Extra fish, better fishing

JEROME - Fishermen in the region should be grinning from ear to ear since more than 700,000 extra fish have recently landed in area streams, lakes and ponds in the Magic Valley. The extra fish aren't coming from Fish and Game fish hatcheries, but from commercial fish farms in the area. Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center the commercial fish market has dropped off leaving thousands of fish in their raceways. What are hard times for them has become a feast for anglers. Normally in February the Fish and Game only stock about 14,800 fish in the Snake River. This year the department with the help of the private hatcheries has planted more than 200,000 fish in the in the Snake River. Many of the fish have been planted by the commercial industry, donating time, equipment and the fish. Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir has received over 140,000 private fish, 120,000 more than usually planted by the department this time of year. Other bodies of water getting the flood of fish, include: Oster Lakes, 4,107; Crystal Lake, 5,479; Dierkes Lake, 9,688; Burley Pond, 924; Emerald Lake, 3,864; Rupert Gravel Pond, 1,584; Riley Creek, 8,930; Freedom Park Pond, 132, and Dog Creek Reservoir, 9,856. More fish will be hitting the water over the next few weeks. The Fish and Game has also planted more than 26,000 of their own fish in several of the areas. Because of the glut of private fish, the department has cutback on some of their own fish plantings. Low water in some area lakes has also slowed some of the fish plantings. Fish that would have generally been planted will be release later this summer somewhere in the region or the state. For up-to-date stocking information go to: http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/fish/fishstocking/index.htm