Statewide General Rules

What's New

Live transport of crayfish is now legal (except for classified Invasive Species, page 57).

Panhandle Region:

• Landlocked Chinook Salmon limit is now 2, none under 24 inches (page 15)
• Priest Lake and Upper Priest Lake – trout limit is now 2 Cutthroat Trout, none under 16 inches, no harvest of Cutthroat Trout in tributaries (page 17)
• Robinson Lake – removed the 16-inch minimum for bass (page 17)

Clearwater Region:

• Deer Creek Reservoir – Tiger Trout limit is now 2 per day, none under 20 inches (page 21)
• Elk Creek Reservoir – Brook Trout bag limit is now 25 per day (page 19)
• Salmon River – expanded fall Chinook Salmon fishing boundary upstream (page 54)
• Selway River – above Selway Falls Bridge at Meadow Creek trout limit is now 2, all species (page 22)

Southwest Region:

• Hells Canyon Reservoir – removed minimum length on bass (page 27)
• Caldwell Gravel Ponds – bass limit is now 2 per day, none under 20 inches (page 29)
• CJ Strike Reservoir – no minimum length on bass, only 1 over 16 inches (page 29)
• Deadwood Reservoir – kokanee bag limit is now 6 per day (page 29)

Magic Valley Region:

• Big Wood River and Magic Reservoir – no bag or length limits for bass (page 33, 34)
• Hagerman WMA and Riley Creek – opening dates are now the same for all waters (pages 32, 34)
• Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir – removed minimum length limit for walleye (page 31)
• Silver Creek – new simplified seasons and limits, new sections map (pages 30, 34)

Southeast Region:

• Blackfoot River and tributaries – new trout seasons and limits (page 38)

Upper Snake Region:

• No daily bag or length limits for bass (page 41)
• Henrys Fork Snake River – new trout bag limits above McCrea Bridge to Henrys Lake Outlet (page 43)
• Mud Lake – daily limit of bass remains 6 per day (page 44)
• Sand Creek WMA ponds – new fixed opening dates for fishing (page 44)

Salmon/Steelhead rules:

• Several new River Location Codes for salmon and steelhead permits (page 50)
• Electronic validation of Salmon and Steelhead permits now available through the GoOutdoorsIdaho mobile app (page 55)

Statewide General Rules

This section lists general fishing regulations that apply statewide during all seasons. More information on specific items can also be found inthe Terms and Definitions section on pages 64 - 65. Please consult the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act webpage or Title 36 of theIdaho Code for complete details at adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/13/index.html or idfg.idaho.gov/title36.

License and Permit Requirements

Fishing License: Any person 14 years or older must have a valid Idaho fishing license or permit to fish for fish, bullfrogs or crayfish, exceptwhen fishing in a private pond where the owner has a valid Private Pond Permit from Fish and Game, or on Free Fishing Day. Licenses areavailable to purchase at Fish and Game offices, license vendors, by phone at (800) 554-8685 or at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com.

• Resident children under 14 do not need to be accompanied by a valid Idaho fishing license holder, are not required to purchase a licenseand may catch and keep their own daily bag limit.
• Nonresident children under 14 must be accompanied by the holder of a valid Idaho fishing license, and harvested fish must be included inthe license holder’s limit. However, a nonresident child may purchase their own license and have their own limit.

Fishing License in Possession: You must have a printed license, or electronic version with you while fishing. Electronicversions that are allowed: accessing

GoOutdoorsIdaho.com online, using Go Outdoors Idaho mobile app, a saved copy to your smartphone, or a saved photo of your printed license to your smartphone.

Two-Pole Permit: Any person wanting to fish with two poles at the same time with a valid resident or nonresident fishing license maypurchase a two-pole permit. Any child 14 years or younger, wishing to fish with two poles, must purchase a two-pole permit. This permit authorizes the

license holder or child to use two poles or rods during seasons specified. Valid for all open waters and salmon and steelhead fishing.

Salmon and Steelhead Permit: Anyone fishing for anadromous (ocean-run) salmon and/or steelhead, except those expressly exempt,must have a valid fishing license and salmon and/or steelhead permit(s) on their person. Pages 51–52 have complete details on salmon andsteelhead rules and information.

Fishing Gear and Tackle

Pole/Rod Limits: It is illegal to use more than one (1) handline or pole with a line attached, except for a person with a two-pole permit (seeTwo-Pole Permit above). However, five rods or lines may be used when ice fishing.

