These signs mean Maine’s fall salmon run is getting started

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 21, 2026

Landlocked salmon are one of Maine’s top freshwater fish, typically ranking right behind brook trout in surveys occasionally taken over the years. And they should be. They are one of Maine’s true natives, originally found in only four river basins, including the St. Croix, Union, Penobscot and Presumpscot. Stocking in other Maine waters started as early as 1868. Today, salmon fisheries, either self-sustaining or supplemented and maintained by stocking, are found in approximately 300 Maine lakes and about as many miles of rivers. Genetically, landlocked salmon are closely linked to Atlantic salmon. There is one important factor when it comes to fishing the fall run. When will the run commence?