Landlocked Salmon

Maine supports one of the largest sport fisheries for Landlocked Salmon in the world. “Catch and release” of salmon has improved fishing in many lakes, but in others it has resulted in depressed smelt populations and smaller salmon, because there are too many salmon. Maine fishery biologists respond by reducing the number of salmon stocked, or by adjusting fishing regulations to restore the balance between numbers of smelts and salmon. The average size of salmon harvested from Maine lakes is 16-18 inches and 1.5-2 pounds, but 3 to 5 pound salmon are not uncommon.