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Home > Laws and Rules > Fishing > Open Water Fishing Laws and Rules > Aroostook County

Aroostook County

See general law fishing provisions.

Exceptions below - Special Rules (S-Codes) are listed at the bottom of this page.

See Boundary Waters with New Brunswick.

Allagash Wilderness Waterway. (See listing in Piscataquis County).

Arnold Brook Recreation Watershed Lake, Presque Isle. S-19, S-24. Motorboats over 10 horsepower prohibited.

Aroostook River: All salmon caught in any flowing water of the Aroostook River Watershed, must be released alive at once. 

  • From the junction of Munsungan Stream and Millinocket Stream in T8R8 WELS downstream to the blue markers at the Oxbow Plantation/T9R7 WELS town line (includes tributaries upstream to the first highway bridge): S-6, S-17. From August 16 to September 30: S-6; Total daily bag limit on trout and togue: 1 fish. 
  • From the Maine Public Service Dam in Caribou downstream to the Maine/New Brunswick border (includes tributaries upstream to the first highway bridge): S-6, S-17. From August 16 to September 30:  S-6; Total daily bag limit on trout and togue: 1 fish. 
  • From the Maine Public Service Company Dam in Caribou downstream to and  including Otter Brook, including all tributaries in this section upstream to the first highway bridge intersecting each tributary: Children under 12 years of age or younger may fish from shore with a single-baited hook and line.
  • From Hockenhull Brook in Fort Fairfield downstream to and including Pattee Brook, including all tributaries in this section upstream to the first highway bridge intersecting the tributary: Children 12 years of age or younger may fish from shore with a singlebaited hook and line.

B Lake, Hammond. S-4.

Bear Mountain Pond, Moro Plantation. S-19.

Beaver Tail Pond, T14 R10 WELS. S-19, S-24.

Big Brook, T13 R10 WELS, etc. Motorboats prohibited on Big Brook from Burt Garrity Road to and including Big Brook Lake.

Black Brook Lake, Little, Caswell Plt. S-4.

Black Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-6, S-18. Tributaries and outlet: S-18.

Black Pond, St. John Plantation. S-24.

Black Lake and tributaries and outlet to barrier dam, Fort Kent. S-4. Motorboats over 6 horsepower prohibited.

Black Ponds, Little (North) and Tributaries, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19. Outlet: S-18.

Black Pond, Little (South), T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-18. October 1 to October 31: S-5, S-27. Tributaries and outlet: S-18.

Black River, Big, T14 R14, T14 R15, etc. S-13. From October 1 to October 31: S-6, S-13. Open to the taking of bass and muskellunge only.

Black River, Little, tributary to the St. John River. Motorboats over 10 horsepower prohibited from June 1 to September 15.

Blake Lake, T16 R6 WELS. S-6, S-17.

Bogan Brook, T1O R4 WELS. From Squa Pan Lake upstream to the first snowmobile bridge crossing: S-19.

Bourgoin Lake, Frenchville. S-4.

Brackett Lake, Weston. S-24.

Bradbury Lake, New Limerick. S-24.

Bradford Pond, Moro Plantation. S-4, S-19.

Bran Lake, St. Francis. S-6, S-17, S-24.

Butterfield Lake, Caswell Plt. S-4.

Caribou Lake, T3 R4 WELS. S-24.

Carlisle Pond, T8 R3 WELS. S-4.

Carr Pond, T13 R8 WELS. S-2, S-10, S-16. Tributaries and outlet: S-1.

Carry Lake, Littleton Township. S-4, S-24.

Carry Pond, T16 R4 Wels. S-4.

Center Pond, T10 R8 WELS. S-4.

Chandler Lake, T9 R8 WELS. S-16.

Chase Pond, Moro Plantation.S-19.

Chase Ponds, 1st, 2nd and 3rd, T14 R9 WELS. S-4, S-15, S-19.

Cochrane Lake, Smyrna. New Limerick. S-16, S-24.

Conners Brook and tributaries, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Conroy Lake, Monticello. S-19, S-24.

County Road Lake, New Limerick. S-24.

Crater Pond and tributaries and outlet, T15 R9 WELS. S-6, S-18.

Cross Lake, T16 R5 WELS, etc. S-2, S-3, S-16. (Also see Fish River Thoroughfares).

Crystal Lake, Hersey. S-24.

Cunliffe Lake, T12 R13 WELS. S-4.

