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Fishing in Idaho
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Black bullhead
Lapwai Lake (Winchester State Park)
length · weight
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Fishing regulations in Idaho
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Idaho can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Smallmouth bass as of July 24th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Smallmouth bass
Seasons
Open
Bag limit
6
Min size
12"
Measurement
Total Length
Aggregate
6
Restrictions & requirements
Location regulation notes
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Southwest Region except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish p 20-21Special Rule Waters for the Southwest RegionBen Ross ReservoirBass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesBig CreekTrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredBoise River from the mouth upstream to Lucky Peak Dam (lower Boise River)Section: From the downstream side of the East Parkcenter Bridge to the upstream side of the West Parkcenter BridgeTrout limit is 2, none under 14 inchesAll other sections of the lower Boise RiverSouthwest Region general rules applyBoise River, Middle ForkSection: From the confluence of the North Fork upstream to Atlanta DamTrout limit is 2, none under 14 inchesNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredAll other sections of the Boise River, Middle ForkSouthwest Region general rules applyBoise River, South ForkSection: From Neal Bridge (Forest Road 189) upstream to Anderson Ranch DamNo bait allowed, one barbless hook per fly or lureDecember 1 through March 31trout limit is 0, catch-and-release April 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekendclosed to fishing Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through November 30trout limit 2, none under 20 inches Section: Boise River, South Fork upstream of Anderson Ranch Damsee Magic Valley Region rules (Page 25) Brundage Reservoir and tributaries Trout limit is 2, none over 14 inches No bait allowed Cascade Aquarium Pond Closed to fishing Chamberlain Creek and tributaries Trout limit is 2Crane Falls LakeElectric motors onlyBass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Deadwood Reservoir Kokanee limit is 15 Deadwood Reservoir tributaries Trout limit is 2Kokanee limit is 15 Dick Knox PondBass limit is 2, none under 20 inchesDuck Valley Indian Reservationcontact the Duck Valley Indian Tribal OfficeLake LowellJanuary 1 to June 30bass limit is 0, catch-and- releaseJuly 1 to December 31bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesLittle Payette LakeBass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Kokanee limit is 25Little Salmon RiverSouthwest Region general rules applyLouie Lake (an alpine lake in the Boulder Creek drainage)Trout limit is 2, none under 20 inchesNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredMcDevitt PondTrout limit is 2Middle Fork Salmon River (see Salmon River, Middle Fork and tributaries) M.K. Nature CenterClosed to fishingOwyhee River and tributariesBass limit is 6, any sizeOxbow Reservoir (between Brownlee Dam and Oxbow Dam)Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesParkcenter PondTrout limit is 2Payette River, North ForkSection: From Payette Lake upstream, including tributariesKokanee limit is 0, catch-and-releaseSection: From Smylie Bridge (Hartsell) to Payette LakeDecember 1 to Friday of Memorial Day weekendtrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseAll other sections of the Payette River, North ForkSouthwest Region general rules applyPayette River, South Fork and tributaries (except the Middle Fork Payette drainage)Trout limit is 2Rapid River and tributaries (tributary to the Little Salmon River)Trout limit is 2Roosevelt LakeTrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredSage Hen Reservoir tributariesDecember 1 through June 15closed to fishingJune 16 through November 30trout limit is 2Salmon RiverTrout limit is 6; only trout with a clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept; no harvest of Cutthroat TroutNo bag, size or possession limits on bassSalmon River tributariesNo bag, size or possession limits on bassSection: Those tributaries from the mouth of the Salmon River upstream to the mouth of the Middle Fork Salmon River (except Little Salmon River and South Fork Salmon River)Trout limit is 2Section: Those tributaries upstream of the mouth of Middle Fork Salmon RiverSee Page 40, Salmon River tributaries, Special Rule Waters.Salmon River, Middle Fork and tributaries (includes: Bear Valley, Big, Camas, Elk, Loon, Marsh, Sulphur creeks, and tributaries)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bassSalmon River, South Fork and tributaries (includes: Johnson Creek, East Fork South Fork Salmon River, Secesh River, Lake Creek, Summit Creek and tributaries)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bassSquaw Creek and tributariesTrout limit is 2Stibnite Pond (Glory Hole)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredWarren CreekTrout limit is 2Weiser Community PondTrout limit is 2Wilson Springs Ponds (all waters within the Wilson Springs access area including Wilson Drain)Trout limit is 2For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Synonyms
