- Tuesday, March 13, at the Panhandle Health Meeting Room, 322 Marion St., Sandpoint.
- Thursday, March 15, at the Priest River Senior Center, 339 Jackson Ave., Priest River.
- Thursday, March 22, at the Fish and Game regional office, 2885 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d'Alene.
F&G Developing New Fishing Rules, Management Plan
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The spring of 2012 will be an important period for Idaho fishery managers and anglers alike, as Idaho Fish and Game not only sets new rules, but develops a new state fisheries management plan as well.
Every other year, Fish and Game sets new fishing rules. This gives the public and Fish and Game the opportunity to modify rules within the sideboards set by the state fisheries management plan. The management plan is the commission-approved document that sets policy and direction for the fisheries program for a five or six year period. Although rules can be changed every two years, any changes need to be consistent with management plan direction.
The plan will cover the period from 2013 through 2018, and the rules will cover the period 2013-2014. Developing new rules and a new management plan concurrently will give anglers the opportunity to provide input at the "big picture" policy level, as well as the more familiar rules and regulations level.
One fishery that will likely be a main topic of discussion is Priest Lake. The current management plan states Fish and Game will manage for a yield and trophy lake trout (mackinaw) fishery in Priest Lake. It also states Fish and Game will restore native fish populations in Upper Priest Lake by yearly removal of lake trout with nets.
Jim Fredericks, regional fishery manager, says the past six years have demonstrated that trying to manage the lakes as two independent systems is neither practical nor feasible in the long-term. At the same time, an increasing number of anglers have questioned why, considering the progress of the Lake Pend Oreille lake trout suppression effort, Fish and Game doesn't embark on a similar effort in Priest Lake?
The coming management plan will determine whether Fish and Game manages both lakes for lake trout and abandons efforts to maintain cutthroat and bull trout in Upper Priest Lake, or, alternatively, Fish and Game begins a large-scale effort to suppress lake trout and restore the native trout and kokanee fisheries.
Unfortunately, Fredericks notes, this is not an issue with a middle ground or a "happy medium compromise." There are costs and benefits associated with either direction. There are not many lake trout fisheries in the area, making Priest Lake a unique draw. The lake trout fishery is inexpensive to manage and maintain, whereas a suppression effort would be an expensive, long-term commitment. On the other hand, large lake cutthroat/bull trout fisheries are even more unique than lake trout fisheries.
Along with kokanee, a restored cutthroat/bull trout fishery would likely generate more angling effort, and ultimately be of greater economic value to the Priest Lake region.
Fredericks points out that even managing for a quality lake trout fishery now has its limits.
"Lake trout have populated to the point where they've outstripped the food supply," Fredericks said. "Lake trout reach 15 inches fairly quickly (3-4 years) on a diet of invertebrates, but with very few forage fish to feed on, growth then comes to a screeching halt."
Lake trout over 20 inches typically only grow a third to half inch per year, he said. This means that regardless of regulations, the lake trout fishery of the future will be primarily 14- to 20-inch fish, with few real trophies.
Other topics likely to be discussed with the upcoming management plan and rules are a return to trophy management of rainbow trout and a limited kokanee fishery on Pend Oreille and cutthroat harvest in the Coeur d'Alene drainage. Anglers interested in the rules and management direction for Priest Lake-or any other waters-are encouraged to attend and participate in the discussion.
Fish and Game will host three public meetings to present information and gather public input on: