Press Releases and Articles
Dust off that old fishing gear for Free Fishing Day and beyond
| idfg-rphillips
Free Fishing Day is June 13, and it’s a great opportunity to be outdoors and get acquainted with Idaho’s great fishing spots. Fishing is an inexpensive sport because you can get all the gear you need for about $50 (or less). But odds are good you have some old fishing gear laying around the house, or someone in your… more
Four Chinook salmon seasons closed or modified starting Wednesday, June 3
| idfg-rphillips
Chinook salmon fishing is being closed or modified in four river sections effective at the end of fishing hours on June 3, including:
Closure of the entire Clearwater River including the Mainstem, Middle Fork, North Fork and South Fork Clearwater (except the Lochsa River summer Chinook fishery) Closure of… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for June 2026 in the Clearwater Region
| idfg-jbruns
Fish and Game staff will be stocking nearly 40,000 catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) trout at the following locations across the Clearwater Region in June!
Digital kiosks provide Idaho Fish and Game information at key recreation sites
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Fish and Game is partnering with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cottonwood Field Office to provide outdoor recreationists with easier access to hunting, fishing, boating, and wildlife information through a network of new digital kiosks installed at popular recreation sites across north-central Idaho.
… more
Vegetation Restoration Completed at Wendover and Whitehouse Campgrounds; Repairs Ongoing
| idfg-jbruns
Idaho Fish and Game, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service through the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), has completed vegetation restoration work at the Wendover Campground and Whitehouse Campground along the upper Lochsa River.
The work followed severe windstorms that caused extensive blowdown, hazardous… more
F&G Commission approves 2026 summer Chinook seasons
| idfg-cliess
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission met via conference call and approved the proposed summer Chinook salmon seasons for the South Fork Salmon and Upper Salmon rivers as well as the Lochsa River. The summer season for the South Fork Salmon and Upper Salmon rivers is set to open on June 18, while the Lochsa River will… more
Rainbow trout stocking schedule for June 2026 in the Magic Valley Region
| idfg-Kenzie.Baratti
Hatchery personnel from Fish and Game's Magic Valley Region will be stocking approximately 30,645 10-12'' catchable-sized rainbow trout in July. The stocking date and number of fish are approximate.
Stocking of all waters is tentative and dependent on river/lake/pond conditions (angler safety concerns);… more
Fifty-two years later: remembering fallen Fish and Game Conservation Officer Sam Buntrock
| idfg-KWhite
Former Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officer Sam Buntrock lost his life in a plane crash in Bear Lake County in 1974 while in the line of duty. He was assigned to the Soda Springs patrol area in southeast Idaho until his death. This is his photo from the 1965 Meridian High School yearbook… more
Upper Salmon River Chinook update - 5/28/2026
| idfg-gschoby
Below is the second pre-season update for the upper Salmon River Chinook return and potential fisheries.
Since my last update on May 19th, we’ve only seen one additional Sawtooth PIT tag cross over Bonneville Dam, bringing the current estimate to 1,790 adult Sawtooth Chinook over Bonneville. We should now… more
Spring Chinook Fishery Update (5/27/2026)
| idfg-jthiessen
IMPORTANT NOTICE (Click links to view official closure notice)
Rapid River Fisheries: River Code 10 in the lower Salmon River (Rice Creek to Twin Bridges) is closed.
Clearwater Fisheries: River Code 3 A-B (Camas Prairie Train Bridge to Cherrylane Bridge) remains closed.
Important dates to help plan your June
| idfg-cliess
From controlled hunt deadlines to Free Fishing Day, there’s a lot happening in Idaho during June that you should be aware of. Staying in the loop can be the difference between applying for that coveted controlled hunt tag and watching from the sidelines.
Be sure to stay up to date on all Fish and Game… more
F&G Commission will meet via special conference call on Friday, May 29 at 9 a.m. MDT
| idfg-cliess
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will meet via a special conference call on Friday, May 29 at 9 a.m. MDT to make a final decision on both the 2026 summer Chinook salmon seasons and waterfowl zone season modifications. People can attend in person at Fish and Game’s Headquarters Office at 600 S. Walnut in Boise or… more
June fish stocking schedule for the Upper Snake Region
| idfg-jbrower
ICCU, Scheels and F&G partner for special Free Fishing Day gear giveaway
| idfg-rphillips
Idaho Fish and Game’s Free Fishing Day is June 13, and some young anglers will get more than just free fishing. Scheels and ICCU, in partnership with Fish and Game, will give away fishing gear to some anglers 14 years old and younger.
Fishing gear giveaways will be available at select locations while… more
Statewide trout stocking highlights for June 2026
| idfg-cliess
Many of Idaho’s lakes and ponds are soon going to be bolstered with Idaho Fish and Game stocking over 243,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout this June. Wondering if the stocking trucks are going to be backing up to your favorite fishing hole? We asked our Fish and Game hatchery staff to boil down some of the most… more
Portion of Lower Salmon River closed for Chinook salmon fishing
| idfg-cliess
Idaho Fish and Game closed Chinook salmon fishing on the portion of the Lower Salmon River from the Rice Creek Bridge upstream to the Upper Twin Bridge on Tuesday, May 26 after the sport fishing harvest objective for this section had been reached.
Check out the Chinook Salmon Seasons and Rules page to… more
Spring Chinook Fishery Update (5/19/2026)
| idfg-jthiessen
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The lower Clearwater River from Cherrylane Bridge downstream to the Camas Prairie Bridge is closed to Chinook Fishing. The rest of the Clearwater River, and the Middle Fork Clearwater River remain open 4 days a week (Thur-Sun) with a 1 adult daily limit. Please read on to see why these changes were… more
These instructor-led hunter education courses are coming up in Southwest Idaho
| idfg-bpearson
A total of eight instructor-led courses with open seats are slated to start in the next couple months across several program types, including courses for Hunter & Bowhunter Combo Certification and Trapper Certification. There are also some unique Hunting & Shooting Sports Courses being offered, including a… more