Fisheries Managers Seek Input

Fisheries managers with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game want your opinion about proposals for the 2006-2007 fishing rules. Fish and Game is proposing three statewide rule changes. The first would allow anglers with a second pole validation to have up to 10 lines when ice fishing. The second would remove limits on walleye and northern pike except where Fish and Game actively manages these species. "The motivation behind this change is the increased level of illegal transplants of these two species in recent years," said Fisheries Manager Dale Allen. The third statewide proposal would change the rules for fishing tournaments to allow for the harvest of wild trout under certain circumstances. For example, Fish and Game could allow tournament harvest of rainbow trout in cutthroat waters such as the South Fork of the Snake River. The rule change would also allow for the tournament harvest of brook trout. For more information on these proposals and region-by-region proposals, anglers are encouraged to attend one of numerous meetings being held statewide in May: - Panhandle Region-To Be Announced - Clearwater Region-Open House Meetings 7pm to 9pm - May 10-Riggins at the Salmon Rapids Lodge - May 11-Grangeville at Oscar's Restaurant - May 12-Orofino at the Ponderosa restaurant - May 16-Moscow at the University Inn - May 17-Lewiston at the Helm Restaurant - Southwest Region-Open House Meetings May 4, from 9am to 8pm - Nampa and McCall regional offices - Magic Valley Region-To Be Announced - Southeast Region-Public Scoping Meetings 7pm to 9pm - May 3-Preston fire station - May 4-Malad High School - May 5-ISU Student Union - May 10-Mountain View Middle School, Blackfoot - May 11-Oregon Trail Center, Montpelier - May 12-Soda Springs Senior Citizen Center - Upper Snake River Region-Open House Meeting - May 10-Idaho Falls Regional Office - Salmon Region-Open House Meetings 6pm to 8pm - May 9-Sawtooth Hatchery - May 10-Forest Service Office, Challis - May 11-Salmon Regional Office