Idaho revising fish management plans; meetings set

FISHING — Idaho is starting to take a look at the big picture of fishing throughout the state as it revises its management plans through 2018.

Panhandle Region anglers will be asked to chime in on hot topics such as Priest Lake mackinaw, harvesting more cutthroat trout in the St. Joe and Coeur d’Alene rivers and returning to trophy management of rainbow trout and a limited kokanee fishery on Lake Pend Oreille.

The Idaho Fish and Game Deparment adjusts fishing rules every other year. But the state Fisheries Management Plan, approved by the Fish and Game Commission, guides the policy and direction the rules take for five or six years.

Public meetings: The agency will explain the issues and begin taking public comment at public meetings next month, starting at 7 p.m. as follows:

Priest Lake’s current management plan calls for managing for a yield and trophy lake trout (mackinaw) fishery. The management plan also requires the agency to restore native fish populations in Upper Priest Lake by yearly removal of lake trout with nets.

According to Jim Fredericks, Panhandle Region fisheries manager, the past six years have demonstrated that trying to manage the lakes as two independent systems is neither practical nor feasible in the long-term. At the same time, anglers have asked why IDFG doesn’t embark on try controlling Priest Lake mackinaw as it has with recent progress at Lake Pend Oreille.

The coming management plan will determine whether IDFG manages both lakes for lake trout and abandons efforts to maintain cutthroat and bull trout in Upper Priest Lake or; alternatively, IDFG begins a large-scale effort to suppress lake trout and restore the native trout and kokanee fisheries.

Unfortunately, Fredericks notes, this is not an issue with a middle ground or a “happy medium compromise”. There are costs and benefits associated with either direction. There are not many lake trout fisheries in the area, making Priest Lake a unique draw. The lake trout fishery is inexpensive to manage and maintain, whereas a suppression effort would be an expensive, long-term commitment.

On the other hand, large lake cutthroat/bull trout fisheries are even more unique than lake trout fisheries. Along with kokanee, a restored cutthroat/bull trout fishery would likely generate more angling effort, and ultimately be of greater economic value to the Priest Lake region.

Fredericks points out that even managing for a quality lake trout fishery now has its limits. “Lake trout have populated to the point where they’ve outstripped the food supply. Lake trout reach 15 inches fairly quickly (3-4 years) on a diet of invertebrates, but with very few forage fish to feed on, growth then comes to a screeching halt”.

Lake trout over 20 inches typically grow only a third to half inch a year, he said. This means that regardless of regulations, the lake trout fishery of the future will primarily be comprised of 14-20 inch fish, with few real trophies.

Other topics likely to be discussed with the upcoming management plan and rules include:

Info: Jim Fredericks, Panhandle Region fishery manger ( jim.fredericks@idfg.idaho.gov ), (208) 769-1414.