Daigle Ponds (2) and tributaries, New Canada Plantation. S-4, S-24.

Daaquam River, T11 R17 WELS. S-13. October 1 to October 31: S-6, S-13. Open to the taking of bass and muskellunge only.

Deboullie Lake, T15 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19. No size or bag limit on landlocked salmon. Tributaries and outlet: S-19; no size or bag limit on landlocked salmon.

Deep Lake, Littleton. S-4, S-24.

Deering (Longfellow) Lake, Orient, Weston. S-2, S-3, S-13, S-19, S-24.

Denny Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19. Tributaries and outlet: S-19.

Dickwood Lake, Eagle Lake. S-24.

Drews (Meduxnekeag) Lake, New Limerick, etc. S-2, S-3, S-19, S-24.

Duck Pond, Moro Plantation. S-19.

Duck Pond, T2 R4 WELS. S-24.

Duck Pond and tributaries and outlet, T15 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19.

Durepo Lake, tributaries and outlet, Limestone. S-4. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Eagle Lake, Eagle Lake, Wallagrass, etc. S-2, S-3, S-16, S-28. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish. minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches. Daily bag limit on togue: 6 fish. Minimum length limit on togue: 14 inches, only 1 may exceed 23 inches. (Also see Fish River Thoroughfares).

East Lake, T17 R14 WELS. S-4.

Echo Lake and tributaries, Presque Isle. S-4, S-23. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Eyelet Pond, T11 R12, T12 R12 WELS. S-4.

Fall Brook Lake (Falls Pond) and Little Fall Brook (Little Falls Pond), Allagash Plantation, T18 R10 WELS. S-4.

Faulkner Lake, Weston. S-24.

Ferguson Pond, T14 R8 WELS. S-18. Artificial lures only with one hook-a single pointed hook or a treble hook-allowed.

Fifth Lake Brook and tributaries, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Fish River Lake, T13 R8, T14 R8. S-2, S-3, S-16.

Fish River excluding Thoroughfares, T13 R8 WELS to the St. John River in Fort Kent: S-2, S-3.

  • From Fish River Lake downstream to Round Pond: S-6, S-16.
  • From Eagle Lake in Wallagrass Plantation (including tributaries upstream to the first road or railroad crossing) to the red posts above the Fish River Falls in Fort Kent: S-6, S-16, (See Soldier Pond). From August 16 to September 30: S-6; Total daily bag limit on landlocked salmon, trout, and togue: 1 fish.

Fish River Thoroughfares (connecting Long, Mud, Cross, Square, Eagle and St. Froid Lakes). S-1, S-16. From August 16 to September 30: S-6: Total daily bag limit for landlocked salmon, trout, and togue: 1 fish.

Flinn Pond, T1 R5 WELS, Benedicta. S-24.

Galilee Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19. Tributaries and outlet: S-19.

Gardner Brook and tributaries, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Gardner Lake, T15 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19; no size or bag limit on salmon. Tributaries and outlet: S-19; no size or bag limit on salmon.

Gerard Pond, Caswell Plt. S-4.

Gilbert Pond, St. John Plt. S-4.

Gilbert Pond, Little, St. John Plt. S-4.

Gilman Pond, Moro Plantation. S-4, S-19.

Glancy Lake, New Limerick. S-24.

Glazier Lake, T18 R10 WELS. S-7.

Grand Lake, East, North Lake, and the Thoroughfare between. S-7.

Grass Pond, Moro Plantation. S-4, S-19.

Green Pond, Moro Plantation. S-5, S-18.

Greenlaw Brook Drainage (including Malabeam Lake, Chapman Pit and Green Pond), Limestone. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Grey Pond, T12 R12 WELS. S-4.

Hafey Pond, T18 R11 WELS. S-6, S-19.

Hale Pond and outlet to Hersey town line, Moro Plantation. S-4, S-19, S-24.

Hannigan Pond, New Limerick. S-24.

Hannington Pond, Reed Plt. S-11.

Hanson Brook Lake and tributaries, Mapleton, etc. S-4, S-24. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Haywire Pond, T1 R5 WELS. S-24.

Hodgdon Mill Pond, Hodgdon. S-24.

Horseshoe Pond, T11 R10 WELS. S-6, S-19.

Horseshoe Pond, T16 R9 WELS. S-4.

Hot Brook Lake, Lower, Bancroft, etc. (See Washington County).

