Press Releases and Articles
Electrofishing schedule set for the South Fork of the Snake River
| idfg-jbrower
Biologists with the Idaho Fish and Game plan to be electrofishing sections of the South Fork every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from now until May 23 as they conduct a feasibility study on the manual removal of rainbow trout. "These removal efforts are not aimed at removing all of the… more
Verdict in 2017 Minidoka County Felony Poaching Case
| idfg-dmeyer
On Monday April 15, sentencing was held for the last of five individuals involved in a multitude of wildlife crimes stemming from activity during October 2017 in Minidoka County.
In December of 2017, IDFG Officer Steve Ross initiated an investigation into illegal hunting activities north of Rupert. Jake… more
Stocking helps sturgeon population below C.J. Strike Dam
| idfg-mkoenig
Idaho Power Co. biologists check a setline to collect adult White Sturgeon from the Snake River as part of ongoing conservation efforts to improve the population.
You may have heard about sturgeon being collected from the Snake River below C.J. Strike Dam during April. Don’t be alarmed – this is all… more
Steelhead smolt transportation and release season is underway in Idaho
| idfg-csundquist
Spring is officially here and with that comes a lot of water in Idaho’s rivers. High runoff is critical to help flush Idaho’s out-migrating steelhead smolts to the Pacific Ocean. Idaho steelhead enter fresh water in one year and spawn the following spring.
Idaho has A and B strains of steelhead that are… more
Mormon Reservoir revival produced great trout fishing and is attracting anglers
| idfg-bpearson
Mormon Reservoir near Fairfield recently returned as a destination fishery that produces big trout and lots of them. While older anglers might remember (with a tinge of nostalgia) a time when this was the norm, it hasn’t been the case until a few years back when a series of events helped revive Mormon’s trout fishing… more
Winchester Lake stocked today with 6,000 rainbow trout
| idfg-jbruns
The ice is off and over 6,000 hungry rainbow trout were stocked today at Winchester Lake. Take a kid, friend or neighbor and wet a line! Biologists also tagged several trout with orange floy tags. Anglers are encouraged to provide the individual tag number by calling the toll-free number on the tag to report… more
Become an Idaho Master Naturalist
| idfg-jbruns
Anyone who enjoys and appreciates Idaho’s outdoors can be an Idaho Master Naturalist; teachers, hunters, nature guides, farmers, retired professionals, and …you! The Idaho Master Naturalist Program aims to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to actively work toward stewardship of Idaho’s natural environment.… more
Dworshak Reservoir Fishing Report
| idfg-jdupont
Dworshak Reservoir Fishing Report
by Sean Wilson, IDFG fisheries research biologist
It seemed like winter would never end, but now that it has, we are facing the aftermath with raging dirty water in our rivers and streams. It may be weeks before some of our rivers… more
April 15: Upper Salmon River Steelhead fishing report
| idfg-mdemick
Over the week of April 8th, the majority of steelhead angler effort on the upper Salmon River was located upstream of the East Fork Salmon River in location code 19. Angler effort in areas downstream of the East Fork was low.
Anglers interviewed downstream of the Pahsimeroi River in location code 17 averaged… more
Three years after stocking, Chinook in Spirit Lake are ready to be reeled in
| idfg-cwatkins
The chinook salmon first stocked in Spirit Lake in 2016 are reaching the 20-inch minimum size for harvest, adding an exciting, new consumptive fishery to the lake. These chinook are landlocked (they do not migrate to the ocean) but can still reach large sizes in waters with abundant kokanee… more
Wolf hunting season remains open in several local units
| idfg-mdemick
Due to changes in wolf hunting seasons, some wolf hunts for spring 2019 were extended last year and are not reflected in the 2017-2018 big game rules booklet.
In the Salmon area, wolf hunting seasons were extended in the following units and will run through:
June 30, 2019 in Big Game Management Units 21… more
Rainbow trout to be removed from the South Fork of the Snake River and stocked in local ponds
| idfg-jbrower
As part of an ongoing effort to reduce hybridization between the non-native rainbow trout and the native cutthroat trout in the South Fork of the Snake River, biologists from the Idaho Fish and Game will be manually removing rainbow and hybrid trout. Fish will be stunned with electro-shocking… more
Strike while it’s hot! There are lots of crappie at C.J. Strike Reservoir.
| idfg-bpearson
The stars have aligned for another crappie “boom” at C.J. Strike Reservoir, and anglers will likely reap the benefits for the next couple of years.
“We have a big 2017 year class of fish at C.J. Strike, and they are just starting to grow to a size that anglers can catch them,” Idaho Fish and Game biologist… more
See the spring waterfowl migration at McArthur Lake Wildlife Management Area
| idfg-edehamer
Just a few short weeks ago, McArthur Lake and the northern Panhandle remained in the reluctantly-loosening grip of winter. Ice was still thick over the entire reservoir and the red-winged blackbirds that arrived early resorted to singing in the pines, waiting for snowdrifts to reveal the cattails they would aim to… more
F&G Commission sets migratory game bird seasons and adjusts wolf hunt in two units
| idfg-bpearson
Meeting by conference call on April 11, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission set seasons for migratory game birds for 2019-20, and amended wolf hunting seasons in Units 51 and 50 for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
The seasons for migratory game birds will remain mostly the same as the 2018-19 seasons, with a… more
Steelhead to be stocked in Blue Mountain and Kids Creek ponds
| idfg-mdemick
Personnel from Fish and Game's Pahsimeroi Hatchery will release 100 steelhead each in Blue Mountain Pond and Kids Creek Pond by Thursday, April 11.
Blue Mountain Pond is adjacent to the golf course in Challis. Kids will enjoy fishing from the banks and having a family picnic in the pond's two gazebos… more
Fall Controlled Hunt Application Period is Coming, Prepare Now!
| idfg-jtjaden
Hunters are starting to get giddy; there are smiles on their faces and a spring in their step. Controlled hunt application season must be approaching fast. The application period for fall controlled hunts begins May 1st and ends on June 5th. Hunters apply during this time for deer, elk, pronghorn, fall black bear, and… more
Winter closures within Teton Basin Ranger District extended until April 30 to protect wintering wildlife
| idfg-jbrower
Due to persisting winter conditions the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with Idaho Fish and Game and Wyoming Game and Fish has extended the winter closure in the Teton Basin Ranger District. The closure will remain in effect until April 30.
The extension of the closure will give big game animals a few extra… more