Distant mountain peaks loom in the summer heat and stand like a cool oasis for anglers. Hidden in the bowls, basins and valleys are many lakes brimming with trout and waiting for intrepid anglers.

Idaho has many mountain ranges, nearly all of which have lakes that contain fish. Idaho Fish and Game has long been committed to keeping those lakes stocked with fish by a variety of methods, including aircraft, horseback and backpack.

Most mountain lake stocking is done by aircraft these days, and Fish and Game crews annually drop hundreds of thousands of fingerling trout into distant lakes where they can grow and adventurous anglers can catch them. Some also have grayling, which are rarely found in Idaho outside of mountain lakes. Which lakes are stocked is no secret. You can find that information on Fish and Game’s Fishing Planner at bit.ly/2Yji26t.

Choose your adventure

One misconception about mountain lakes is you have to strap on your hiking boots and scale a mountain to reach them. It’s true that some lakes are hidden-away secrets guarded by the mountains and the few hardy souls who hike into those remote, wild places. But many other lakes are reasonably accessible with a short hike on well-marked and maintained trails.

There are also mountain lakes you can drive to in a family vehicle and others that are accessible by four-wheel-drive roads or motorized trails that allow you to drive or ride a UTV, ATV or motorcycle. You will need to check with land management agencies, such as Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, to see what type of trails access certain lakes.

Even if motorized travel is allowed on a trail, make a call to the land management agency and determine trail conditions because some motorized trails can be challenging to navigate. Same goes for hiking trails.

A call to a local office can often prevent disappointment when a trail is blocked by downed trees, washouts, etc.

How to choose a lake

This can be a tricky proposition because if you’re looking at a map or satellite image, how do you know which lake to choose? One thing to remember is all mountain lakes are not created equal. Typically, a lake in a valley or meadow with an inlet and outlet and shallow areas will be more productive than a deep lake in a rocky basin strictly fed by snowmelt, which can create a very sterile environment. But that’s not always the case, and that’s where exploration and a little luck come into play.

A good initial strategy is to find an area with a cluster of lakes, which is fairly common in the mountains. If one lake isn’t producing good fishing, another is nearby. Don’t assume that hiking farther will improve your odds of catching more fish. Most mountain lakes don’t get a huge amount of fishing pressure, so don’t overlook an accessible lake, which might have outstanding fishing while a distant lake has similar or lesser fishing opportunity.

If you’re planning your trip based on stocking reports, remember that most trout stocked in mountain lakes are fingerlings, and it can take three to four years for them to grow to catchable size. However, catchable-size trout are sometimes stocked in lakes that are road accessible, and some lakes have naturally reproducing populations.

Some mountain lakes have brook trout, which tend to dominate where they are present. That can be good news and bad. Brook trout can provide lots of fishing action, and they can be a lot of fun to catch for young or new anglers. There’s typically a 25-fish bag limit for brook trout, but check the Fishing Seasons and Rules booklet because there are exceptions. While lots of fish and a generous bag limit might be enticing, brook trout can also become overpopulated in mountain lakes, which means there are lots of fish, but few over 6-inches long.

Savor the experience

There’s little argument the main point of the trip to a mountain lake is to catch fish, but don’t get fixated on them. Mountain lakes are found in some of Idaho’s most spectacular places, and let’s be honest, you could probably also catch a trout in a neighborhood park pond, lake, reservoir or river within a short drive of your home.

But mountain lakes are special places with the opportunity to experience spectacular scenery, wildlife and solitude. Definitely enjoy the fishing, and chances are good you will catch some nice fish, but don’t let a lack of fish spoil your outing. Chalk it up to experience and use it as a springboard for your next outing.

Another benefit of Idaho’s mountains is they contain thousands of lakes — probably more than you could explore in a lifetime of summers — so you will likely never run out of new ones to explore or favorites that you can revisit.