Hudson Pond, Upper, and outlet. T11 R10 WELS. S-5, S-17.

Hunnewell Lake and tributaries and outlet to barrier dam, St. John Plantation. S-4. Closed to the taking of live bait. From August 16 to September 30: S-6; Total daily bag limit for landlocked salmon, trout, and togue: 1 fish.

Hunter (Town Line) Pond, Linneus. S-24.

Huntley Pond, Moro Plantation. S-19.

Isie Lake, Eagle Lake. S-4.

Island Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19; closed to the taking of live bait. Tributaries and outlet: S-19; closed to the taking of live bait.

Jones Pond and tributaries, T20 R11 &12 WELS. S-6, S-17.

Ketchum Lake, TD R2 WELS. S-4.

Lambert Pond, New Limerick. S-4.

Limestone Stream, Limestone. S-4. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Lindsay Lake, Eaton. S-4.

Logan Lake, Houlton. S-6, S-19, S-24.

Long Lake, T17 R4 WELS, Madawaska, St. Agatha, etc. S-2, S-3, S-16. Only 1 landlocked salmon may exceed 16 inches. Tributaries downstream of the first road crossing: S-16; only 1 landlocked salmon may exceed 16 inches. (Also see Fish River Thoroughfares).

Long Lake, T11 R13 WELS, etc. (See Allagash Wilderness Waterway listing under Piscataquis County).

Long Lake, Oakfield. S-24.

Long Pond, T11 R10 WELS. S-4.

Longley Lake, Orient. S-24.

Lost Pond, Moro Plantation. S-19.

Lost Pond, T15 R6 WELS. S-4.

Macwahoc Lakes, Upper and Lower, T2 R4 WELS, Sherman, T3 R4 WELS. S-24.

Madawaska Lake (including Little Madawaska) and tributaries upstream to the first road crossing, T16 R4 WELS, Westmanland. S-2, S-3, S-19, S-24.

Madawaska River, Little, Caribou. From the bridge on the Grimes Road upstream to the former Loring Air Force Base Dam: from June 15 to September 30: S-6.

Mantle Lake, Presque Isle. Fishing restricted to persons under 16 years of age and complimentary license holders only. S-4.

Mattaseunk Lake, Molunkus Township. S-24.

Mattawamkeag Lakes, Upper and Lower, Island Falls, etc. S-24.

Mattawamkeag River, Haynesville, Weston, Bancroft, Reed Plt., Drew Plt., Kingman Twp. (See Penobscot County).

McClusky Lake, T14 R5 Wels. S-4.

McGowan Pond, T11 R8 Wels. S-4.

McKeen Lake, T14 R10 WELS. S-6, S-19.

McLean Lake and tributaries, St. Francis. S-4, S-19.

McNally Pond, Upper, T11 R10 WELS. S-19, S-24.

Meduxnekeag River and tributaries upstream to the first highway crossing. From the Rt. 1 bridge in Houlton downstream to the Maine/New Brunswick boundary: S-6, S-17; From August 16 to September 30: S-6.

Meduxnekeag River Drainage, Houlton, Hodgdon, etc. S-13

Meduxnekeag River, South Branch, Hodgdon. On that portion of the river within the Lt. Gordon Manuel Wildlife Management Area, motorboats prohibited until July 1; after July 1 motorboats over 6 horsepower prohibited.

Mink Marsh Pond, T11 R10 WELS. S-4.

Moccasin Pond and tributaries and outlet, T14 R8 WELS. From April 1 to October 31: S-5, S-27.

Molunkus Lake, T1 R5 WELS. S-24.

Monson Pond, Fort Fairfield, Easton. S-19, S-24.

Monument Brook, Amity, Orient. S-7.

Mooseleuk Stream. (See Piscataquis County).

Mosquito Brook Pond, T14 R7 WELS. S-4.

Mud Brook, T17 R3. Open to smelt dipping; 2 quart limit (no commercial harvest). (This regulation is repealed effective July 1, 2009)

Mud Lake, T17 R4 WELS, etc. S-2, S-3, S-16. (Also see Fish River Thoroughfares).

Mud Pond and tributaries and outlet, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Mud (Russell) Pond, Linneus. S-19, S-24.

Mud Lake, T3 R4 WELS. S-24.

