Press Releases and Articles
June 9th is Free Fishing Day!
| idfg-eoneale
Saturday, June 9th 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
Celebrate Idaho Free Fishing Day June 9th
| idfg-jbruns
Saturday, June 9th is Idaho’s annual Free Fishing Day. Idaho Fish and Game invites residents, nonresidents, as well as veteran and novice anglers of all ages to celebrate the day by fishing anywhere in Idaho without a license. Even though a fishing license is not required for this special day, all other rules, such as… more
Angler lands state record tiger trout from Deer Creek Reservoir
| idfg-rhand
Deer Creek Reservoir in Clearwater County has once again produced a state record Tiger Trout for an Idaho angler. Aaron Lougee of Lewiston caught the 22-inch, 4.04-pound monster on May 18, which shattered the old record of 19.25-inch caught in 2017 from Deer Creek Reservoir.
For those unfamiliar, a tiger… more
Boaters: How to get invasive species stickers and prevent aquatic invaders
| idfg-mkoenig
Now that fishing and boating season are in full swing, let's remember a few simple steps to reduce the spread of unwanted aquatic species from invading Idaho waters.
Clean. Drain. Dry.
Who needs an Invasive Species Sticker for a boat? (check out the FAQ's… more
Pend Oreille River produces new catch-and-release state record smallmouth bass
| idfg-mkoenig
Rick Poedtke with a new catch-and-release state record Smallmouth Bass from the Pend Oreille River.
Congratulations to Rick Poedtke of Priest River, Idaho for landing the latest catch/release state record for Smallmouth Bass! Rick caught the 22” bass while fly fishing the Pend Oreille River… more
May 30: Clearwater Region's weekly Chinook salmon update
| idfg-jdupont
A message from Fisheries Manager, Joe DuPont
Run Update and Harvest Share
Our information suggests that over 95% of the spring Chinook Salmon destined for fisheries in the Clearwater Region have passed over Bonneville Dam. As such, we don’t expect numbers in the table below to change very much… more
June 5 is deadline to apply for big game controlled hunts
| idfg-rphillips
Hunters have until midnight Tuesday, June 5 to apply for this fall's deer, elk, pronghorn, black bear and turkey controlled hunts.
Apply now
Hunters with a valid 2018 Idaho hunting license may apply for controlled hunts at any hunting and fishing license vendor, Fish and Game office; with a credit card… more
Emphasize fun when fishing with kids
| idfg-mdemick
Fishing can be an ideal sport for families to do together outdoors. Besides spending quality time together, getting away from hectic schedules, electronics and enjoying a sun-filled day of fresh air can do wonders.
“Fishing can be a great sport even for little kids, if you introduce it in a positive way,” said… more
Video: Watch seven species of north Idaho wildlife pass by one remote camera
| idfg-mlucid
Idaho Fish and Game uses remote cameras on many wildlife projects across the state. Seven different species visited this single camera when it was deployed for one month during the summer of 2017. The camera was located in northern Idaho's Purcell Mountains Game Management Unit 1.
It's testament to Idaho's… 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 96,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations. With Free Fishing Day around the corner, local ponds will be a focal point of trout stocking efforts this month.
… more
No excuse to skip fishing on Free Fishing Day, June 9
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game’s Free Fishing Day on June 9 is exactly as it sounds: a chance for anyone to grab a rod and go fishing with no license required.
At many locations, you don’t even need a rod, tackle or bait. Just show up and Fish and Game employees and volunteers will loan you gear and show you how to… more
Ground-breaking Announced for New Fish and Game Office
| idfg-eoneale
Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Region staff will soon have a different business address thanks to the efforts of the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation (IFWF) which is funding construction of a new office building just off the Garrity Exit of Interstate 84. The result will be a much more convenient location for western… more
Big fish, big fun: catfish are the Snake River's overlooked bounty
| idfg-rphillips
Imagine a river loaded with big fish that are eager to bite and put up a mean fight when hooked. Imagine you have most of the river for you and your fishing pals to catch as many fish as you want to clean and eat.
Imagine no more, because this place actually exists, and it’s only minutes from Idaho’… more
Clearwater Region's weekly Chinook Salmon update (5/23/18)
| idfg-jdupont
Message from Fisheries Manager, Joe DuPont
Hi Everybody. It’s time for the Clearwater Region’s weekly Chinook Salmon update (5/23/18).
Run Update and Harvest Share
It’s getting late enough that we are starting to narrow down how many adult Chinook Salmon we think will make it to Idaho and… more
More Mountain Lion Sightings Reported in Pocatello
| idfg-jjackson
More Mountain Lion Sightings Reported in Pocatello
Idaho Department of Fish and Game responded to two reports of mountain lion sightings in the vicinity of Red Hill Trail behind Mountain View Cemetery in Pocatello over the weekend. IDFG worked with officials from both Idaho State University Public Safety and… more
Enter Super Hunt Drawing for Idaho's Hunt of a Lifetime
| idfg-vosborn
Apply now for the first drawing.
First Super Hunt entry deadline is May 31
| idfg-vosborn
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
Clearwater Region's weekly Chinook salmon update: May 18
| idfg-jdupont
The fish are finally getting to Idaho, and as such, I will try and get my updates to you no later than Wednesday in the future so you can better plan your fishing trips.
Run Update
It seems that if there is a will there is a way. Despite continued high flows over Bonneville Dam, counts of… more