Press Releases and Articles
New catch-and-release record white crappie from CJ Strike
| idfg-mkoenig
Congratulations to Matt Wilcox of Ketchum on landing the newest catch-and-release state record White Crappie!He managed to land this 14.25" beauty while fishing CJ Strike Reservoir in early May. April through June are typically the best months for finding crappie throughout southwest and northern Idaho. Watch for… more
Free Fishing Day events planned
| idfg-khatch
JEROME - Idaho Fish and Game will be sponsoring two Free Fish Events June 10, in the Magic Valley. One will be at the State Fish Hatchery in Hagerman and the other at Gavers Lagoon at the Hayspur Hatchery.
Both events will run from 9 a.m. to noon, with staff being on hand to help new anglers learn the art of… more
Free Fishing Day events for Southwest Idaho
| idfg-eoneale
Saturday, June 10th is Free Fishing Day, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game invites veteran and novice anglers of all ages, residents and nonresidents alike, to celebrate the day by fishing anywhere in Idaho without a license. Though fishing license requirements are suspended for this special day, all other… more
Preparing for young of the year
| idfg-sross
By Steve Ross
Spring is upon us in the Magic Valley. Slowly but surely we are seeing the snow melt away from the hills and the temperatures rising on those lighted signs outside of the bank. It is that time of year when Idahoans start getting excited to be outside again, taking in all that our great state has… more
New Management/Camping Fees Coming to Horsethief Reservoir
| idfg-eoneale
Camping areas at Horsethief Reservoir will soon be under new management, and one of the biggest changes users will see is a new camping fee.
Idaho Fish and Game approached YMCA leadership in the fall of 2016 regarding the possibility of a temporary partnership between the two organizations. After months of… more
“Wild About Kootenai River Native Fish” Workshop Offered
| idfg-pcooper
Have you ever seen a fish with ‘pre-historic’ characteristics right here in modern- day Idaho? The Kootenai River White Sturgeon is one such fish, and it is found only in the Kootenai River. The Burbot, an unusual fish that resembles a ling-cod, is another species found in the Kootenai River system of Idaho, Montana,… more
Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule
| idfg-eoneale
June will be a busy month for personnel from Fish and Game's McCall and Nampa Hatcheries as they will be releasing more than 89,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations. Due to continued high runoff, most regularly-stocked rivers and streams will not be stocked during June. With Free Fishing Day… more
Boise Hunter Recovering from Bear Encounter
| idfg-eoneale
A Boise-area hunter will recover from bite wounds he received after being attacked by a wounded black bear near Grimes Creek in Boise County. Marvin Jennings (43) of Boise and his uncle from Lynnwood, WA were hunting over a bear bait site on Clear Creek Sunday evening, May 28 when the incident occurred.
… more
If You Care, Leave Them There!
| idfg-sfocht
Spring brings baby animals. If you find one, be sure to keep your distance, keep quiet, do not approach, and certainly do not touch!
Some Horsethief Reservoir campsites remain closed
| idfg-mdemick
A popular camping area on the east side of Horsethief Reservoir will remain closed indefinitely, while 85 campsites on the west side of the reservoir opened to camping mid-May.
The 32 campsites located on the east side, known as Horsethief Creek, will be closed due to hazardous tree removal and construction.… more
June 5 is last day to apply for big game controlled hunts
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters have until midnight Monday, June 5 to apply for this fall's deer, elk, pronghorn, black bear and turkey controlled hunts.
Apply now
Hunters with a valid 2017 Idaho hunting license may apply for controlled hunts at any hunting and fishing license vendor, Fish and Game office; with a credit card… more
First Super Hunt drawing deadline is May 31
| idfg-mdemick
Hunters hoping to enter Idaho’s first Super Hunt drawing have through May 31 to apply.
With every entry in Fish and Game's Super Hunt drawings, hunters get a chance at winning the hunt of a lifetime, and their entry fee helps support hunter and angler access to and across private lands.
The first… more
Chinook run is late, below forecast and fishing could end soon
| idfg-rphillips
Anglers should soon know the fate of the 2017 spring Chinook run, and how much longer the spring fishing season will continue.
Fisheries managers plan to re-evaluate the season after seeing how many chinook cross Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, which is the first dam the fish cross that are bound for… more
Derrick Tuttle Receives Red Cross Hometown Hero Award
| idfg-csundquist
May 16, 2017-Niagara Springs Fish Hatchery's Fisheries Technician, Derrick Tuttle, received the American Red Cross Hometown Hero Award in the Workplace Hero category. In January of 2017, Derrick was in the right place at the right time when a vehicle crashed and plunged into the intake pool at the Niagara Springs… more
Moose, goat, and sheep controlled hunt results available online
| idfg-mdemick
Results of the drawings for moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat controlled hunts are now available online.
Hunters can find out if they were successful in drawing a tag by going to the Idaho Fish and Game website at https://idfg.idaho.gov/ch and enter their hunting license number.
Results are also… more
Trap Education Effort Partners with Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for Dogs
| idfg-eoneale
Hunters and other dog enthusiasts now have another reason to attend the 22nd annual Premier Rattlesnake Avoidance Training for Dogs event. Idaho Fish and Game officers will be holding a trap awareness seminar as part of the day’s events.
To register or just learn more about the training day, visit www.… more
Dworshak Reservoir Fishing Forecast
| idfg-swilson
It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a winter like this past one. But spring is here, the weather is warming and anglers are getting out on Dworshak Reservoir to chase bluebacks, smallies, or whatever else may bite.
Dworshak is one of the most popular fisheries in the Clearwater Region, and here’s how the… more
Spring Chinook Fishery Update (5/15/17)
| idfg-bbowersox
Time for the weekly check-in on the Idaho spring Chinook fishery. As you may expect if you’ve been keeping an eye on Chinook counts over Lower Granite Dam, Idaho spring Chinook fisheries have remained pretty quiet with no documented harvest to date. As of yesterday, there were 191 Chinook over Lower Granite for the… more