Grand Opening of Deer Creek Reservoir Reels In A Crowd

Fishing just got better for Idaho anglers. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and its partners, Potlatch Corporation and several local communities, recently celebrated the opening of Deer Creek Reservoir. Over 150 people and officials gathered to toast the completion of the reservoir after 15 years of planning and construction. Deer Creek Reservoir became a reality when Potlatch Corporation donated the land and the department spent $910,000 from a combination of funds from fishing licenses and fees and Sport Fish Restoration funds, an excise tax on fishing equipment. "This was part of a fee increase bill the department got from the Idaho legislature several years ago," explained Fish and Game Director Steve Huffaker. Designed with anglers in mind, the reservoir will provide an excellent destination for families, seniors and avid anglers. The reservoir is open all year to general fishing with a six trout limit, but the road to the reservoir will be open to motorized travel only from May 20 to September 30 annually. "Personally, this is a special project for me because part of my job is to make fishing better," said Fish and Game Fisheries Manager Ed Schriever. IDFG began planting fish in April and by the grand opening, there were over 10,000 sterile rainbow trout stocked in its waters. The department plans to stock cutthroat trout later in June. With a size of 80 acres and a maximum depth of 40 feet, the reservoir will be ideal for trout. Besides better fishing, the reservoir will also benefit the local economy. "There's already so much enthusiasm in the town over this lake," said Richard Engle, president of the Pierce/Weippe chamber of commerce. "It's the first one in 40 years in Idaho, and we have people already visiting our website and asking about Deer Creek Reservoir." Mike Potratz of Pierce, echoes Engle's enthusiasm. "This reservoir is going to be a great, great asset for us," he said. "It gives us something to market and get people to come up here and stay and spend a few dollars." The reservoir is expected to provide an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 angler days annually. When combined with the seven other lowland lakes and reservoirs in the Clearwater Region, Deer Creek will bring in over 1.5 million dollars in economic benefit to the local communities. Fishing license buyers provide funding to support fish management, including stocking and new fishing water development. This provides an economic benefit: in 2001, anglers contributed $681 million to the Idaho economy. A report by the American Sport Fishing Association estimates that fishing in Idaho created 7,773 jobs and generated nearly $30 million in Idaho taxes. For Idaho Fish and Game, the Potlatch Corporation and the communities of Pierce and Weippe, the most immediate benefit is having created a quality spot to go fishing. "We are always looking for sites and opportunities," says Huffaker. "People just can't get enough of this sort of thing. They love to have places to go fishing."