Hook and Line Limits: Up to five (5) hooks per line may be used, except where specifically prohibited. Up to five (5) rods or lines per angler may be used when ice fishing. Only barbless hooks may be used when fishing for salmon or steelhead in the Salmon and Clearwater river drainages and the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam. A treble hook is considered a singlehook; exceptions may apply in some special rule waters.

Bow (Archery) and Spear Fishing: This includes fishing with a bow and arrow, crossbow, spear or mechanical device (excludingfirearms). This type of fishing is permitted only in the taking of bullfrogs and unprotected nongame fish and only in those waters during theseason set for the taking of game fish.

Gaff Hook: This is a pointed device designed to pierce a fish for the purpose of reducing the fish to possession. It is illegal to land fish ofany species (with a gaff hook) except through a hole cut or broken in the ice in waters which have no length restrictions or harvest closuresfor that species, or when landing unprotected fish species taken with archery equipment, provided the angler does not intend to release fish so caught.

Hands for Fishing: It is illegal to harvest any fish using only your hands, except when harvesting crayfish and bullfrogs. Anglers must use fishing gear to harvest all other fish species.

Ice Fishing: Fishing through an opening, broken or cut, through the ice. Anglers may fish with a maximum of five (5) lines per angler whileice fishing. The opening in the ice may not exceed 10 inches in diameter except on Bear Lake while fishing for cisco. Note: two-pole permits do not entitle the angler to exceed the five-pole limit for ice fishing.

Fishing Shelter: It is illegal to leave an enclosure or shelter used for fishing unattended overnight on the ice of any water statewidewithout having the owner’s name, telephone number, and current address legibly marked on two (2) opposing sides of the enclosure or shelter.

“No Motor” or “Electric Motor” Only Waters: Fishing waters listed in proclamation as “no motors,” no person may fish froma boat with a motor attached. When fishing waters listed “electric motors only,” gas (internal combustion) motors may be attached to theboat; but use of the gas motor is prohibited.

Sliding Sinker for Sturgeon: A method of attaching a sinker to a device that slides freely on the main line. When fishing forsturgeon, a person must use a sliding sinker and a lighter test line to attach the weight to the main line (the

line attached to the reel). See Sturgeon Fishing Rules on page 56.

Snagging: Taking or attempting to take a fish by use of a hook or lure in any manner or method other than enticing or attracting a fish to strike with, and become hooked in, its mouth or jaw. Game fish cannot be harvested unless hooked in the mouth or jaw.Snag fishing is illegal except where allowed by special rule. Snagging of unprotected nongame fish species is permitted.

Unattended Fishing Gear: You must attend to your fishing gear while fishing. This means being able to watch your rod at all times and be able to react to a potential strike.

Seasons and Bag Limits

Bag Limits: Defined as the maximum number of fish that may be legally harvested by any one person in one day. The term “bag limit”shall be construed to be an individual, independent effort, and shall not be interpreted in any manner as to allow one individual to harvest more fish than their “bag limit” or help the“bag limit” of another. Each region specifies the bag limits by species. It is illegal to fish in waters having special bag or species limits while in possession of fish in excess of those limits.

Note: Bullfrogs and crayfish have no bag, length or possession limit.

Possession Limits: The maximum limit in number or amount of wildlife which may be lawfully in the possession of any person."Possession limit" shall apply to wildlife being in possession while in the field or being transported to final place of consumption or storage.

Season Limits: It is illegal to exceed the maximum number of fish that may be legally taken in any declared season.

Holding Live Fish: No permit is required to keep live game fish legally reduced to possession while the angler is at the body of water wherethe fish were taken. Only live fish may be sorted (high-grading, culling), so long as the fish will swim away freely when released, and the dailybag limit is not exceeded. Exceptions apply on some special rule waters. For anadromous (ocean-run) salmon/steelhead, those fish must bekilled or released after landing. All fish must be killed, or released, prior to the angler leaving the water body where the fish were caught.Possessing and transporting live crayfish for personal consumption without a permit is allowed if they are not designated as invasive species in Idaho administrative code (see Crayfish, page 57).

Catch-and-Release: Effort, by permitted methods, to catch or attempt to catch a fish or species of fish is legal, with the restriction that anyfish or species of fish so caught must be released immediately back to the water. Catch-and-release fishing is only allowed when a fishingseason is open for that particular fish species.

Note: Species of fish not specifically listed as catch-and-release may be harvested under their appropriate limits.

