Idaho Fish Report

Good luck big game hunters!

The controlled hunt draw results will be posted by June 20, and here’s a reminder about how to check your results online. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for you – except when we type.

Register for a hunting, shooting workshop

Our workshops and events calendar is filling up with:

• Introduction to hunting seminars,
• shotgun skills classes,
• 3D archery events, and
• upcoming pheasant hunting workshops.

Find more details, including how to register.

Share your wildlife sightings

Spring is the perfect time for wildlife watching. Some animals are still migrating and there are plenty of babies about. While you’re watching, use the iNaturalist app to identify and record the animals you see. Your information contributes valuable data to help improve wildlife conservation. Learn more about how to participate in the iNaturalist project. 

Leave wildlife in the wild

Speaking of young wildlife, you might come across a fledging bird on the ground, or a deer or elk calf hidden in the grass and be tempted to “help.” But don’t! It’s likely these animals haven’t been abandoned or orphaned; mom is probably nearby waiting for you to leave so she can return to her young. Learn more about why to leave these young animals alone. 

Spring fishing: anglers spoiled with choices

Last week we listed just a few of the options. We’ll repeat that list this week just in case you ran out of time to do them all:

• We’ve stocked dozens of lakes, ponds and streams with thousands of trout this spring in all areas of the state.
• There are native redband trout in major rivers like the Klamath and Deschutes, and native cutthroat in most coastal rivers and streams.
• Spring Chinook fishing continues in the Willamette Valley and along the coast.
• Summer steelhead have arrived in the lower Rogue, and rivers along the coast, in the Willamette Valley.
• With warmer weather finally here, bass, bluegill, crappie and other warmwater fish are active and ready to bite.
• Shad are running in the Columbia, Willamette and Umpqua rivers.
• This is the season for kokanee fishing in places like Paulina Lake, and Green Peter, Detroit and Wickiup reservoirs.
• Anglers can find good catfish fishing in the reservoirs on the Snake River.

Once you’ve decided what to do, check the zone reports to figure out where to do it.

Sign up for the latest information on boater access 

Marine Board’s Opportunities and Access Report incorporates information from federal and  state agencies, local facility operators and fellow boaters to provide up-to-date information so boaters can decide where to recreate and what to expect this season. Subscribe to receive email updates.