Grab a line and hit the waters
 The weather is heating up, and Tuesday, June 18th is National Go Fishing Day! Cast a line and enjoy a relaxing day on the water. If you haven't had a chance to fish yet this year, it's easy to purchase a license online, and the June Fishing Report is a great resource for fishing tips and locations.
Warmer weather is a good time to target Maine's warmwater fishing species, such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, perch, chain pickerel, and sunfish. These fish can be found in areas with a lot of cover, such as woody debris, weed beds, and rocks. Smallmouth bass are likely to be found in shallow rocky areas or rocky dropoffs while largemouth bass will stick to vegetative shallow areas or weedy dropoffs. Spinners, crankbaits, stickbaits, jigs, minnows, and worms are great for both both species! Chain pickerel can be found in areas of vegetation closer to shore using flashy lures and floating stickbaits (torpedoes', frogs, and mouse imitations).
With the increased temperatures this week, it may be best to fish early in the morning or later at night. The fish will be more active at those times, and it will keep you out of the hottest parts of the day. Remember to stay hydrated in the heat, bring sunscreen and bug spray, and wear your personal flotation device (PFD) when boating. Most importantly, watch out for signs of heat stroke. Fast heart rate, headache, dizziness, nausea, or confusion are a good sign it's time to get out of the heat.
 With the warm days approaching, anglers are reminded to take some personal responsibility when fishing for coldwater fish species such as trout and landlocked salmon. These coldwater species thrive in cool (≤ 68°F), clean, well-oxygenated water. During summers when water levels and flows can be low due to lack of rainfall, water temperatures rise causing additional stress on trout and salmon. To beat the heat in streams and rivers, brook trout seek deeper pools and shaded areas that are cooler and better oxygenated. Small, colder tributaries are also locations where these fish will seek thermal refuge. In ponds, they will seek spring holes and move to deeper cooler areas of the lake. When fish are in these less than optimal situations, they are under stress and more susceptible to predators.
To help preserve the abundance and health of these coldwater species for future anglers to enjoy, follow the steps above to reduce stress on coldwater species or consider fishing for warmwater species such as bass, pickerel, and perch in late June and August. These species thrive in warmer water, unlike salmon and trout, and can often be found cruising the shoreline of ponds and lakes, often creating an action-filled fishing day.
Drought conditions experienced during recent summers and associated potential increases in water temperatures have prompted questions to MDIFW from the angling public regarding the value of implementing temperature-based fishing restrictions to reduce angling related stress and mortality. Given the more recent extremes in weather patterns, and expressed public concern, MDIFW conducted a comprehensive review of temperature-based coldwater fishery restrictions to better understand the strategies and science behind these restrictions.
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