Fishing Closed or Out of Season Waterbodies: No person may fish any waterbodies that are labeled as closed or out of season.Catch-and-release fishing is only allowed when a fishing season is open for that particular fish species.

Bait

Bait: Organic substances, other than rubber, wood feather, fiber, or plastic, attached to a hook to attract fish can be used. Bait includesinsects, insect larvae, worms, dead fish, fish parts, any other animal or vegetable matter, or scented synthetic materials. Game fish may beused as bait, if harvested using legal methods and bag limits, and count toward daily bag and possession limits.

Live Bait: It is illegal to use live fish, leeches, frogs, salamanders, waterdogs or shrimp as bait in Idaho, except that live crayfish may beused if caught on the body of water being fished. Bait of any kind may not be used with artificial lures when fishing artificial flies andlures-only waters.

Chumming: The use of any substance not attached to a hook that is intended to attract fish. It is illegal to chum while fishing in Idaho.

Trapping or Seining Minnows and Crayfish

All game fish (except yellow perch) and protected nongame fish incidentally taken while trapping or seining must be immediately releasedalive. Nongame fish (minnows), yellow perch, and crayfish may be taken only in waters open to fishing. See page 57 for additional information on crayfish.

Harvesting Fish with Nets or Traps: All fish so taken must immediately be killed except where stated

otherwise. Crayfish may be kept alive to be used as bait only on the water where captured. Nongame fish and crayfish may only be takenduring the season set for the taking of game fish in those waters. Nets and seines may not be left unattended. Traps must be checked at leastevery forty-eight (48) hours. All traps must have a tag attached bearing the owner’s name and address.

Number of Traps: Only five (5) crayfish traps can be fished with a valid fishing license. If more than five traps are used at one time, you must obtain a Commercial Fishing License and trap tags.

Trap and Net Size: The seine or net must not exceed ten (10) feet in length or width, and nets and seines must have three-eighths(3/8) inch square or smaller mesh; and the

minnow or crayfish trap does not exceed two (2) feet in length, width or height. If the trap is of irregular dimension, but its volume doesnot exceed the volume of an eight (8) cubic foot trap, it is also legal to use.

Fishing in Boundary Waters

Any angler who fishes any water forming an Idaho boundary is entitled to have in possession only the limit allowed by one licenseregardless of the number of licenses in possession.

Bear Lake between Idaho and Utah: The holder of a valid Idaho or Utah fishing license may fish all of Bear Lake except in areasclosed to all fishing by the respective states.

Anglers are subject to the rules and regulations of the state in which they are fishing.

Snake River between Idaho and Oregon or Washington: The holder of a valid Idaho fishing license may fish the Snake Riverwhere it forms the boundary between the states of Idaho and Oregon or Washington, subject to the fish and game laws of Idaho but maynot fish from the shore including wading and may not fish in sloughs or tributaries on the Oregon or Washington side. An Oregon or Washington license holder has the same rights and restrictions with reference to the Idaho side. When fishing this boundary water, one canonly exercise the privileges of one license at the same time, even if they have licenses (and salmon/steelhead permits) for both states.

Salmon, Steelhead, and Sturgeon

Salmon and Steelhead fishing: Fishing for salmon and steelhead is only open during specific seasons set for those species and requiresanglers to have a valid Salmon and/ or Steelhead Permit. Additional restrictions apply to tackle, bag limits, and possession limits. Page 51have complete details on salmon and steelhead rules and information.

Sturgeon fishing: Sturgeon fishing is open statewide, all year, except for the Kootenai River, where fishing for sturgeon is illegal. Whereopen, sturgeon is catch-and-release only. Review page 56 for additional restrictions.

Transportation, Sale or Shipment of Fish

Head and Tail Removal: No person may have in the field or in transport any trout, bass, tiger muskie, steelhead, or salmon from which the head or tail has been removed unless:

1. The angler is ashore and done fishing for the day; and
2. The fish is processed or packaged with the skin naturally attached to the flesh; and
3. The fish is processed or packaged in a manner that the number of fish harvested can be readily determined; and
4. The processed fish is not transported by watercraft; and
5. The salmon or steelhead is properly validated on their permit; and
6. For any salmon or steelhead: processed meat must include a portion of the flesh with a healed, clipped adipose fin scar or the adipose fin; and
7. Must not process any jack salmon while in the field or in transit.

