F&G Plans Open House on Proposed Changes in Fishing Rules

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will host a public open house from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. September 11 to discuss proposed fishing rules changes. The open house will be at the Fish and Game office at 4279 Commerce Circle, Idaho Falls. Following a major overhaul of the regulations in 2011, proposals are minor. Proposed changes include:

• Approving fish rules and brochure for a three-year period, which would add one year to the current cycle.
• Setting Free Fishing Day for three years so dates may be 1 in the rules booklet.
• Increase the statewide spring steelhead bag limit to 40 fish per season, an increase from the current limit of 20.
• Eliminate the closure on the Henrys Lake Outlet from the Henrys Lake Dam about 400 years downstream to the gauging station.
• Eliminate the bag restriction on rainbow trout and adopt a two-fish, none under 16 inches on brown trout on the South Fork Snake River Tributaries
• Reduce the daily bag limit from six fish to two fish on Becker (Ryder Park) Pond.

Anyone wishing to provide input on these changes can stop by the Fish and Game office at 4279 Commerce Circle in Idaho Falls and contact any of the fisheries personnel. Comments may also be provided by calling the regional office at 208-525-7290, via e-mail to dan.garren@idfg.idaho.gov or through the Idaho Relay Service at 1-800-377-3529 (TDD). Deadline for comments is September 30.