An Act To Allow a Person 65 Years of Age or Older To Fish with Bait in any Inland Water
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §12461, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2007, c. 21, §2, is further amended to read:
5. Fishing restrictions. A person under 65 years of age may not use live fish as bait or possess live fish to be used as bait on a lake or pond listed as a state heritage fish water under this section. A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12655, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §278 and affected by §422, is amended to read:
1. Prohibition. During times when fishing is limited by rule to the use of artificial lures only, a person under 65 years of age may not use:
A. Live bait;
B. Dead bait; or
C. Chemically preserved natural or organic bait.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §12658, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
1. Prohibition. A person under 65 years of age may not troll a fly in inland waters restricted to fly-fishing.
summary
This bill allows a person 65 years of age or older to use live bait, dead bait or chemically preserved natural or organic bait in inland waters restricted to artificial lures and to troll a fly in inland waters restricted to fly-fishing only.