Fishing Proposals Would Simplify Rules

Meeting in Twin Falls July 10, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved department proposals for changes to fishing rules which would simplify things for anglers in 2002 and 2003. The proposals will now be taken out for public comment at meetings around the state, and will be available for public comment on the department website at http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/common/regulations/fish/fishcomments.c…, under news and fishing. When sending email comment, please include your name and town. Proposals include: Statewide: Family Fishing Waters - This would identify waters with a year-round, general limit for trout, bass, walleye and pike with no bag limits on other species, no length limits, standard fishing gear. This proposal would provide waters with simplified, basic fishing regulations targeting new anglers. A statewide angler survey shows support, as did regional scoping meetings. Set a six-fish limit for trout, bass, walleye, and pike. At the scoping meetings, staff got a very mixed response from anglers on whether the trout limit should be dropped to 5 or the bass/pike/walleye limit increased to 6. At the same time, there appears to be strong support for standardizing regulations as much as possible. Increasing the general brook trout limit to 25. This would allow additional harvest opportunity for a prolific species which threatens native stocks of fish in many waters. Some exceptions such as Henrys Lake will still apply. This fits with regulation standardization approach and eliminates confusing "bonus brook trout" language. Decrease general whitefish limit to 25 for regulation simplification and standardization. Increase minimum size for tiger muskie to 36 or 42 inches to take advantage of the growth potential of this introduced hybrid to provide additional trophy opportunities. Overall recommendation is standardized bag limits and elimination of the 12- to 20-inch slot to reduce number of size variations. Catch and release definition - Change to read: "Effort, by permitted methods, to catch or attempt to catch a fish or group of fish is lawful, with the restriction that any fish or group of fish so caught must be released immediately, unharmed, back to the water. Brook trout and whitefish landed from catch and release waters may be retained in possession." This would eliminate the redundant and negative "Closed to harvest" definition. For the most part, waters which currently support catch and release fisheries would have the "no bait" restriction, to provide for artificial lures only with barbless hooks. Winter stream season - In lieu of winter whitefish season designation, this would allow Dec. - Mar. stream fishing with catch and release for trout and allow harvest of whitefish and brook trout. This would simplify what is becoming a confusing regulation for anglers and officers. Same gear restrictions as in the general season. Proposed regulation would read: "Winter stream fishing season: Trout - catch and release, brook trout and whitefish may be harvested. Fishing gear or bait restrictions which apply to a river or stream section during the general season, also apply during the winter stream season." Where fishing from boats, etc. is an issue (such as on waterfowl WMAs), standardize to read: "fishing from shoreline only." Currently on some waters the rule says "no fishing from raft or boat", on others it says "fishing from shoreline only". Regional changes (C&R = catch and release) Panhandle Family fishing waters to include Round, Jewel, Elsie, Lower Glidden, Fernan, Kelso, Sinclair, and Smith lakes; Day Rock and Post Falls Park ponds. Upper Priest Lake, River, and tributaries - C&R for bull and cutthroat trout, kokanee; general limit (6) for lake trout. All waters "no bait", general seasons apply. This would allow harvest of lake trout in Upper Priest Lake. Lake trout threaten the native trout fishery. Priest Thorofare - Same as Upper Priest. This would eliminate the closure to fishing and lumps Thorofare with Upper Priest regulations. General bag limit for Priest Lake lake trout, C&R for bull and cutthroat trout and kokanee. This would increase allowable harvest for lake trout from 2 to 6, to take advantage of burgeoning lake trout population. Priest River and all tributaries downstream from Priest Lake - Cutthroat trout-2, none between 8 and 16 inches. Seasons remain the same. This would protect vulnerable westslope cutthroat trout from over-exploitation while maintaining some harvest opportunity and opportunity to fish with bait. Lake Pend Oreille and all tributaries except Gold and Trestle creeks - Cutthroat trout-2, none between 8 and 16 inches. This would protect cutthroats maintaining some harvest opportunity and opportunity to fish with bait. Clark Fork River - Open all year. Cutthroat trout-2, none between 8 and 16 inches. This would protect cutthroats maintaining some harvest opportunity and opportunity to fish with bait. Kootenai River - Trout-2, none under 16 inches. Tagging information indicates high exploitation of wild trout (rainbow and cutthroat) is suppressing the fishery. Length limit protects first time spawners. Clearwater Region Slate Creek - wild trout rules