Press Releases and Articles
VIDEO: Fish Creek weir provides another year of insight into Idaho's wild steelhead populations
| idfg-jbruns
Annual monitoring at Fish Creek has wrapped up for the season, providing another year of valuable information about one of Idaho's important wild steelhead populations.
The Lochsa River and its tributaries, including Fish Creek, are managed as a wild steelhead refuge where hatchery steelhead are absent and… more
Gaiser shooting area on Craig Mountain WMA temporarily closed due to dry conditions
| idfg-jbruns
As dry summer conditions continue across the region, the Gaiser shooting area at the end of Redbird Road on Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA) has been temporarily closed to help reduce wildfire risk. The area is expected to reopen in the fall when conditions become more favorable.
Visitors should… more
2026 Dworshak Reservoir Smallmouth Bass Update
| idfg-jbruns
2025 Fishery summary
Smallmouth bass fishing on Dworshak Reservoir in 2025 continued to provide anglers with both high catch rates and excellent trophy opportunities. Anglers reported consistent success throughout the reservoir, with strong numbers of fish available across multiple size classes, including… more
2026 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Update
| idfg-tzumwalt
Last year was an excellent year for anglers seeking larger kokanee in Dworshak Reservoir. While the number of fish available was below average, the fish that were present were noticeably larger than normal.
Age-2 and age-3 kokanee are the primary adult age classes in the fishery and are the fish large enough to… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook fishery update - 6/23/2026
| idfg-gschoby
The upper Salmon River fishery opened last week (6/18/26), and we estimated that 15 hatchery adult Chinook Salmon were harvested during the first four days of the fishery. There were also 4 wild Chinook Salmon that were caught and released. Angler effort was relatively high during the opening weekend with an estimated… more
June 23, 2026 South Fork Salmon River Chinook Update
| idfg-jmessner
South Fork Chinook Update: Better Fishing Ahead?
Hi everyone,
The South Fork Salmon River Chinook fishery opened last Thursday, June 18, and while fishing was a bit slower than I expected during the first four-day interval, there is still plenty of reason for optimism – its only going to get better from… more
Idaho Falls angler lands 43.25-inch lake trout…and returns to the Idaho record books
| idfg-cliess
An Idaho Falls angler miraculously reeled in a new state catch-and-release record lake trout and, even more unbelievably, was able to hoist it up into the boat. Dylan Smith — the lucky angler in question — was fishing on Payette Lake in McCall on May 2 when a 43.25-inch lake trout took the line for a sprint. … more
Walleye are a bad match for Idaho waters, and F&G asks anglers to help stop their expansion
| idfg-rphillips
Walleye are typically a bad match for Idaho because they are native to large Midwestern lakes that have nearly unlimited schools of minnows, shiners and other baitfish that walleye live on. Those large baitfish populations are unavailable in most Idaho waters, which means walleye consume game fish to survive, and most… more
Citizen science is the key to F&G’s hugely successful program, Turkey Tracker
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game’s hugely successful project — dubbed Turkey Tracker — launched in the summer of 2024. During its inaugural two years, the project has racked up 2,157 reports of over 15,000 turkeys, all thanks to the public.
Idaho Fish and Game relocates yearling moose from Rupert
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
On Thursday, June 18, a yearling moose was relocated after the Magic Valley Region received a report of the moose in a residential yard in Rupert near Interstate 84.
Idaho Fish and Game wildlife staff safely anesthetized and captured the moose before relocating it to more suitable moose habitat in the… more
Fish and Game begins grizzly bear research trapping in the northern Panhandle Region
| idfg-tjross
As part of ongoing efforts to monitor the population of grizzly bears in the Selkirk and Cabinet/Yaak Ecosystems, biologists from Idaho Fish and Game have begun research trapping of grizzly bears in the Panhandle Region. Trapping will occur in Boundary County and potentially in portions of Bonner County, the two… more
Saint Maries trio sentenced in North Idaho deer poaching case
| idfg-tjross
On May 11, the final sentencing was issued for one of three individuals involved in the unlawful killing of seven mature white-tailed deer bucks in North Idaho during November 2024.
The individuals involved in the case were Will Clark, Lucas Mitchell and Laura Willis.
Sentencing for Mitchell (Feb.… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook update - 6/17/2026
| idfg-gschoby
Now available: Controlled hunt drawing results for deer, elk, pronghorn, fall bear, turkey, and swan
| idfg-cliess
Results of the deer, elk, pronghorn, fall black bear, fall turkey, and swan controlled hunt drawings are now available. Hunters are encouraged to review their email to verify their results or log into their online account at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com. For more information about how to view your drawing results, visit Fish… more
Pocatello man sentenced to prison for extensive unlawful guiding and wildlife violations in Teton County
| idfg-jbrower
On June 2, 2026, Joelseph Jenkins, of Pocatello, was sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony possession of wildlife taken unlawfully, guiding without a license, and a bear bait site violation in Teton County following an investigation by Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officers.… more
Niagara Springs Fish Hatchery closed to the public for construction beginning June 22
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game's Niagara Springs Fish Hatchery will be temporarily closed to the public beginning June 22 while construction crews upgrade the facility's predator exclusion mesh panels. These upgrades are necessary to protect hatchery fish reared at the facility from birds and other wildlife.… more
June 16, 2026 South Fork Salmon River Chinook Update
| idfg-jmessner
South Fork Salmon River Opener: The Fish Are Here!
Hi everyone,
The South Fork Salmon River summer Chinook fishery opens this Thursday, June 18, and I'm sure you're all just as excited as I am.
The run continues to build, and we're refining our harvest share estimate daily as more fish move through… more
Fish and Game, city police and fire departments relocate black bear from Nampa neighborhood
| idfg-bpearson
On Sunday, June 14, Idaho Fish and Game enforcement officers and biologists responded to a report of a black bear in a tree in a residential area in Nampa. In collaboration with the Nampa Police and Fire Departments, Fish and Game staff sedated the yearling male black bear, loaded it into a trap, and transported… more