Press Releases and Articles
Cutthroat Trout – A Piece of the Priest Lake Fishery
| idfg-adux
Idaho’s state fish, Westslope Cutthroat Trout, are a staple in many of the state’s major rivers and lakes. Cutthroat were once widely abundant in North Idaho’s large lake systems, where they spawned in tributary streams and grew large in the lakes where food was more abundant. Although cutthroat once dominated the… more
Fall Chinook fishing to open August 18
| idfg-mdemick
Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a fall Chinook salmon fishing season to open August 18 on parts of the Snake, Clearwater and Salmon rivers.
Commissioners approved the 2017 fall Chinook fishing seasons during their meeting in Bonners Ferry on Thursday, July 27.
The 2017 fall Chinook forecast is… more
Don’t forget to buy controlled hunt tags by August 1
| idfg-mdemick
Big game hunters who were successful in drawing controlled hunt tags for deer, elk, pronghorn, and black bear have until midnight MDT, Tuesday, August 1 to buy their tags.
Applicants can find out if they drew a tag by checking the controlled hunt drawing results on the Idaho Fish and Game web site at http://… more
Sandhill crane tags available August 1
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters are reminded that Sandhill crane will be available first-come, first-served starting at 10 am MDT, August 1 at Fish and Game license vendors, online at https://idfg.idaho.gov, or by calling 800-554-8685.
Seasons begin September 1-15 or September 16-30, depending on tag type. Tag numbers were increased… more
Stay informed - Here's some links to help you plan
| idfg-mkoenig
If you plan to get outside and fish during the 2017 solar eclipse, there are lots of ways to stay informed about conditions. Most of the public land in the Path of Totality is managed by the Bureau of Land Management or the US Forest Service. These federal agencies have a variety of websites and social media pages… more
High-country cameras yield their winter secrets
| idfg-devansmack
This past winter biologists across 4 states deployed 180 cameras in wolverine habitat as part of the Western States Wolverine Camera Survey. Unlike the cameras we checked all through the winter by snow machine and skis, 12 cameras in Idaho were so remote we set them up late last fall, before the snow… more
Idaho’s Chinook salmon seasons to end July 30
| idfg-mdemick
Chinook salmon seasons on the Snake, Little Salmon and Upper Salmon rivers will close at the end of fishing hours on Sunday, July 30. The closures to these fisheries are occurring because harvest objectives are being met and/or because the Chinook run has ended.
Although the spring/summer Chinook season will… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook Update (7/24/17)
| idfg-vosborn
Chinook anglers had another successful week on the upper Salmon River. Angler effort was almost twice as high as the previous week, and the majority of anglers were observed near the Buckhorn Bridge area. Catch rates were the best of the season to this point, with Chinook anglers averaging 6 hours per Chinook salmon… more
Wolf trapper certification courses offered
| idfg-mdemick
Trappers are reminded that Idaho rules require trappers to successfully complete a Wolf Trapper Certification course before they can purchase wolf trapping tags.
Courses are offered periodically throughout the year, but few are taught during trapping seasons as the instructors are trappers who are out in the… more
Dead Wildlife
| idfg-rberkley
One common call we receive at Idaho Department of Fish and Game is about dead wildlife. Several times per week, we receive reports of dead deer, foxes, elk, or even bears. Often, the caller requests that IDFG staff come out to move or remove the carcass. Sometimes, people become frustrated when the carcass is not… more
Update: Black bear trapped, euthanized north of Ketchum
| idfg-khatch
KETCHUM - Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG) employees trapped and euthanized a male black bear Saturday evening that had been frequenting campgrounds in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area north of Ketchum.
A bear had made physical human contact on two occasions and was highly conditioned to… more
Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule
| idfg-eoneale
Personnel from Fish and Game's McCall and Nampa Hatcheries will be releasing more than 33,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations during August.
Location Week Stocked Number of Trout
Boise River - above Glenwood Bridge August 7, 21 1,440/1,… more
F&G hosts women's fly fishing clinic in Lewiston in August, September
| idfg-jbruns
Kelly Creek Flycasters and Idaho Fish and Game wil co-sponsor a women's fly fishing clinic that includes classroom sessions at the Fish and Game office on 16th Street, Lewiston, casting lessons at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds on Burrell Ave, Lewiston, and a weekend fishing trip on the North Fork Clearwater River… more
Casting for the bulls: fishing for Idaho's bull trout
| idfg-rphillips
They’re big, they’re hard fighting, and they’re one of Idaho’s most overlooked trophy fishing opportunities, but many anglers are still confused whether they can target bull trout for catch-and-release fishing.
The short answer is yes.
When bull trout were listed as threatened… more
Fish and Game fisheries crews lend helping hand to US Geological Survey
| idfg-khatch
Staff from Idaho Fish and Game, Bureau of Land Management, and the Department of Environmental Quality help the United State Geological Survey staff complete a fish species abundance survey of Rock Creek in Twin Falls.
The crew uses electricity to stun the fish so the fish float… more
Niagara Springs Fish Hatchery works to be disease free
| idfg-csundquist
Hatchery employees at Niagara Spring Hatchery near Wendell are taking precautions against a potential disease outbreak by vaccinating their steelhead smolts.
The vaccination process is simple, as the fish are immersed into a vaccine bath for one minute and returned to a rearing unit immediately after.
… more
Bear visits continue in campground near Ketchum
| idfg-khatch
IDFG file photo: This is not the bear that's been visiting campgrounds. Black bears are common in Idaho and are usually nonaggressive, but people should always use caution and maintain their distance. CAPTION: IDFG file photo: This is not the bear that's been visiting campgrounds. Black bears are… more