13 Democrats to win a House race in a district also won by Mr. Trump. Golden declined to endorse Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and has voted with Republicans on several issues, including measures to avert a shutdown and on reining in Mr. Trump’s war powers authority.

Dunlap, the state’s auditor, will face Republican Paul LePage in November’s general election. LePage is a former two-term governor who ran unopposed in the GOP primary. As of May 20, LePage had $1.2 million cash on hand while Dunlap had less than $100,000, according to Federal Election Commission data.

Dunlap’s win marks a defeat for House Democrats’ campaign arm. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee endorsed Joe Baldacci, a state senator, saying he “has never lost an election and has consistently overperformed Democrats up and down the ballot, including a 3-point overperformance of the presidential ticket in 2024.”

Baldacci was the runner–up, the Maine Secretary of State’s office said. The results were announced 10 days after voters went to the polls due to the ranked-choice tabulations.

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