The Best Fishing Spots in Maine
Maine offers excellent fishing from rocky coastlines to inland lakes and rivers, with rich options for both saltwater and freshwater anglers. Coastal trips target species like striped bass, bluefish, mackerel, pollock, haddock and bottom fish such as tautog and flounder, while lakes and streams are home to brook trout, landlocked Atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brown trout and lake trout. Anglers enjoy shore, pier and boat trips, including deep-sea excursions, fly fishing in rivers and streams, and trolling on larger lakes, making Maine a versatile destination for recreational fishing.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Arundel
(5 km to coast)
Bar Harbor
(1 km to coast)
Bath
(1 km to coast)
Belfast
(2 km to coast)
Biddeford
(9 km to coast)
Boothbay
(3 km to coast)
Bristol
(5 km to coast)
Brunswick
(8 km to coast)
Bucksport
(2 km to coast)
Calais
(8 km to coast)
Camden
(2 km to coast)
Cape Neddick
(3 km to coast)
Cumberland Center
(10 km to coast)
Cushing
(2 km to coast)
Deer Isle
(2 km to coast)
East Machias
(6 km to coast)
Eliot
(9 km to coast)
Ellsworth
(8 km to coast)
Falmouth
(4 km to coast)
Falmouth Foreside
(1 km to coast)
Franklin
(10 km to coast)
Freeport
(7 km to coast)
Gorham
(18 km to coast)
Gouldsboro
(2 km to coast)
Hancock
(1 km to coast)
Harpswell Center
(0 km to coast)
Hope
(15 km to coast)
Jonesport
(0 km to coast)
Kennebunk
(7 km to coast)
Kittery
(1 km to coast)
Lincolnville
(0 km to coast)
Nobleboro
(11 km to coast)
North Bath
(0 km to coast)
North Berwick
(17 km to coast)
Northport
(2 km to coast)
Old Orchard Beach
(2 km to coast)
Orland
(3 km to coast)
Owls Head
(0 km to coast)
Penobscot
(3 km to coast)
Phippsburg
(2 km to coast)
Portland
(1 km to coast)
Richmond
(5 km to coast)
Rockland
(2 km to coast)
Rockport
(2 km to coast)
Saco
(8 km to coast)
Saint George
(3 km to coast)
Scarborough
(4 km to coast)
South Berwick
(19 km to coast)
South Eliot
(5 km to coast)
South Portland
(0 km to coast)
South Portland Gardens
(3 km to coast)
South Thomaston
(2 km to coast)
Stockton Springs
(2 km to coast)
Surry
(3 km to coast)
Swanville
(14 km to coast)
Thomaston
(9 km to coast)
Topsham
(10 km to coast)
Tremont
(2 km to coast)
Trenton
(0 km to coast)
Warren
(16 km to coast)
Wells Beach Station
(5 km to coast)
Westbrook
(10 km to coast)
West Scarborough
(7 km to coast)
Woolwich
(1 km to coast)
Yarmouth
(6 km to coast)
York Beach
(0 km to coast)
York Harbor
(1 km to coast)
River Fishing
Lake Fishing
Sebago Lake
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Casco Bay
Island-studded Casco Bay offers prolific striped bass action around ledges, river mouths, and flats from Portland to Harpswell , plus summer runs of Atlantic mackerel and inshore pollock; dawn topwater along boulder fields and rip lines is a local favorite.
Frenchman Bay
Bordering Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor , Frenchman Bay produces summer striped bass, schools of mackerel, and inshore pollock; target tide-swept points, island channels, and shoals, with charter and public access options.
Penobscot Bay
A broad, productive bay with rips off Rockland and Belfast , Penobscot Bay sees spring–fall striped bass, schools of mackerel, and jigging for pollock; fish eelgrass edges and tidal convergences by boat, with pier and breakwater access for shore casters.
Portland Harbor
A sheltered sector of Casco Bay , Portland Harbor holds consistent striped bass around piers, bridges, and outflows, plus summer mackerel; dawn and night tides are productive for topwater and soft plastics, with ample shore and boat access.
Saco Bay
With beaches and jetties from Old Orchard Beach to Biddeford Pool , Saco Bay is a prime spot for migrating striped bass, especially around the Saco River mouth; expect blitzes on sand eels, summer mackerel, and reliable action at dawn and dusk.
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Androscoggin River
Renowned for strong smallmouth bass fishing and improving trout opportunities, the Androscoggin features productive riffle-run pools near Bethel and Rumford ; summer topwater for bass can be electric, while spring and fall streamer drifts produce browns and rainbows.
East Grand Lake
A border water known for big landlocked salmon, lake trout, and robust smallmouth bass, East Grand shines with spring smelt runs and summer structure fishing; troll the main basin and probe rocky points near Danforth and Weston .
Grand Lake Stream
A legendary short stream connecting West Grand Lake to Big Lake , it’s famed for fly fishing landlocked salmon and brook trout; classic streamer and nymph presentations excel in spring and fall, with wade-friendly pocket water and pools.
Great Pond
Largest of the Belgrade Lakes, Great Pond supports strong smallmouth and largemouth bass, plus landlocked salmon and brown trout; fish weedlines and rocky bars in summer, troll deeper basins in spring and fall, and explore nearby Belgrade access points.
Jordan Pond
A crystal-clear Acadia gem, Jordan Pond offers scenic fishing for brook trout and lake trout; work deep drop-offs near the Bubbles with small spoons and streamers, and cruise shoreline structure by canoe on calm mornings.
Merrymeeting Bay
This inland tidal bay where the Kennebec River and Androscoggin River meet holds unique brackish-freshwater mixes; target spring striped bass pushes at river mouths, and work flats and channels for black crappie, white perch, and largemouth bass.
Moosehead Lake
Wild and expansive, Moosehead offers classic North Woods fishing for landlocked salmon, lake trout, and native brook trout; troll smelt-patterns along drop-offs near Greenville in spring, work rocky points for smallmouth bass in summer, and hit inlets and outlets in fall when salmon stage.
Rangeley Lake
A historic destination for brook trout and landlocked salmon, Rangeley Lake fishes best in spring and late season with smelt-pattern streamers along drop-offs; nearby flows like Rangeley River and Kennebago River complement the lake’s classic trolling and fly casting.
Sebago Lake
Maine’s second-largest lake is famed for landlocked salmon and trophy lake trout (togue), with solid action for smallmouth bass and brown trout; early spring and late fall are prime for salmon near tributaries, while summer trolling the basin and humps off Standish and Raymond produces steady catches, and winter brings popular ice-fishing.
West Branch Penobscot River
Flowing below Ripogenus Gorge toward Abol Bridge , the West Branch offers cold, oxygen-rich water for strong landlocked salmon and brook trout; drift boats and wading anglers work riffles, ledges, and eddies with streamers and big dries.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Kennebec River
From its trout-rich upper reaches to tidewater Bath , the Kennebec produces striped bass in the estuary (May–September) and excellent brook trout, rainbow trout, and seasonal salmon upstream; drift-boat nymphing and streamer runs shine, while shore anglers score around bridges, rips, and marsh edges.
Penobscot River
The Penobscot’s West Branch is revered for wild landlocked salmon on streamers and dries, while the lower tidal reaches near Bucksport and Bangor host seasonal striped bass; target pocket water and ledge seams inland, and bait blitzes along current lines in the estuary.
Saco River
Flowing to tide at Saco and Biddeford , the river holds spring–summer striped bass near the mouth and solid inland smallmouth bass and trout upstream; work eddies and undercut banks by boat, and cast bucktails or soft plastics along jetties and bridges.