Idaho has been hit by a tough drought. How do dry conditions impact local fisheries?
Well folks, I’m not breaking any news by saying we’re in a drought. It happens quickly here in the desert — a couple low-snowpack winters combined with the record heat we saw this summer, and just like that, water is a scarce resource.
I’ve been getting lots of questions about how low water conditions impact local fishing opportunities, both now and into the future. Here are some thoughts on a few common inquiries:
How do droughts impact fish?
Nature is resilient. As longtime residents of our climate, fish have largely adapted to deal with hot summers and fluctuating water levels. There are two things that can cause problems, though — when a fishery gets so low that fish don’t have enough oxygen to survive, and when low water levels interrupt a spawn. In the case of the former, Idaho Fish and Game will attempt to relocate fish or issue a salvage order (more on that later). If a spawn is disturbed, it can impact future populations.
“We’ve gone through droughts in the past,” said Roger Phillips, public information supervisor for IDFG. “If it’s a one-year thing, we have lots of flexibility to overcome and deal with it. If it persists for multiple years, that’s when you start to see bigger impacts.”
Why does the water get so low in some lakes and reservoirs?
Long story short: Irrigation water takes priority over fishing and other recreational uses (reservoir water rights are usually owned and managed by irrigators — not IDFG or other state agencies). Some fisheries — Lake Lowell and Ben Ross Reservoir come to mind — are traditionally full in spring, and drawn down considerably by fall. This is part of the annual life cycle of these fisheries. Only extreme low water conditions, especially paired with a harsh winter, typically damage fish populations.
Which local fisheries have been impacted?
As of this writing, Indian Creek Reservoir east of Boise has gone dry, and IDFG has issued a salvage order for Lost Valley Reservoir, a small trout/perch fishery in the mountains west of New Meadows. To our east, Mormon Reservoir near Fairfield — a popular ice fishery — has dried up, while Little Camas Reservoir — known for its fast-growing trout — hasn’t held water in several years.
Many local anglers are wondering about the three Boise River Reservoirs — Lucky Peak, Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch — which are popular for Kokanee and other species.
“They’re pretty darn low, but we don’t expect much of a downturn,” Phillips said. “Those three are always a balancing act of trying to have good numbers and decent size on the Kokanee, as they are a mix of natural reproduction and annual stocking of young Kokanee. We think they’ll be ok.”
Paddock Reservoir north of Emmett is another low-water spot. Phillips says Paddock is likely as low as it will get and, barring extreme cold this winter, enough fish should survive to maintain a bass fishery.
How does salvage fishing work?
Unfortunately, droughts sometimes leave IDFG with little choice but to issue a salvage order. Several have been announced in 2021, with most occurring east of the Treasure Valley. A salvage order means a fishery is so low that fish won’t survive, so IDFG removes harvest restrictions in an effort to limit waste. Anglers still need a fishing license, but they can capture fish by any non-destructive means (hook-and-line, snagging, netting, or by hand) and can harvest as many fish as they want.
“We lost three pretty significant reservoirs over in the Magic Valley this summer,” Phillips said. “The silver lining is we have enough hatchery capacity to restart those fisheries fairly quickly once there’s enough water to do so.”
What can anglers do to help?
During extreme heat and/or dramatically low water conditions, it’s helpful to avoid fishing during the hottest parts of the day. Warm water temps can stress fish, leading to higher fishing mortality rates. According to IDFG, this issue largely takes care of itself, as angler effort and fish activity tend to decrease significantly during these conditions. Anglers can help maintain quality fisheries year-round by obeying regulations and practicing catch-and-release during spawning seasons.
“If you lost your favorite fishing spot, be a little bit patient and it will come back,” Phillips said. “And we still have lots of opportunities out there. C.J. Strike and Brownlee tend to fare pretty well through these conditions, as do many of our higher-elevation fisheries. It might be a good opportunity to branch out and find new places to fish.”
IDFG put out an explainer article on low water and fish salvage — it goes into greater detail about some of the science behind their decision-making. IDFG also issues a news release anytime a salvage order gets issued. Here’s hoping there won’t be any more this season. Tight lines!
Note: My September fishing class, Chasing Monsters, has been moved to Thursday. Sept. 23. It remains from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Boise Spectrum. Details and registration are online at www.tightlines208.com.
Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures and questions with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com, or visit www.tightlines208.com for the latest local fishing reports and upcoming class offerings.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 6:00 AM.