Maine Moose Lottery Opens April 1st

Applications for the moose permit lottery will be accepted online starting April 1 and ending May 15, 2024 at 11:59 pm (ET).

The new application period will now allow moose hunters to know how many permits are issued and in what zone, as well as shorten the waiting time from when people apply until the day of the lottery on June 15th. The application period is similar in length to the antlerless deer lottery.

The 2024 moose permit lottery drawing will take place Saturday, June 15 in Fort Kent. Those who do not attend the in-person drawing can view lottery results at mefishwildlife.com by 6 pm on June 15

For more information about moose hunting in Maine and the moose permit lottery, please visit: mefishwildlife.com

First Roach Pond. There also are good opportunities to catch landlocked salmon and brook trout on our local river fisheries at the Roach River, Moose River, East and West Outlets of the Kennebec River, and the West Branch of the Penobscot.

Fishing tip: Once we begin to see an increase in water temperature and a decrease in stream and river flows, we will begin our annual spring stocking of legal-size brook trout. These brook trout are stocked in easily accessible waters throughout the region to create “instant fishing” opportunities. Many of these waters are stocked on

Pond (Dunham Brook), Dover-Foxcroft (restricted to anglers under 16); Moose River, Jackman; Parlin Pond, Parlin Pond Township; Piscataquis River, Dover-Foxcroft and Guilford; Power Trout Pond, Little Moose Township; Prong Pond, Beaver Cove Township; Sawyer Pond, Greenville; Shadow Pond, Little Moose Township; Shirley Pond, Shirley; Snow’s Pond, Dover-Foxcroft; Spectacle Ponds, Monson; West Outlet Kennebec River, Sapling; and Whetstone Pond, Blanchard Township.

Reminders: Many of the season’s largest brook trout are caught along the more than one occasion to distribute the catch among anglers and to ensure fishing success longer into the season.

List of spring stocked brook trout: Bennett Pond, Parkman; Big Wood Pond, Jackman; Doe Pond, Monson; Drummond Pond, Abbot (family fishing area); Fitzgerald Pond, Big Moose Township; Gravel Pit Pond, Little Moose Township (family fishing area); Hebron Lake, Monson; Kiwanis Park shore as water temperatures begin to increase. Even the most novice angler can find brook trout that will take an assortment of flies, lures, and bait. Make sure to check the fishing law book to determine which fishing gear is allowed on the bodies of water you plan to fish.

Penobscot Region

From Fisheries Resource Biologist Kevin Gallant, 3/21/24

Where to fish: Rarely

(Cont. from pg 6) do we get an opportunity to open water fish on lakes and ponds in the North Zone on April 1st, but this could be the year! With the mild winter you may find the ice is already out in a lot of waters in the Penobscot Region. If the woods roads dry out in time, ponds like Lost Pond in T6R10 WELS, Hale Pond in T2 R10 WELS and Titcomb Pond in T32 ND will provide some good early Brook trout fishing. B Pond in TB R11 WELS is another excellent choice for early trout and salmon fishing. East Grand Lake and Deering Lake, both in Weston, will produce some quantity and quality fishing for Landlocked salmon.

If you are interested in brook and stream fishing, the high-water last year would have been great for brook trout. Not only did the high water lower the fishing pressure, but it also kept water temperatures down, likely resulting in better survival and growth. If the water stays fishable this spring, it could be a banner year.

Fishing tip: Seek out some put and take waters like Middle Oxhead Pond (T40 ND), Norton Pond (Brownville) and Perch Pond (Old Town). These are likely to have some leftover fall stocked brook trout that are unlikely to survive the warm water temperatures of the summer months ahead. Usually, these waters would see enough fishing pressure in the winter to remove most, if not all, of the stocked fish. This year that is unlikely with the mild winter that saw late ice ins and early ice outs.

Reminders: Even with the early spring, the water will still be very cold! Wear your life jacket! Accidents happen to even the most seasoned anglers

Fish River Lakes Region

From Fisheries Resource Biologist Jeremiah Wood, 3/21/24

Where to fish: Despite the late March cold and snow reminding us that we’re not yet out of winter, it still looks like Maine is in for an unusually early spring. With such a low snowpack in the woods, the typical high water spring runoff season we’re all used to is likely to be short and muted. Rivers, brooks, and streams are expected to drop to fishable levels much earlier than normal in the northern part of the state, paving the way for some great fishing opportunities that usually don’t arrive here before May.

The Aroostook River spans a vast and diverse landscape, ranging from wooded uplands in the North Maine Woods to farm country in the heart of the County, and all of it is brook trout water. Fish range far and wide during spring time, taking advantage of an abundance of feeding opportunities before being shut in to cold water tributaries and spring holes for the summer. That can make the trout difficult to find, but when you catch one, it’s not likely to be alone.

Fishing tip: Target deep, slow moving water on cold days, and watch for insect hatches that bring fish to the surface mid-day and evening. Keep track of places where you repeatedly find trout, as they are likely to consistently produce better fishing over time.

Reminders: Brook trout slot limit regulations have changed on many of our waters. The most common change has been a removal of the 10” or 12” minimum length, allowing for a wider length range of trout that can be harvested. Be sure to check for regulation changes in the waters you plan to fish this spring.

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