Fishing tips for mountain lakes

• Mountain lakes fishing tends to be a fairly simple affair. Basic bait and tackle will usually work well. Bring a small assortment of spoons and spinners, maybe a few different types of baits (or catch grasshoppers if available). For fly anglers, woolly buggers, small nymphs and attractor flies are usually sufficient.
• Remember fish are not evenly dispersed in a lake. Start looking for them in obvious places, such near inlets and outlets, or where there’s structure, such as downed logs, lily pads, boulders, bluffs, etc.
• Bring polarized sunglasses and find a high spot. Water in mountain lakes is often clear, so you can often seeing cruising trout just beneath the surface if you watch carefully. Also look for rings from rising fish, which is a clue that they’re feeding on insects on, or near, the surface.
• If feasible, bring a float tube or small raft, which will allow you to access more shoreline and also catch trout cruising in the center of the lake.
• Like any waters, trout will go on and off the bite, so don’t give up if you don’t immediately catch something. However, if after a reasonable length of time you don’t get any bites or see any signs of fish, move to a different lake if that’s feasible.

Anglers who want to get a jump on their fishing season in early spring can find places to catch fish throughout Idaho, and a surprising variety of them.

With daylight saving time here and spring here, there’s also enough daylight for after-work or after-school fishing trips to a local fishing spot. That makes March and April great months for early-season fishing as a lead-in to prime spring fishing in May and early June.

Idaho Fish and Game stocks trout year round, but expands its operations as more waters open in March and become suitable for trout. Typically, ponds are the first places, followed by small lakes and reservoirs, then larger reservoirs and streams, but it depends on many factors.Here are some tips for early season fishing.

Watch the weather:

Fishing is typically better when temperatures are warming and the barometer is stable. A temperature drop or a storm typically slows fishing.

Take it slow:

Fish can be sluggish in cold water. Air temperature warms much faster than water, so even on a warm, spring day, the water is probably chilly. Bait is a good option, and if you’re using lures or flies, a slow retrieve usually works better.

Don’t overlook warmwater fish:

They become active sooner than you might think, but expect subtle strikes, and the fish to be in different places than where you found them last summer. Bass fishing can be good. Catch rates tend to be low, but the biggest fish are often the first to become active. Smaller, shallower waters typically warm faster than larger bodies of water. Ponds and small reservoirs are good options. Same goes for shallow coves, bays and flats in larger lakes and reservoirs.

Get the latest information:

Get the latest stocking reports with Fish and Game’s stocking page for good places to catch rainbow trout and other fish.

Watch for hatches:

Fly anglers can find good early season bug hatches, which are typically chironomids (midges) or baetis (blue-wing olives). There are usually trout feeding on them.

Fish locally:

Especially if the weather forecast looks iffy. You don’t want to drive several hours and then find unfavorable weather and water conditions. Spring is a good time of year to explore local ponds and reservoirs that you may have overlooked in the past.

Here are the best places in the region for spring fishing.

Magic Valley

Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir:

Like many other southern Idaho reservoirs, this one offers a variety of warmwater fishing and trout. Rainbow trout fishing heats up in the spring with the weather, especially for shore anglers. The fishing also gets good for boat anglers as we get further into spring. The reservoir has some of Idaho’s best walleye fishing, as well as perch, crappie and other panfish that can provide lots of action and great eating.

Oakley Reservoir:

Oakley received 26,000 rainbow trout last year, and it has a reputation for fast-growing fish. Last year’s holdovers and this year’s stocking of 12-inch rainbows should provide good fishing for shore anglers and trollers and a nice mix of sizes. The reservoir also has walleye fishing that typically gets going in later in spring.

Hagerman Wildlife Management Area:

This is a cluster of ponds, lakes and streams that are steps away from the Hagerman Fish Hatchery, which means a steady stream of trout are available to be stocked, as well as occasional contributions of large trout from nearby private hatcheries. This area also has fishing platforms, ADA-compliant docks, restrooms and a picnic area, which all make for a fun, comfortable place to go fishing. Here’s an article about fishing at the Hagerman WMA.

Southeast

Upper Portneuf River:

March and April can be great months to fish the upper Portneuf River between Lava Hot Springs and Chesterfield Reservoir. There is a growing population of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout and some quality hatchery rainbow trout. Prior to Memorial Day weekend, the anglers are restricted to catch-and-release fishing and no bait. It’s a good place for early flyfishing.

