Changes Proposed In North Idaho

Significant changes are being proposed by the Idaho Fish and Game Department for several North Idaho waters. Public comment on the suggestions are being taken at public meetings this week and next.

Some trophy rainbow anglers are questioning the proposals to reduce numbers of large rainbows in Lake Pend Oreille by methods such as extending the seasons, increasing the limit or removing the size limit.

Fisheries research indicates the lake’s kokanee, which are the prey base for the trophy trout, are at all-time low numbers. They say the kokanee need a few years of relief from predators in order to recover.

Other notable proposals include:

Moyie River: Consider catch-and-release, size limits or a two-fish limit to help boost dwindling numbers of wild trout. End stocking of hatchery trout.

Spirit Lake: Reduce bag limit, shorten season or some combination of both in order to reduce harvest. Biologist believe anglers have taken too many fish from the lake in recent winters.

Jewel-Mirror lakes: Drop the quality trout rules at Jewel Lake and enact them at Mirror, which offers better conditions for managing specifically for trout. Perch are infesting Jewel, which would be managed as a year-round fishery for trout and/or warmwater fisheries.

Spokane drainage: Cut back on stocking hatchery trout and simplify native trout regulations on the Coeur d’Alene, St. Joe and St. Maries rivers and Coeur d’Alene Lake.

Anderson-Blue lakes: Consider removing quality and trophy bass regulations and manage the lakes under th general bass limit of five fish, none less than 12 inches.

General trout limit: Reduce the general limit from six fish to five.

Church hooks anglers

There will be no clear line between religion and fly fishing at the Word of Life Community Church in the Spokane Valley on Saturday.

The Christian church, founded a year ago on 30 acres near the state line, is sponsoring a fishing seminar featuring Joe Roope, a Coeur d’Alene fly-fishing guide, and Jim Grassi, a former bass circuit anglers and founder of the Let’s Go Fishing Ministry.

Along with the seminar on fly casting and choosing lures for area fisheries, the church is sponsoring a continental breakfast and doling out 500 door prizes, said church organizer Carl Hampsch. A virtual reality fishing simulator will be in operation before and after the seminars.

The program will run from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Cost is $3 for adults, $2 for youths 16 and under, and no more than $6 per family, he said.

The church, is located at 6703 N. Idaho Rd., off Interstate 90 at the State Line, Idaho, exit.

Shoreline rules to be updated

After being adopted 27 years ago, Washington’s Shoreline Management Act is being updated.

The Washington Ecology Department has scheduled meetings to determine how more than 250 city and counties can manage sensitive areas through local shoreline master programs.

This SMA guideline update is a key element of the state’s response to the listing of wild salmon under the Endangered Species Act and will play an important role in state efforts to comply with the federal Clean Water Act.

The only meeting scheduled in far-Eastern Washington is Thursday, 7 p.m., at the Spokane Public Health Center, 1101 W. College, Room 140.

The proposed rule is available at Ecology’s website:

www.wa.gov/ecology/ (then click on Shorelines and Wetlands).

Halibut area opened

Beginning last Sunday, all of Washington’s Marine Area 2 (Westport) was opened to sport halibut fishing.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Department said the area includes a well-known halibut hot spot off Cape Elizabeth, which has produced large numbers of halibut in past years.

Drano Lake salmon fishing to open

Drano Lake, at the mouth of the Little White Salmon River, will open to chinook salmon fishing effective an hour before dawn Thursday through May 31, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.

Anglers will be catching surplus hatchery spring chinook that aren’t needed at the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery, said Craig Burley, regional fish program manager.

The special daily limit is two chinook salmon with a 12-inch minimum size. Night closure and non-buoyant lure restrictions regulations also are in effect.

The area open to fishing is limited by boundary markers on a point of land downstream and across from the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery and upstream from the Highway 14 bridge.

MEETINGS Fishing proposals Idaho Fish and Game Department meetings to discuss regulations proposals will run 7 p.m.-10 p.m. as follows: Tonight, Spirit Lake Elementary School gym, 309 N. 5th. Monday, Sandpoint Community Hall, 204 S. First St. Tuesday, Coeur d’Alene office of Idaho Fish and Game Department, 2750 Kathleen Ave. May 26, St. Maries Avista meeting Room, 528 College St. May 27, Kellogg Middle School Library, 800 Bunker Ave.