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Fish and Game to Hold Fisheries Scoping Meetings

Posted on: April 26, 2007

Pocatello – The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will host a series of public meetings to take input for preparation of the 2008-2009 fishing rules. Information from recent Southeast Region fishery studies will also be presented. This region contains the Bear, Portneuf and Blackfoot rivers and the reach of the Snake River from Gem State Dam downriver to Gifford Springs in Lake Walcott. Within these drainages numerous fisheries also occur in tributary streams and in irrigation and hydropower reservoirs.

The primary purpose of this meeting is to seek input from the public on any fishing related issues which are important to you, including fishing rule changes on specific water bodies. Also, biologists will present rule and management changes that are currently being considered and would like the public to comment on them.

All of the public meetings start at 7:00 pm. Meeting dates are as follows:

Tuesday, May 8, ISU-Student Union 3rd Floor, North Fork Room
Wednesday, May 9, Mountain View Middle School-Room 410
Thursday, May 10Senior Citizens’ Center -60 South Main
Tuesday, May 15Preston Fire Station
Wednesday, May 16,Oregon Trail Center-Theater Room
Pocatello
Blackfoot,
Soda Springs
Preston
Montpelier

Fish and Game conserves native species such as cutthroat trout and whitefish, and provides recreational fishing for native and introduced species. Hatchery-stocked trout, catfish and walleye and self-sustaining warm water species, (such as bass, bluegill and perch) provide much of the fishing in the southeast region fisheries.

Below are a few of the ideas Fish and Game would like to discuss with the public at the meeting:

  1. Treasureton Reservoir in Franklin County: Should the minimum trout size at this reservoir remain at 16 inches or be increased to 20 inches?
  1. Glendale and Condie reservoirs in Franklin County: Currently the minimum size limit for bass is 16 inches at Glendale and 20 inches at Condie. The Department is considering the pros and cons of having just one minimum bass size limit for both reservoirs and would like the public’s input.
  1. McCoy Creek in Caribou County: In 1998 the opening date on this stream was changed from the general opener to July 1 to prevent what was mainly a catch-and-release fishery on pre-spawn native and hatchery cutthroat trout. This rule was requested by anglers who did not want trout stressed prior to spawning. Considerable fishing opportunity was lost with this rule change and the Department would like to know if the public would like the July 1 opener to continue or would like fishing in McCoy Creek to begin on Memorial Day weekend as it did prior to 1998.
  1. Provide additional trout fishing opportunities with winter catch and release seasons on some rivers and streams.
  1. Snake River from American Falls Dam to Gifford Springs: Should the general bass limit remain (6 bass over 12 inches long) or should a more restrictive rule be implemented to maintain or enhance the quality of this fishery.

For more information on these public meetings or how you may submit comment, please contact Richard Scully or Dave Teuscher at 232-4703.

Individuals with disabilities may request meeting accommodations by contacting Fish and Game’s Southeast Regional Office at 232-4703 or through the Idaho Relay Service at 1-800-377- 3529(TDD).


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About Dave Langston

Outdoor writer Dave Langston resides in Chubbuck. He grew up in the Midwest and south fishing and hunting across the country.

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