Bear Lake:

Spring at Bear Lake can be the best time of year to catch a trophy native cutthroat trout, which can start as early as April depending on weather conditions. These amazing trout can grow up to 15 pounds. Many of the mature cutthroat trout are over 4 pounds. During April and May, the mature trout cruise the west side of the lake before ascending to their spawning tributaries. Trolling is the most successful method. Silver-colored spoons or Rapalas are popular. Recent habitat projects have resulted in more wild cutthroat trout, and catch rates continue to rise.

Wild cutthroat trout caught in Bear Lake must be released, but over 200,000 hatchery cutthroat trout are stocked annually for those interested keeping some to eat. Hatchery fish can be identified by a clipped adipose fin.

American Falls Reservoir:

At over 55,000 acres, this large water body is home to two state records, one for rainbow trout and the other for rainbow/cutthroat hybrid. Other game fish lurking beneath the surface include yellow perch, largemouth and small mouth bass, cutthroats, and brown trout. Fishing can be hot shortly after the ice has come off this reservoir, which can make this destination an early favorite for spring. Trolling with spoons or Rapalas is an angler’s best bet. Amenities at this reservoir include docks, boat ramps, camping areas, and it has ADA-accessible areas.

Bannock Reservoir:

This urban fishing spot is part of the Portneuf Wellness Complex in Pocatello. This fishery is approximately 6.5 acres in size with a maximum depth of 35 feet. It is regularly stocked with catchable rainbows and occasionally a few lunkers. Fish limit is two. The Portneuf Wellness Complex is a large 80-acre manicured multi-use complex designed to serve soccer, lacrosse, and football games and tournaments, with sand volleyball and basketball courts available for pick-up games. The complex also supports over 2 miles of paved walking trails, a mountain bike park, and offers a playground for the kids. The reservoir is divided into a swimming area complete with a sandy beach and a fishing area with docks and a rock shoreline to accommodate anglers. Anglers can also bring their float tubes, and “beach bums” can bring kayaks and paddleboards. There are pavilions, bathrooms, and plenty of parking.

Edson Fichter Pond:

This 3-acre urban fishery is tucked inside Edson Fichter Nature Area in south Pocatello. Access is by paved trails from a paved parking lot. No boats or float tubes are allowed, but who needs that with all the bank fishing and two large docks that are available. This pond is also ADA-accessible. Catchable rainbows and occasional behemoths are regularly stocked at this pond; just remember the two-fish limit. A smaller puppy pond is located near the fishery for those who wish to train or play with their four-legged friends, but this smaller pond is not stocked or open for fishing. Edson Fichter Nature Area boasts 40 acres of natural landscape dominated by native plant species, trees, and springtime wildflowers connected by looping trails that lead visitors to the Portneuf River, the ponds, and to other parts of the site. Visitors enjoy seeing wildlife such as swallows, osprey, mule deer, foxes, waterfowl — even an occasional bald eagle.

Upper Snake

Henry’s Fork River:

This famed flyfishing river gets an early start on its rainbow trout fishing. Catch rates typically improve in March, especially on sunny days that get insects hatching and fish rising to the surface to feed. The section from Ashton downstream to St. Anthony is popular among anglers.

Birch Creek:

Easy access and minimal snow depths make this creek a great early season option. Stable water temperatures increase fish activity and make them more willing to bite. High numbers of fish increase the likelihood of anglers to see trout on the end of their line. Anglers seeking rainbow trout will have more luck fishing downstream. Those seeking brook trout will find them more abundant upstream.

South Fork of the Snake River:

The river is typically low and accessible for wading in early spring, and fishing can be good for trout and whitefish. Anglers can catch and keep a rainbow trout and be rewarded not just with fish for dinner, but with cash if they catch a marked fish. Take the head of a rainbow trout to the Fish and Game office in Idaho Falls, and on the first Friday of the month a Fish and Game employee will scan it. If the fish is embedded with a tiny wire tag, it is worth from $50 to $1,000. The program is to encourage anglers to harvest rainbow trout and reduce competition with the river’s native Yellowstone cutthroat trout.

