SEBAGO — The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reconvened the 2011 Sebago Lake focus group in 2019 to discuss recent changes in the lake’s fishery and proposed changes in fishery management, particularly in relation to an overpopulation of togue and problems associated with a lack of forage fish.

MDIFW proposed more liberal regulations on lake trout, which took effect Jan. 1. In addition, the department staff and focus group members discussed changes in angler harvest and the idea that many anglers today simply fish for recreation and release their surplus or unwanted togue alive.

There was a need to develop some new and creative outlets for the fish that would encourage harvest.  One idea was to create one or more drop-off points around the lake where anglers could deposit their surplus or unwanted togue, and the group would find a use for them such as food for wildlife rehabilitators.

An experimental drop-off station has been set up at Jordan’s Store on Rte. 114, west shore of Sebago Lake. The store phone number is 207-787-3866 and the drop-off hours are the same as the store hours, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The fish will be utilized by several local wildlife rehabilitation facilities. This will help reduce the togue population in Sebago and help local rehab people with the work they do.

When catching togue in Sebago, take them to Jordan’s Store. All fish need to be bagged and tagged with angler’s name and date the fish were caught. The program is for Sebago Lake togue only.