Maine’s free fishing weekend is officially June 5 and 6. However, because of a misprint in the state fishing law book that listed May 29 and 30, fishermen need to be wary.
Those fishing Memorial Day weekend without a license could be summonsed for breaking the law, despite the fact those two days are listed as “free fishing” days.
The Maine Warden Service will not necessarily let fishermen who are fishing without a license on Memorial Day weekend off without a summons, according to Maj. Greg Sanborn with the service.
“The Warden Service will use appropriate discretion given the facts at hand,” said Sanborn in Augusta.
Sanborn said that all rules listed in the new fishing law book that came out this year are not binding, and anglers should be wary of the misprint that had the wrong date.
State law set by the Legislature lists only a formula to determine when Maine’s free fishing weekends will be held, not a date.
“We have to follow the law, and the law to us is Title 12,” Sanborn said. “(The date) was an error. Staff does (the law book).”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