Musquacook Lakes (1st, 2nd, 3rd), T10 R11, T11 R11, T12 R11 WELS. S-16, S-28. Daily bag limit on togue: 6 fish. Minimum length limit on togue: 14 inches, only 1 may exceed 23 inches. Closed to the taking of whitefish.

Musquacook Lake, 4th, T10 R11, T11 R11 WELS. S-10, S-16.

Nadeau Lake, Fort Fairfield. S-4, S-19. Closed to the taking of live bait. Motorboats with more than 10 horsepower prohibited.

Negro Brook Lakes, (renamed in 1979 but remain on many maps). (See Pelletier Brook Lakes).

Nickerson Lake, New Limerick, etc. S-2, S-3, S-15, S-19, S-24.

North Lake, Orient Township. S-7.

North Pond, T14 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19.

Number Nine Lake and tributaries, T9 R3 WELS. S-4, S-19.

Otter Lake, T3 R4 WELS. S-24.

Pearce Brook, Houlton. From Meduxnekeag River upstream to the Hollywood Road, so-called: fishing restricted to persons under 16 years of age and complimentary license holders only.

Pelletier Brook Lake (4th), T16 R9 WELS. S-5, S-16.

Pelletier Brook Lakes (1st, 2nd, 3rd), T16 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19.

Pelletier Brook Lakes (5th and 6th), T15 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19. Tributaries and outlet: S-19.

Pennington Pond, T15 R6. S-24.

Perch Pond and tributaries, T15R9 WELS. S-4, S-19, S-24. Outlet: S-19.

Pete’s Pond, T13 R10 WELS. S-4.

Pleasant Lake, Island Falls, T4 R3 WELS. S-2, S-3, S-13, S-19, S-22, S-24.

Plunkett Pond, Benedicta, etc. S-24.

Portage Lake, Portage Lake. S-2, S-3, S-16. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish. Minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches. No person shall operate any boat or canoe propelled by motor on that portion of Portage Lake known as the Floating Island Area, north and westerly of a line beginning at the eastern edge of the marshy peninsula running out from Hutchinson Ridge, running 50 yards outside of the floating islands in a northerly direction to the mouth of Mosquito Brook.

Presley Lake, T12 R17 WELS. S-4.

Presque Isle Lake, T9 R3 Wels. S-4.

Pushineer Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-4, S-19; no size or bag limit on landlocked salmon. Tributaries and outlet: S-19; no size or bag limit on landlocked salmon.

Raymond Pond, Caribou. S-11.

Read Lake, Merrill. S-4.

Red River and tributaries. From the outlet of Pushineer Pond downstream to the T15 R9 WELS and T15 R8 WELS townline: S-19. No size or bag limit on landlocked salmon.

Reed Pond, Macwahoc Plantation. S-24.

Ritter Lake, Bridgewater. S-4.

Robbins Brook Pond, T12 R11 WELS. S-17. Artificial flies only.

Rock Pond, Moro Plantation. S-19.

Rock Crusher Pond, Island Falls. S-11.

Rockabema Lake, Moro Plantation. S-19. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish; minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches.

Rocky Brook and tributaries, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Ross Lake, Littleton. S-4.

Round Mountain Pond, T11 R8 WELS. S-19, S-24.

Round Pond, T14 R8 WELS. S-2, S-3, S-16.

Rowe Lake, T11 R8 WELS. S-19.

Saint Francis River. S-7.

Saint Froid Lake, Winterville Plantation. T14 R7 WELS. S-2, S-3, S-16. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish. Minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches. Minimum length limit on whitefish: 16 inches. (See also Fish River Thoroughfares).

Saint John River. Downstream from the confluence with the St. Francis River. S-7.

Saint John River, T11 R16, T11 R17, T12 R15, T12 R16, T13 R14, T13 R15, T14 R13, T14 R14, T15 R13, T16 R12 WELS, Allagash St. Francis (upstream of the confluence with the St. Francis River). S-13. From October 1 to October 31: S-6, S-13. Open to the taking of bass and muskellunge only. This regulation applies on the Northwest Branch T11 R17, T12 R17 WELS.

Secret Pond, Moro Plantation. S-4, S-19.

Silver Lake and tributaries, T15 R5 WELS. S-4. Closed to the taking of live bait.

Skitacook Lake, T4 R3 WELS, Oakfield, Weston. S-24.

Sly Brook Lake, First and Second, New Canada Plantation. S-19.

