Press Releases and Articles
Summer is primetime to explore Idaho's backcountry fishing opportunities
| idfg-rphillips
Imagine standing on the shore of a sparkling mountain lake, or wading a cool, clear stream and casting to trout that devour a fly or lure like it’s an eating contest. Imagine the only competition might be an osprey perched in a tall tree or an otter bobbing in the current.
Sound farfetched? Not in Idaho’… more
Walleye locations in Lake Pend Oreille, June 2020
| idfg-prust
By Pete Rust, Senior Fisheries Research Biologist
Biologists track acoustic-tagged walleye to help anglers catch walleye and participate in the Lake Pend Oreille angler incentive program and to learn more about walleye movements. Between late fall 2019 and early May… more
American Falls Reservoir produces latest catch-and-release record; 31.25-inch rainbow trout
| idfg-mkoenig
Brett Jones released this 31.25" Rainbow Trout at American Falls Reservoir to claim a new catch/release state record.
Congratulations to Brett Jones, of Rock Springs Wyoming on a new catch-and-release state record rainbow trout! Jones caught the huge trout while fishing American Falls… more
Three anglers win big in Pend Oreille walleye lottery
| idfg-ksiitari
Three Idaho anglers won $1,000 each after catching reward-tagged fish in the Pend Oreille walleye lottery during the month of May. These are the first reward tag winners since the program launched in March 2019.
Mike Gordon of Sandpoint caught his winning fish in the Clark Fork River… more
F&G Commission approves Chinook season for Upper Salmon River starting June 26
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission met via conference call and approved a Chinook fishing season to start June 26 on about 38 miles of river from the posted boundary at the South Butte boat ramp near Clayton, upstream to the posted boundary about 100 yards downstream of the weir and trap at Sawtooth Fish Hatchery.… more
Multi-year study evaluates panfish production at C.J. Strike Reservoir
| idfg-cnau
C.J. Strike Reservoir is one of the most popular fisheries in southwest Idaho. Situated at the confluence of the Snake and Bruneau rivers, the C.J. Strike Dam was completed in 1952 creating a 6,700 acre reservoir. This large waterbody offers a diverse fishery, from rainbow trout to white sturgeon… more
Magic Valley elk depredation management will continue into 2020
| idfg-tthompson
Over the last five or more years, farms throughout the Magic Valley Region have seen an increase in crop damages caused by ever-increasing elk populations that sometimes reside almost exclusively on private land. Fish and Game has worked cooperatively with landowners to find ways to prevent or reduce the damage to… more
Winter survival estimates for mule deer, elk above average
| idfg-bpearson
After a relatively mild winter, statewide survival of radio-collared mule deer fawns and elk calves was above average through the end of May, the final month of Fish and Game’s monitoring period.
Statewide, 73 percent of radio-collared elk calves and 63 percent of mule deer fawns survived through the winter.… more
F&G shooting ranges reopened on June 13
| idfg-bpearson
Black's Creek Public Shooting Range in southern Idaho and Farragut Public Shooting Range in northern Idaho reopened on June 13 as the state moved into Stage Four of Governor Brad Little’s “Idaho Rebounds” plan.
Visitors to the ranges should expect some changes to range operations in accordance with the… more
Black's Creek Public Shooting Range Reopens!
| idfg-eoneale
Black's Creek Public Shooting Range (BCR) has reopened following several weeks of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BCR is now open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm through the remainder of June.
Summer hours go into effect starting July 1, with BCR open Thursday through… more
2020 Certification Hours REDUCED
| idfg-sfocht
Idaho Master Naturalists aiming to certify in 2020 will need to complete 20 hours of volunteer work within their chapter's certification year. This is a 50% reduction from the usual 40 hours required to certify.
Members who joined chapters in 2020 will need to complete 40 hours of education. Members who joined… more
F&G and U.S. Forest Service partner on Clearwater trail and access projects
| idfg-rphillips
Provided by the Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forest:
An expanding new partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests is increasing hunter and angler access on National Forest System lands in north-central Idaho. Staff from both agencies work together to… more
F&G Commission will meet via conference call at 8 a.m. MDT on June 16
| idfg-rphillips
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet via conference call at 8 a.m. MDT on June 16 to decide season setting for a limited Upper Salmon River Chinook fishing season, and vote on a discount order for the bighorn sheep lottery tag application fees.
People wishing to listen in on the meeting can visit a… more
Farragut Shooting Range reopens June 13
| idfg-ksiitari
The Farragut Public Shooting range will reopen on Saturday, June 13. Shooters can expect some changes due to social distancing requirements. Please follow all signs and Range Safety Officer directions.
The cost is $5 per shooter per day. Only cash will be accepted.
Please note:
On Sunday, June… more
Conservation Officer finds missing hiker up Boulder Creek Trail along Lochsa River
| idfg-jbruns
Late Sunday night, June 7, Senior Conservation Officer, Michael Wampler was getting ready to shut down his patrol vehicle after a long day of bear hunter patrol when he heard a call generated from an Idaho State Police (ISP) emergency call box, near Wilderness Gateway on the Lochsa River. The reporting party (RP) said… more
Experimental Kokanee Stocking Seeks to Improve Fishery Diversity at Blackfoot Reservoir
| idfg-cwatkins
Kokanee were stocked into Blackfoot Reservoir for the first time this spring in an effort to enhance the diversity and fishing opportunities available to southeast Idaho anglers. A landlocked form of Sockeye Salmon, kokanee are tremendously popular among anglers and known for their quality table fare. They’re also… more
Spring Chinook Salmon Fishing Update 6/9/2020
| idfg-jdupont
Hi everybody, it is time for my weekly spring Chinook Salmon update (6/9/2020).
If you were planning to fish the lower Salmon River this weekend, please be sure to read the “Rapid River Fishery” section as we are closing down a section of the Salmon River to Chinook Salmon fishing.
Run… more
Chinook fishing closes on the Lower Salmon River from Rice Creek to Hammer Creek
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game has closed the Chinook salmon fishing season on the Lower Salmon River from Rice Creek Bridge upstream to the Hammer Creek boat ramp effective June 10.
Fishing is open until further notice on the section of the Lower Salmon from Hammer Creek boat ramp to Time Zone Bridge, and on portions of… more