Even as many gear up for the 2010 hunting season, Idaho Fish and Game officials are looking ahead to the 2011 fishing season.
The public is invited to attend one of three open house meetings to learn more about fishing rules that will be in place for the next two years.
The open house meetings will run from 6 to 8 p.m.:
- Tuesday, September 14, in the Trophy Room at Fish and Game headquarters, 600 S. Walnut in Boise.
- Wednesday, September 15, in the Fish and Game Nampa office, 3101 S. Powerline Road.
- Thursday, September 16, at Fish and Game McCall office, 555 Deinhard Lane.
Each open house will provide a forum for review, discussion and comment on all proposed fishing rule changes.
Many of the proposed changes would simplify and clarify the current fishing rules and increase fishing opportunity for anglers. A list of proposed changes is available at any Fish and Game office and the opportunity to review and comment on the proposals is available on the Fish and Game Web site at
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/public/.
"This is certainly the biggest change in fishing rules in probably 20 years," fishery manager Jeff Dillon said. "We absolutely want the angling public to give us some feedback via the web or at one of the open house events."
Fishery managers from around the state have rebuilt the fishing rules booklet with an eye towards improving public understanding of fishing rules.
"A common complaint is that the rules are complicated, and the current booklet is difficult to understand," Dillon said. "We wanted to make things simpler for anglers but still maintain diverse fishing opportunity and conserve wild and native fish."
Many of the proposed rule changes are tied to simplification. For example, proposed seasons for most waters, including rivers and streams, will be year-round. Bag limits on some streams might be the same all year, while in others, the winter season might be catch-and-release.
"We've tried to get away from unnecessary restrictions and focus instead on using closed seasons only where we need them," Dillon said.
Still other proposals are actual management changes for particular waters. In Idaho's Southwest Region, one proposal would allow some harvest of Payette Lake lake trout to benefit the kokanee population. Another proposal would allow more trout harvest in Brundage Reservoir where the current trophy rule is not working.
For information about the upcoming fishing rules open houses, contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game McCall office at 634-8137 or Nampa office at 465-8465.
Individuals with disabilities may request meeting accommodations by contacting Kim Cox at the Fish and Game Nampa office (465-8465) or Judy Wallace at the Fish and Game McCall office (634-8137) or through the Idaho Relay Service at 1-800-377-3529 (TDD).