proposed to protect wild steelhead juveniles and remaining cutthroat population. Cooperative program to develop catch-out ponds nearby to maintain harvest opportunity. SF Clearwater River, Mt. Idaho bridge upstream - Cutthroat 2, none under 14". Restore habitat and harvest-impaired westslope cutthroat population to support a fishery, maintain harvest opportunity on other species. Eliminate kokanee closed to harvest regulations in Clearwater River tributaries. Family Fishing Waters to include Soldiers Meadows Reservoir, Campbell's Pond, Tolo Lake, Palouse River, Red River Pond, Fenn Pond, Hoodoo Lake. Southwest Region Payette Lake - Lake trout, catch and release because lack of reproduction and stocking in the early 1990's, and natural mortality of older fish leave only a few hundred fish in the population, most approaching or at legal size. SF Boise River, from Neal Bridge (Forest Road 189) upstream to Anderson Ranch Dam - Trout 2, none under 20 inches. This would make regulations simpler and eliminate the 12"-20" slot. Brundage Reservoir - would change to "open all year" to increase angler opportunity. Fish Lake - Delete exception. It is no longer needed. Lake Fork Creek - go to general stream season for increased fishing opportunity. Gold Fork River - change upstream boundary to "concrete diversion dam" to simplify rules. Corral Creek Reservoir - delete no motors restriction. It is not needed. Tripod Reservoir - delete no motors restriction. It is not needed. Hazard Lake - delete no motors restriction. It is not needed. Herrick Reservoir - delete no motors restriction. It is not needed. Little Payette Lake - change to open all year, 2 fish limit on bass and trout, 25 fish limit on kokanee. Payette River, North Fork - remove "or Moore" to eliminate confusion. Family Fishing Waters - Browns, Rowland, Fischer, Council Park ponds; Lost Valley, Horsethief reservoirs; Upper Payette Lake, Wilson Springs Trout Pond, Black Creek Reservoir, Red Top Pond, Park Center Kids Pond, Quinns Pond, Caldwell Rotary Pond, Horseshoe Bend Pond, Mill Pond, Payette River (mainstem), Claytonia Pond, Idaho City Ponds, Boise River downstream from Warm Springs Golf Course (provide a more clearly defined boundary). Magic Valley Region Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir - Walleye limit - 15. This would allow additional harvest on walleye population which is growing to a point where it is impacting forage fish populations. Clear Lakes Grade ponds - Trout limit - 2. The object is to manage in concert with other Niagara Springs WMA ponds Magic Reservoir - establish permanent upstream boundary between reservoir and Big Wood River, approximately 700 yards east of Hot Springs Landing to eliminate confusion. Clover Creek - drop exception and revert to general stream season to simplify regulations. Family Fishing Waters - Little Camas, Magic, Little Wood, Fish Creek, Roseworth, Blair Trail reservoirs; Rock Creek in Twin Falls County, Camas Ponds, Featherville Ponds. Southeast Region Chesterfield - Ask the public if they would prefer a trout limit of 2 or 6 (current limit is 3), to standardize regulations. Blackfoot Reservoir - Ask the public if they would prefer a trout limit of 2 or 6 (current limit is 3), to standardize regulations. Bear Lake - cisco 25, whitefish 15 (contingent upon agreement with Utah). Portneuf - open to winter stream fishing season Treasureton - Trout 2, none under 16". The current slot limit is not needed, minimum size limit is easier to understand. Snake River, Walcott upstream to American Falls Dam - identify an easily recognizable reach of river (possibly Coldwater to American Falls Dam) and use that as the special regulation reach. Bass 2, none under 16". Trout, give public option of 2 or 6, also 2 over 16". The goal is to improve the smallmouth bass fishery, simplify regulations, standardize regulations. Foster Reservoir - electric motors only. Family Fishing - Twin Lakes, Hawkins, Wiregrass, Crowthers, Montpelier, Little Valley, and Chesterfield reservoirs. Upper Snake Region Family Fishing Waters - Roberts Gravel Pond, Trail Creek Pond, Rexburg City Ponds, Birch Creek, Mackay Reservoir, Ashton Reservoir, Island Park Reservoir, Palisades Reservoir, Beaver Creek, Horseshoe Lake, East Harriman Fish Pond, Paul Reservoir. Henrys Fork, from McCrea's Bridge upstream to Macks Inn Bridge - drop entry for general stream season and return to the more common definition of reservoir as slack water. This has been a point of confusion for some anglers and been difficult for enforcement. Salmon Region Family Fishing Waters - Meadow Lake, Wallace Lake, Iron Lake, Big and Little Bayhorse Lakes, Josephus Lake, Capehorn Lake, Williams Lake, Stanley Lake, Mosquito Flat Reservoir, Kids Creek Pond, Challis Pond, Yankee Fork Ponds, Hyde Pond, Hayden Creek Ponds, Kelly Creek Pond. Salmon River - modify boundary from Horse Creek to Corn Creek (end of the road). It is a more easily recognized boundary. Salmon River, Corn Creek (end of the road below North Fork) upstream - Cutthroat catch and release, only ad-clipped rainbow trout may be kept, open all year. Middle Fork Salmon River - extend fishing season by one month. New season would run from Memorial Day weekend through September 30.