Micropterus dolomieui
Location specific information
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Southwest Region except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish p 20-21Special Rule Waters for the Southwest RegionBen Ross ReservoirBass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesBig CreekTrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredBoise River from the mouth upstream to Lucky Peak Dam (lower Boise River)Section: From the downstream side of the East Parkcenter Bridge to the upstream side of the West Parkcenter BridgeTrout limit is 2, none under 14 inchesAll other sections of the lower Boise RiverSouthwest Region general rules applyBoise River, Middle ForkSection: From the confluence of the North Fork upstream to Atlanta DamTrout limit is 2, none under 14 inchesNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredAll other sections of the Boise River, Middle ForkSouthwest Region general rules applyBoise River, South ForkSection: From Neal Bridge (Forest Road 189) upstream to Anderson Ranch DamNo bait allowed, one barbless hook per fly or lureDecember 1 through March 31trout limit is 0, catch-and-release April 1 through Friday before Memorial Day weekendclosed to fishing Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through November 30trout limit 2, none under 20 inches Section: Boise River, South Fork upstream of Anderson Ranch Damsee Magic Valley Region rules (Page 25) Brundage Reservoir and tributaries Trout limit is 2, none over 14 inches No bait allowed Cascade Aquarium Pond Closed to fishing Chamberlain Creek and tributaries Trout limit is 2Crane Falls LakeElectric motors onlyBass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Deadwood Reservoir Kokanee limit is 15 Deadwood Reservoir tributaries Trout limit is 2Kokanee limit is 15 Dick Knox PondBass limit is 2, none under 20 inchesDuck Valley Indian Reservationcontact the Duck Valley Indian Tribal OfficeLake LowellJanuary 1 to June 30bass limit is 0, catch-and- releaseJuly 1 to December 31bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesLittle Payette LakeBass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Kokanee limit is 25Little Salmon RiverSouthwest Region general rules applyLouie Lake (an alpine lake in the Boulder Creek drainage)Trout limit is 2, none under 20 inchesNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredMcDevitt PondTrout limit is 2Middle Fork Salmon River (see Salmon River, Middle Fork and tributaries) M.K. Nature CenterClosed to fishingOwyhee River and tributariesBass limit is 6, any sizeOxbow Reservoir (between Brownlee Dam and Oxbow Dam)Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inchesParkcenter PondTrout limit is 2Payette River, North ForkSection: From Payette Lake upstream, including tributariesKokanee limit is 0, catch-and-releaseSection: From Smylie Bridge (Hartsell) to Payette LakeDecember 1 to Friday of Memorial Day weekendtrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseAll other sections of the Payette River, North ForkSouthwest Region general rules applyPayette River, South Fork and tributaries (except the Middle Fork Payette drainage)Trout limit is 2Rapid River and tributaries (tributary to the Little Salmon River)Trout limit is 2Roosevelt LakeTrout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredSage Hen Reservoir tributariesDecember 1 through June 15closed to fishingJune 16 through November 30trout limit is 2Salmon RiverTrout limit is 6; only trout with a clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept; no harvest of Cutthroat TroutNo bag, size or possession limits on bassSalmon River tributariesNo bag, size or possession limits on bassSection: Those tributaries from the mouth of the Salmon River upstream to the mouth of the Middle Fork Salmon River (except Little Salmon River and South Fork Salmon River)Trout limit is 2Section: Those tributaries upstream of the mouth of Middle Fork Salmon RiverSee Page 40, Salmon River tributaries, Special Rule Waters.Salmon River, Middle Fork and tributaries (includes: Bear Valley, Big, Camas, Elk, Loon, Marsh, Sulphur creeks, and tributaries)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bassSalmon River, South Fork and tributaries (includes: Johnson Creek, East Fork South Fork Salmon River, Secesh River, Lake Creek, Summit Creek and tributaries)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bassSquaw Creek and tributariesTrout limit is 2Stibnite Pond (Glory Hole)Trout limit is 0, catch-and-releaseNo bait allowed, barbless hooks requiredWarren CreekTrout limit is 2Weiser Community PondTrout limit is 2Wilson Springs Ponds (all waters within the Wilson Springs access area including Wilson Drain)Trout limit is 2For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Regulations for
43°36′49.5″N 116°14′15.5″W
/-116.237651,43.613739,10,0.00,0.00/600x250?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiZmlzaGJyYWluLWRldiIsImEiOiJjbDl6ZDU2amEwZXFtM29rNmI5cTV5ZGZ3In0.PEsOW8Rbc7G-mIBHpNXeGQ&logo=false&attribution=false)
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