Maine’s fly-fishing-only waters hold up to angling pressure from one year to the next and have for decades. (Ben Brunt photo)
A legal challenge to Maine’s long‑standing fly‑fishing‑only regulations is headed to the state’s highest court after plaintiffs appealed a lower‑court ruling that upheld the restrictions. The lawsuit argues that Maine’s 2021 “Right to Food” constitutional amendment should override rules limiting gear types on certain waters, which cover roughly 225 of the state’s 6,000 inland waters.
State officials maintain that fly‑fishing‑only zones are a targeted conservation tool designed to reduce fish mortality and protect wild brook trout...