Be Carefull not all Northern Maine ice fishing season extended until April 21

[IceMan100]

so which lakes are extended???  Warden just told me Madawaska Lake was not one of the extended lakes!!!   so is it a guessing game to see if you get caught???

[Keychain]

so which lakes are extended???  Warden just told me Madawaska Lake was not one of the extended lakes!!!   so is it a guessing game to see if you get caught???

Yeah, that seems like a tricky one.  Must be because the normal ice fishing season on the lake is specifically stated as ending March 31, where most others just follow "general law" which normally ends March 31 in the northern region?

MADAWASKA LAKE (INCLUDING
LITTLE MADAWASKA LAKE), T16 R4
WELS, Westmanland (North Region). General
fishing laws apply, except: Open to ice fishing
from February 15 - March 31. S-2, S-3, S-19.
Tributaries upstream to the first road crossing:
CI. S-1, S-19. Lake open to open water fishing
from October 1 - November 30: ALO, S-7.

Usually people will say "Just read the laws, it's not that difficult." but this one sure isn't as clear as it should be considering the season was extended.

[IceMan100]

sneaky.....  bet they make money on this one 

[Keychain]

sneaky.....  bet they make money on this one 

I'd probably pay a thousand bucks to fight a hundred dollar ticket on that one... 

[JDK]

Here is the poop directly from IF&W.  IceMan100 is correct

Class A waters remain open until the 30th.  If you read IF&W's press release it implies that they also close on the 21st.
Class B waters remain open until the 21st

Madawaska is neither a Class A or B water and is closed to icefishing.

[Keychain]

That's definitely tricky.  The announcement from IF&W stated "Under extension enacted by Commissioner Camuso, waters that are open to ice fishing as of March 31 in the north region will continue to be open from April 1 through Sunday, April 21. All rules and regulations for those waters that are already open to ice fishing in the north region will remain in effect."  It didn't say anything about having to check for the A or B codes.  Even at that, Madawaska Lake WAS open to ice fishing through March 31, so wouldn't that make it one of the "waters that are open to ice fishing as of March 31"?  Yeah, nothing is ever simple...

[SilverSides]

If it was open to fishing on the 31st then it is supposed to be open for fishing til the 21st. Wardens dont necessarily always understand the laws themselves. Would definitely go before a judge on that one.

[IceMan100]

The wardens received an email yesterday stating Madawaska Lake was closed,  They even thought it was extended until the email came out.   But now I'm sure they will be watching that Lake very closely.   I don't mind playing by the rules but when they don't even know what's going on makes it hard for us rule followers to get frustrated.    There was nothing in the statement of A and B lakes,   Just states Northern Maine Lakes will be extended until April 21st.   

Maybe they received calls from the so called "Lake owners"?   there are a lot of anti ice fishing people located on lakes.   

[Linedogg104]

The wardens received an email yesterday stating Madawaska Lake was closed,  They even thought it was extended until the email came out.   But now I'm sure they will be watching that Lake very closely.   I don't mind playing by the rules but when they don't even know what's going on makes it hard for us rule followers to get frustrated.    There was nothing in the statement of A and B lakes,   Just states Northern Maine Lakes will be extended until April 21st.   

Maybe they received calls from the so called "Lake owners"?   there are a lot of anti ice fishing people located on lakes.   

I believe it actually did say B lakes

[9huskies]

The press release from IFW says " waters that are open to ice fishing as of March 31 in the north region will continue to be open from April 1 through Sunday, April 21." After making a public statement like that I find it hard to believe that any judge would convict anyone for fishing any lake that was open on March 31 even if the actual rule says "B waters". It seems like it would be considered a form of entrapment. If there was any water near me with a similar special season I would be willing to test it.

[Seamonkey84]

Sounds like a few years ago when they opened rivers and steams early with general law, but then the bios were trying to put up signs saying Sebago salmon were still off limits.