Sly Brook Lake,Third, New Canada Plantation. S-19, S-22.

Soldier Pond, including tributaries upstream to the first road or railroad crossing, Wallagrass Plantation. S-16. From June 1 to September 30: S-6. From August 16 to September 30, total daily bag limit on salmon, trout and togue: 1 fish.

Sowish Lake, T18 R10 WELS. S-4.

Spaulding Lake and tributaries, Oakfield. S-19, S-24. Tributaries are closed to the taking of smelts from midnight to noon each day.

Squapan Lake, Squapan Township, Masardis, etc. S-3, S-19, S-24.

Square Lake, T15 R5, T16 R5 WELS. S-2, S-3, S-16. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish. Minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches. (See Fish River Thoroughfares).

Stink Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-27.

Sweeney Pond, T12 R12 WELS. S-4.

Threemile Pond, T12 R12 WELS. S-4.

Timoney Lake and tributaries, Oakfield, etc. S-4, S-24. Motorboats over 10 horsepower prohibited.

Togue Pond and tributaries and outlet, T15 R9 WELS. S-19.

Tote Road Pond and tributaries and outlet, Moro Plantation. S-5, S-19.

Trafton Lake and tributaries, Limestone. S-4.

Two Mile Pond, T16 R14, T16 R13 WELS. S-4, S-19.

Ugh Lake, T12 R14 WELS. S-4, S-24.

Umsaskis Lake, T11 R13 WELS, etc. (See Allagash Wilderness Waterway listing under Piscataquis County).

Upper Pond, T15 R9 WELS. S-5, S-19. Tributaries and outlet: S-19.

Violette Brook Lake, Cyr Plantation. S-4.

Wallagrass Lakes (1st and 2nd), Wallagrass Plantation, etc. S-4, S-19. Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 3 fish; minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 12 inches.

Wallagrass Lake (3rd) and tributaries upstream to the first road crossing, St. John Plantation, St. Francis. S-4, S-19.

Weeks Pond, T11 R8 WELS. S-4.

Whitehead Lake, Bridgewater. S-4.

Wytopitlock Lake, Glenwood Plantation, T2R4 WELS. S-24.

Special Regulations (S-Codes)

Waters that have exceptions to the general law are listed by county. In most cases, the exception will be one of the codes listed below and may affect only a portion of the regulations that govern that particular body of water, i.e. only the bag limit on salmon is different from the general law in which case it would read as follows: Smith Pond, Anytown. S-22. All other provisions of general law would apply.

S-1: Closed to the taking of smelts.

S-2: Closed to the taking of smelts, except by hook and line.

S-3: Tributaries closed to the taking of smelts.

S-4: Use or possession of live fish as bait is prohibited. (The use of dead fish, salmon eggs, worms are permitted.

S-5: Fly fishing only.

S-6: Artificial lures only.

S-7: Boundary waters with New Brunswick.

S-8: All trout less than 6 inches and longer than 12 inches must be released alive at once.

S-9: Border waters with New Hampshire.

S-10: Daily bag limit on togue: 1 fish.

S-11: Fishing restricted to persons under 16years of age; daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish.

S-12: No longer used.

S-13: No size or bag limit on bass.

S-14: No bag limit on pickerel. From July 1-September 30, artificial lures only and minimum length limit on trout: 8 inches.

S-15: Daily bag limit on togue: 3 fish; minimum length limit on togue: 14 inches, only one may exceed 18 inches.

S-16: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish; minimum length limit: 12 inches, only 1 may exceed 14 inches.

S-17: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish; minimum length limit: 10 inches, only 1 may exceed 12 inches.

S-18: Daily bag limit on trout: 1 fish, minimum length limit 18 inches.

S-19: Daily bag limit on trout: 2 fish.

S-20: Daily bag limit on white perch: 25 fish.

S-21: Daily bag limit on trout: 1 fish, minimum length limit 14 inches.

S-22: Daily bag limit on salmon: 1 fish.

S-23: No longer used.

S-24: Extended Season - Remains open to fishing from October 1 - December 31; artificial lures only; all trout, salmon, and togue must be released alive at once.

S-25: Daily bag limit on bass: 2 fish; all bass between 13 and 18 inches must be released alive at once.

S-26: Indian Territory Regulations.

S-27: All fish caught must be released alive at once.

S-28: Togue do not count towards the 5 trout and salmon, in combination, daily aggregate bag limit.