This Saturday, anglers can participate in their favorite pastime and support a good cause – reestablishing fish populations in local waters.
The winter’s heavy snowpack has filled many small lakes and reservoirs throughout Southwest Idaho including Blacks Creek Reservoir and Indian Creek Reservoir. Biologists from Idaho Fish and Game will be stationed at CJ Strike Reservoir this Saturday, May 13 from 10:00am to 6:00pm, collecting Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Yellow Perch from anglers for transfer to the two reservoirs.
“We have a dedicated group of anglers that have agreed to volunteer their time to give back to the resource,” fisheries biologist Mike Peterson noted. “But we want to encourage all licensed anglers to join us for the capture event.”
Participating anglers should stop at the Air Force boat ramp (just north of Strike Dam) to register. “Because it is illegal to transport live fish without a permit within the state, we will provide participants with a permission slip to transport live fish during the event,” Peterson said.
Holding pens will be placed adjacent to the Air Force boat ramp, where participating anglers can drop off their live fish. At the end of the day, the fish will be loaded into hatchery trucks and delivered to the reservoirs.
Idaho Fish and Game does not operate a warmwater hatchery. “With assistance from local anglers, we will be able to move fish into these reservoirs much sooner than our crews can do on their own, with the hope of seeing the transplanted fish successfully spawn this year,” Peterson said. “These reservoirs are very productive and transferred fish can grow quickly. If the reservoirs continue to hold water, they should provide great fishing opportunity in two to three years.”
