Idaho Fish Report

Action: Opens additional harvest opportunity for white sturgeon in Lake Roosevelt. 

Species affected: White Sturgeon. 

Effective dates and Locations:  Lake Roosevelt, from Grand Coulee Dam to China Bend Boat Ramp (including the Spokane River from Highway 25 Bridge upstream to 400’ below Little Falls Dam, Colville River upstream to Meyers Falls Dam and the Kettle River upstream to Barstow Bridge): Remains open seven days per week through Sept. 30, 2021. 

Lake Roosevelt, from China Bend Boat Ramp upstream to the Canadian Border: Open seven days per week from Sept. 1-30, 2021. 

Fishery Rules: Daily Limit 1 sturgeon. Annual Limit 2 sturgeon. It is legal to retain sturgeon between 50 inches and 63 inches fork length. Fork length is measured from the tip of the snout to middle of the fork in the caudal fin (tail). All harvested sturgeon must be recorded on a Catch Record Card (Catch Code 549). Any sturgeon that cannot legally be retained must be released immediately. Two-pole fishing is allowed. Closed to night fishing. Anglers may continue to catch and release after obtaining a daily limit but must cease fishing after the annual limit has been taken.  All other statewide rules for white sturgeon must be observed. 

Anglers are asked to use heavy gear (50-lb. test mainline and leader at a minimum) and 14/0 hooks or smaller to avoid catching and/or injuring large wild adult sturgeon. The request to use heavier gear will ensure anglers hook and land sturgeon effectively, but also is protective of large wild adult sturgeon that, if hooked, should be played to hand quickly and released without being removed from the water. WDFW recommends that any fish that will not be legally retained should not be removed from the water prior to release. 

Reason for action:  White Sturgeon hatchery programs began in 2001 in British Columbia (B.C.) and 2004 in Washington. Stocking ranged from 2,000-12,000 juvenile sturgeon per year from 2001 to 2010 (including both Washington and B.C. releases).  Survival of hatchery-produced juvenile sturgeon was higher than anticipated, resulting in a surplus of hatchery-origin sturgeon available for harvest from Lake Roosevelt.  

Additional information:  Anglers should note that the Lake Roosevelt sturgeon fishery (Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border) will close as of Oct. 1, 2021.  The Lake Roosevelt co-managers (WDFW, Spokane Tribe and the Colville Confederated Tribes) will all be conducting sturgeon fisheries. Non-tribal anglers are asked to be respectful of tribal angling, and both tribal and non-tribal sturgeon research that is occurring on the reservoir.   

Anglers are reminded that fishery dates, times, slot limits, daily limits and annual limits may be adjusted over time to ensure that a sustainable population of sturgeon is maintained in Lake Roosevelt, as well as equitable access to the fishery amongst the three co-managers. 

Information contact: For more information, contact Chris Donley, WDFW Region 1 Fish Program Manager at 509-892-1001, ext. 307, or Bill Baker, WDFW District 1 Fisheries Biologist at 509-563-5499.