Comment on Fishing Rules: Pocatello

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is proposing changes to fishing rules for the 2008-2009 fishing seasons. Interested anglers will be able to comment on the proposed fishing, which would affect rules statewide and rules for regional waters, until October 5. An open house will run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. September 18 at the Southeast Idaho Regional Fish and Game office at 1345 Barton Road in Pocatello. Comments also may be made to regional fishery manager, Dick Scully, or Regional Fishery Biologist, David Teuscher, by phone 232-4703 or at the Pocatello Fish and Game office between now and October 5. In addition, a questionnaire will be mailed to a random sample of 900 fishing license holders statewide. The questionnaire will also be available at the Fish and Game booth at the Eastern Idaho State Fair in Blackfoot the first week of September. Interested anglers also will be able to complete a questionnaire on-line at Fish and Game's website, http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/. Statewide proposals include changes in the legal sizes of crayfish traps, seines, and cast nets; changes in sturgeon fishing equipment requirements, and new restrictions on the use of live bait. The proposed rules include a change in the general bass limit north of the Salmon River to six bass any size and creates a year-round season. Proposed Southeast regional changes include:

• Reduce the creel limit on bass in the Snake River (from a posted boundary near Gifford Springs to American Falls Dam) from six bass, none less than 12 inches, to two bass, any size may be kept.
• Change Treasureton Reservoir to a trophy rule - two trout, none under 20 inches, no bait, barbless hooks. The only change here is to increase the minimum size from 16 to 20 inches.
• Remove "float tubes only" restriction on Winder Reservoir. Change to "no motors."
• On Bear Lake, change the ice fishing rule from "one line only while ice fishing" to "two lines only while ice fishing" to make Idaho's rules consistent with Utah rules. Anglers will be required to have a two-pole permit to use two poles, even while ice-fishing. This change is for consistency with Utah's two pole rule and will allow an angler with either an Idaho or Utah two-pole permit to fish any place on Bear Lake.
• Add Devil Creek Reservoir to the Family Fishing Water list.
• Remove Trail Creek from the regional exceptions. It would then have the same rules as the rest of the upper Blackfoot River drainage.

To see proposed rule changes for other regions, visit Fish and Game's website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/, or call the nearest Fish and Game office.