State of Maine Fishing Definitions

E-mail: Contact the webmaster with your questions, comments or suggestions.
Home FAQ Association Boating Laws Community Contests Current Events Discussions Fishing
Links Living Local Laws Maps Marine Safety Past Events Photos State of Maine Water Education



Fishing Terms and their Definitions


  1. ARTIFICIAL LURE - means any fishing lure constructed by humans as an imitation or substitute for natural bait or fish forage and includes, but is not limited to artificial flies, spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs and plastic, rubber or other artificial imitations of natural bait. An artifical lures only rule prohibits the use of any live, dead or chemically perserved natural or organic bait or food.

  2. TO FISH - means to take, catch, kill, molest or destroy, or attempt to take, catch, kill, molest, or destroy any fish.

  3. FLY - means a single-pointed hook dressed with feathers, hair, thread, tinsel, or any similar material to which no additional hook, spinner, spoon or similar device is added.

  4. FLY FISHING - means casting upon the water and retrieving in a manner in which the weight of the fly line propels the fly. No more than 3 unabaited artifical flies individually attached to a line may be used.
    (NOTE: It is unlawful to troll a fly in waters restricted to fly fishing only.)

  5. GREAT POND - means any natural body of water more than 10 acres in size. (Any person on foot may engage in any activity on a great pond which is not inconsistent with any other law or regulation of the State or its political subdivisions.)

  6. HOOK - means a single fishhook constructed with 1, 2 or 3 points.

  7. INLAND WATTERS - means all waters within the State above the rise and fall of the tide, except private ponds.

  8. MINIMUM LEGAL LENGTH - is the total length of a fish measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail with the lobes of the tail squeezed together.

  9. OPEN SEASON - means the time during which it is lawful to fish for or possess any fish, as specified and limited by law or rule.

  10. SALMON - means the same as land-locked salmon.

  11. SET LINE - means a line extending into the water and rigged to catch fish that has one end secured to the shore or to a fixed or buoyant object and that is not personally attended.

  12. SINGLE-BAITED HOOK - means a single baited apparatus designed to catch only one fish at a time.

  13. SNAGGING - means to fish by manipulating a hook or hooks in such a manner as to pierce or snag the fish in a part of the body other than the mouth.

  14. TRIBUTARY - means a brook, stream or river flowing directly or indirectly into a lake, pond or another brook, stream or river. A lake or great pond shall not be construed to mean tributary. The tributary to a great pond shall not be considered a tributary to the outlet of that great pond.

  15. TROLL - means to fish by trailing a line rigged to catch fish behind a watercraft being propelled by mechanical, wind or manual power. (Tandem flies are allowed when trolling.)

  16. TROUT - the term "trout" when used alone, includes only brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, sunapee trout, blueback trout and splake.

  17. WATER THOROUGHFARE - means a waterway, without flowage, connecting two bodies of water.



Fishing Terms and their Definitions





Home FAQ Association Boating Laws Community Contests Current Events Discussions Fishing
Links Living Local Laws Maps Marine Safety Past Events Photos State of Maine Water Education

E-mail: Contact the webmaster with your questions, comments or suggestions.

State of Maine Fishing Definitions