Anglers Urged To Review Regulations Before Casting A Line

LEWISTON - - Although the vast majority of anglers abide by Idaho's fishing laws, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game encourages all anglers to review the fishing regulations to avoid common blunders that may put them afoul of the law. "Although some violations are blatantly intentional such as overlimit or a nonresident buying a resident license, many violations are out of ignorance because an angler didn't read the regulations, said Brian Holbrook, IDFG conservation officer based in Riggins. One of the most common fishing violations is not having a fishing license in possession while in the field. Anglers must have their license with them at all times while fishing so that when a conservation officer contacts them, the angler can show proof of license purchase. Limit violations are also common and include more than just anglers who get greedy when the fishing is good. To avoid these conflicts, anglers need to be aware that many waters in the Clearwater Region have reduced trout limits where only two trout may be kept. Some waters are entirely catch and release for trout and other waters have slot limits where all fish in a length range must be released. IDFG encourages every angler to read the fishing regulations by starting with the beginning pages because they describe the statewide general fishing regulations. The pages that follow describe unlawful activities, definitions, special seasons and other helpful information that all anglers should also be aware of. The regional exceptions, found in the middle and back of the booklet, describe certain waters that have exceptions to the statewide general regulations. It's important to remember that if the body of water you are going to fish is not listed in the exceptions, it falls under the statewide general regulations. The information gained will make your fishing trip much more enjoyable and prevent you from facing the local magistrate for committing a fishing violation that could have been easily avoided.