Fish Transport or Gift (by Proxy Statement): Transporting legally taken game fish requires a proxy statement signed by theoriginal taker accompanies the fish, showing the number and kinds, the date taken, the taker’s name, address, and fishing license number. AFish Transport Proxy Statement can be found on page 13.

Fish Possessed from State and Federal Fish Hatcheries: No person can transit state and federal fish from hatcheries without awritten receipt for those fish or as allowed by posted signage.

Transport and Introduction of Live Fish: It is illegal to transport or allow the release of any species of live fish (includingcrayfish and bullfrogs), or fish eggs, in the state of Idaho without a permit from the Director of Fish and Game. If you illegally introduce fish into a water body without a permit, you could be held financially liable for restoration costs.

Private Pond Permit: You are required to have a private pond permit from Fish and Game to own a private pond stocked with gamefish. Permit applications are available on Fish and Game’s website or at regional offices.

Sale of Fish: Fish harvested by anglers cannot be bought or sold without a commercial license except as provided by Idaho code.

Shipment of Fish: No person shall ship legally harvested fish unless the package is marked on the outside with the name, address andfishing license number of the person who caught the fish, the name and address of the person to whom the fish are being shipped with orsent to, and the number of fish, by species, contained in the package.

Salvage of Fish

Fish salvage may be authorized when fish populations are threatened by water shortages or other causes. No salvage of fish from public waters will be allowed without Fish and Game authorization. When salvage is allowed, fish may be taken by snagging, spearing, archery, dip netting, seining, or by hand. Bag limits are typically removed. Use of toxic chemicals explosives, firearms, orelectric current is prohibited. A valid fishing license is required. Anglers are reminded that access along canal banks and salvage fishing inmost canals and ditches requires prior permission from irrigation companies.

Idaho's Trespass Law

All persons must have written permission, or other lawful form of permission, to enter or remain on private land to shoot any weapon or hunt, fish, trap or retrieve game.

A person should know land is private and they are not allowed without permission if:

• The property is associated with a residence, business
• Or, it is cultivated
• Or, it is fenced or enclosed in a way that delineates the private property
• Or, it is unfenced and uncultivated, but is posted with conspicuous “no trespassing” signs or bright orange/ fluorescent paint at all property corners and boundaries where the property intersects navigable streams, roads, gates and rights-of-way entering the land andposted in a way that people can see the postings.
• Any person must leave private property when asked to do so by the owner or agent.

Note— It is illegal for anyone to post public land that is not held under an exclusive control lease. Private posting at navigable streams shall notprohibit access to navigable streams below the high-water mark as allowed by Idaho law (see page 12).

Please visit: idfg.idaho.gov/2018-trespass-law

It Is Unlawful To:

• Fish within the posted upstream and downstream boundaries of any fish weir or trap
• Fail to stop if they encounter a check station that requires all hunters, anglers, and trappers to stop, even if the hunting, fishing or trapping activity occurred outside of Idaho and even if individual(s) do not possess any fish or wildlife. Idaho Law authorizes Idaho Fish and Gameto use wildlife check stations to collect biological and harvest data from fish and wildlife, receive public input, and enforce Commission seasons and rules.
• Enter or remain on private land to shoot any weapon or hunt, fish, trap, or retrieve game without written permission or other lawful form of permission.
• Knowingly provide false information to the Department or Commission on any report required by law.
• Destroy, disturb, or remove any traps belonging to others.
• Use chemicals, poisons, electric current, or explosives for fishing.
• Waste game fish, through carelessness, neglect or otherwise to allow or cause the waste of edible portions of any game fish including thefillets of fish and tails of crayfish.
• Molest or harass any fish by shooting at it with a firearm or pellet gun, striking at it with a club, hands, rocks, or other objects, buildingobstructions for catching fish, or chasing fish up or downstream in any manner.
• Deposit, throw, place, allow or cause to pass into any of the waters of this state any deleterious drugs, toxicants, chemicals, poisonoussubstances, explosives, electrical current, or other material which may tend to destroy, kill, disable, or drive away fish.
• Place racks or traps or any other obstruction across any of the streams or waters of the state of Idaho in order to take fish for any purposewithout first obtaining a permit from the Director. No unauthorized person shall tamper with, damage, or destroy any such permittedrack, trap, or other obstruction.
• Mark, scar, tag or mutilate fish without a Scientific Collecting permit.
• Fail to produce wildlife for inspection upon request of a conservation officer or other person authorized to enforce Idaho Fish and Game seasons and rules.
• Remove, alter, or possess Idaho Fish and Game signs.