Press Releases and Articles
First sockeye of 2019 arrives at Stanley
| idfg-bpearson
The first sockeye of 2019 returned to the Redfish Lake Creek trap near Stanley on Aug. 2. The first sockeye arrived on July 26 last year, and July 27 in 2017.
The fish is among the 53 sockeye that have so far crossed Lower Granite Dam near Lewiston (through Aug. 1), which is the last dam the fish cross before… more
Still time to catch kokanee at Dworshak Reservoir
| idfg-swilson
There’s no better place to be on a hot summer day than out on the lake. If you haven’t been kokanee fishing on Dworshak Reservoir yet, you’re missing out. The kokanee are large, and fairly plentiful. During our trawl survey on July 29, the adult kokanee we caught were typically 12 inches long, with some as big as 13… more
How to fish Alpine lakes: planning your trip length
| idfg-mkoenig
Fishing alpine lakes is a great reason to strap on a backpack and hit the trail. There’s nothing quite like the experience of catching a trout in Idaho’s backcountry, but with more than 1,000 high mountain lakes that hold fish in Idaho, deciding on a destination can seem daunting.… more
Bluegill, bass populations rebounding at Bruneau Dunes after carp eradication
| idfg-bpearson
Joe Thiessen, regional fisheries biologist for Idaho Fish and Game, couldn’t help but be excited as he loaded a boat with electrofishing gear and prepared to launch at the overgrown earthen ramp at Bruneau Sand Dunes Lake on a warm July evening. He was eager to see how the lake’s bluegill and bass populations… more
August trout stocking schedule for the Southeast Region
| idfg-jjackson
Grab your fishing pole, pack the cooler, and don’t forget your fishing license. Personnel from Idaho Fish and Game’s hatcheries in the Southeast Region will be releasing nearly 7,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout at the following locations during August. Fish on!
Location Week… more
Steelhead Graduate Study field work gets underway
| idfg-bbowersox
Written by Will Lubenau, University of Idaho
As you have hopefully heard by now, the University of Idaho and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have teamed up to study the potential influence of catch-and-release angling on wild steelhead. We’ll be doing project updates like this one once a month during the… more
Upper Snake Region honors Hunter Education instructors
| idfg-jbrower
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Upper Snake River Region, held its annual Hunter Education Instructor’s banquet in July. The banquet and awards ceremony were held to honor and show gratitude to our volunteer instructors who donate their time teaching Hunter Education classes.
The “Instructor… more
F&G seeks public comment on proposed sage-grouse hunting season
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game officials are asking hunters and other interested parties to review and comment on a proposed sage-grouse hunting season for 2019. Deadline to comment is Aug. 19.
Statewide, sage-grouse lek counts indicate a 25-percent decline in males at leks in spring 2019, compared to 2018. Data … more
Second Super Hunt entry deadline is Aug.10
| idfg-staff
Saturday, Aug. 10 is the deadline to enter to win the hunt of a lifetime in the second Super Hunt drawing of 2019. Tags for two elk, two deer, two pronghorn hunts, and one moose hunt will be drawn, as well as a “Super Hunt Comb” that will entitle the winner to hunt for all four species - elk, deer, pronghorn… more
F&G commission approves proposed rules to be forwarded to the legislature
| idfg-rphillips
During a meeting in Salmon on July 25, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission voted to adopt four proposed rules and received an update about the progress of negotiated rulemaking regarding changing gear requirements on snares for gray wolf trapping.
The commission adopted the following proposed rules, which will… more
Hatchery highlights for August: Notable fish stockings around the state
| idfg-bpearson
Idaho Fish and Game stocks over 30 million fish from its resident hatcheries into waters throughout the state every year, providing Idahoans with fishing opportunities for a variety of species.
With so many fish stocked in so many places, it can be hard for anglers to sift through the stocking forecasts and… more
Upper Snake ponds stocked with catfish to keep fishing hotter than the weather
| idfg-jbrower
As the summer sun begins to increase the water temperatures in lakes and ponds around the state, trout tend to become lethargic and less likely to feed aggressively. This can be frustrating for anglers as they watch their line for any sign of action to indicate a fish is on the other end.
… more
Trapping Success Despite Low Return of Steelhead
| idfg-mdobos
The Lochsa River is managed as a wild steelhead refuge that does not allow steelhead fishing and does not have hatchery steelhead stocking. A number of other drainages across the state are manged the same way such as the Middle Fork Salmon, South Fork Salmon and Selway rivers to name a few.
In the Lochsa… more
Newly deployed game cameras will improve statewide wolf population estimates
| idfg-bpearson
How many wolves are on the landscape in Idaho? That’s an often-asked question that Idaho Fish and Game is aiming to answer using game cameras during a new statewide population monitoring program.
Editor note: This article was edited to include the video below on 7/26/2019In recent months… more
How we monitor steelhead habitat restoration
| idfg-bknoth
You may have heard that work is underway to improve steelhead habitat in the Potlatch River (https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2019/07/making-steelhead-habitat-complex). Have you ever wondered how IDFG monitors these efforts to determine if they are benefiting steelhead in terms of higher numbers of… more
Get ready for your hunts this fall with F&G’s Southeast Idaho Hunting University on Aug. 3
| idfg-jjackson
Whether you are an experienced hunter or hitting the field for the first time, make tracks to the Southeast Idaho Hunting University on August 3 at the Pocatello Trap Club located at 1442 Fortress Road (near the Pocatello airport). From 10 AM to 4 PM, this free event will be filled with a variety of hunting-related… more
F&G Commission awards $100K to Community Challenge Grants
| idfg-bpearson
During their meeting on July 25, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission awarded $100,000 to various organizations throughout the state through the Idaho Fish and Game Commission Community Challenge Grant program.
Through this program, Idaho Fish and Game assists outside organizations in implementing projects that… more
August fish stocking schedule for the Upper Snake
| idfg-jbrower
Fish and Game staff will be stocking catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) trout at the following locations in the Upper Snake Region during the month of July. All trout stocked will be rainbows unless otherwise specified.
Stocking of all waters is… more