The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is soliciting a second round of comments from anglers on proposed changes to the fishing regulations for the 2004-2005 season.
Anglers can submit comments on any regional or statewide fishing regulation or tournament permit proposal to: Regional Fisheries Manager, Ned Horner by mail (2750 Kathleen Ave., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815), email (
nhorner@idfg.state.id.us), or phone (208-769-1414). Two public meetings will also be held Wednesday, August 13 at the IDFG Regional office in Coeur d'Alene and Thursday, August 14, Wildlife Building, Bonner County Fairgrounds, Sandpoint. Both meetings are scheduled for 7 to 9 PM. All input must be submitted by August 15.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department is proposing only minor changes for the Panhandle Region. These are primarily for clarification of existing regulations or management direction.
Proposed changes to the 2004-2005 fishing seasons in the Panhandle Region include:
- Avondale Lake - List as "Electric Motors Only" to be consistent with the way private property owners allow access for public fishing.
- Clark Fork River below the RR bridge at Clark Fork - List with General Stream and Winter Stream seasons (section above RR bridge remains open all year). This was an emergency rule change by the IFG Commission in December of 2002.
- Kootenai River - Add reference to "Kokanee - Any size fish may be kept". Kokanee are defined as trout, but the 2 trout, 16 inch size limit adopted in 2002 was not intended to apply to kokanee. Anglers would be allowed to keep 6 kokanee.
- Little Round Lake - List bass as "Any size may be kept" to be consistent with the Family Fishing Water regulations for Kelso and Granite lakes.
- Steamboat Pond - Add to the list of Family Fishing Waters. Steamboat Pond is a new trout catch-out pond located next to the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River about 9 miles upstream of Enaville.
Proposed changes to statewide fishing regulations include:
Steelhead Rules - Remove the two-pole restriction on anadromous fish. It would be valid to fish for salmon and steelhead with two poles if an angler has a two pole permit.
Steelhead Seasons
Clearwater River
Catch-and-release
July 1 - Harvest season opener
Clearwater river, mouth to Memorial Bridge
Fall season
Aug 1 - Dec 31
Little Salmon River
Spring Season
Jan 1 - May 15
Fishing (Tournaments) Contests - Modifications are also being proposed for fishing tournament rules. The $21.50 permit fee would only be required if:
- Total prize value is greater than $1,000; or
- Individual entry fee is greater than $25; or
- Number of boats is greater than 10, or contestants are greater than 20; or
- There is a live fish weigh-in
The stipulation for requiring a tournament permit for any live weigh-in keeps the typical bass tournament legal since carrying live fish off the water is not legal for the general angler.
Other proposed changes to tournament rules would include a December 1 submittal date for tournaments the following year and reducing the requirement to submit applications for harvest tournaments to 30 days prior to when the tournament is planned.
For-profit fishing contest - Proposed language would require a public hearing when for-profit fishing contests are proposed on streams. If an amount equal or greater than the top prize were donated to fisheries conservation or fishery enhancement projects, the public hearing would not be required.
