Bigger Fish Woes

Eastern Idaho

Idaho Fish and Game biologists say they weren’t getting far planting small rainbow trout in eastern Idaho’s Springfield Reservoir.

Pelicans and cormorants were eating more than 90 percent of the 7-to-9 inch fish.

So the agency is changing directions. Now it’s planting only rainbows 17 inches and larger. Anglers won’t be able to keep any fish under 20 inches, and can keep only two per day. Most important, bait fishing is out. The lunkers can be taken only with flies or lures.

Not everybody is happy with the new policy.

As workers emptied a load of big hatchery rainbow trout into the reservoir this week, Don Warner and about a half-dozen other bait anglers watched, disgusted.

“‘It’s a lovely family place. It’s not just for elite fly fishers,” said Warner, 76. “I’m not anti-anything. But I don’t want the anti-bait fisher to come in and ruin my life.”

Biologist Jim Mende said the new policy is aimed at getting around the bird problem. The area is a bird sanctuary, so hazing or killing the bird population isn’t an option.