Salmon

Kids Creek Pond:

This pond near Salmon will be stocked with catchable rainbow trout in mid-March. It provides a convenient place for people to do some early season fishing, and can also provide some big surprises.

Upper Salmon River:

When the Deadwater ice dam breaks up in late winter or early spring, it sends a wave of steelhead upstream. The dam has already broken up this year, and anglers had a flurry of activity steelhead fishing. There will be steelhead available in the river system up to Stanley into mid-April. It’s a popular place for anglers, and there’s about 115 miles of river between Salmon and Stanley that is accessible off Idaho 75 and U.S. 93, and another 68 miles of road access downstream from Salmon.

Hayden Creek Pond:

This pond is about 24 miles south of Salmon on Hayden Creek Road. It gets stocked with trout in February and monthly through spring and summer for nearly year-round fishing thanks to spring water that keeps it from freezing. That spring water also makes great trout habitat, and fish that don’t get caught right away continue to grow, which gives anglers an opportunity to catch some larger trout. The pond also has a picnic facility and bathrooms.

If people find animals struck by vehicles, many are legal to salvage

Winter is a tough time for wildlife, especially big game, because it can be among the most hazardous seasons for them. Deer, elk and other animals are usually congregated in lowlands commonly known as “winter range,” which is often near cities, communities and highways. That also puts them close to vehicle traffic, and road kills are evidence of the toll highways can take on wintering animals.

Motorists are encouraged to be especially watchful for wildlife during winter, especially at night, or during morning and evening hours when animals are most active. Vehicle/animal collisions are dangerous, expensive, and obviously harmful to wildlife.

If you encounter an animal that’s been hit by a vehicle, you’re allowed to salvage some animals. People can salvage and keep wildlife classified as upland birds, upland game animals, big game, furbearers and predators that are lawfully hunted or trapped in the event that one of those animals has been accidentally killed by a vehicle.

Here’s a list of salvageable species:

Unprotected non-game wildlife are also legal for salvage. However, many animals are not allowed for salvage, including protected non-game wildlife, animals that are federally protected under the Threatened or Endangered Species Act, migratory birds (which are also federally protected), and other wildlife species that cannot be lawfully hunted or trapped.

Before considering salvaging any animal, also remember there are rules you must follow:

Animal must have been struck by accidental vehicle collisions.

Before you claim any roadkill salvage, consider the safety of yourself and fellow travelers. Always abide by traffic and safety laws.

You have 24 hours to notify Fish and Game, and 72 hours to obtain a salvage permit. You may self-report online, or by phone to Fish and Game regional offices.

When calling after hours it’s important to leave your full name, phone number, address and location of the salvage so a permit can be mailed. If self-reporting online, a printable permit will be generated. Salvage permits are free.

People salvaging and consuming the meat do so at their own risk.

All mandatory check requirements still apply if an animal that’s salvaged requires check in. These animals include black bears, wolves, mountain lions, bobcats and otters.

On July 1, dispatch of wildlife severely injured in a vehicle collision also became legal under the following conditions:

A person considering dispatching a struck animal must follow all other laws, such as not discharging a firearm from or across a public highway, respecting trespass laws, and other general firearms statutes, transportation laws, or other provisions such as a city ordinance prohibiting discharge within city limits.

It is the responsibility of the person who dispatches the injured wildlife to do so safely and not create an additional traffic hazard.

Idaho Fish and Game recently reached an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to assume operations of the Hagerman National Fish Hatchery, which raises about 1.6 million juvenile steelhead for release in the Upper Salmon River Basin.

Fish and Game’s Fisheries Bureau Chief Jim Fredericks said benefits of the transfer include greater efficiency and better integration with fisheries management and research programs. Fish and Game currently owns and operates an adjacent trout hatchery in Hagerman, which is about 35 miles northwest of Twin Falls.

Fredericks also noted that Idaho’s steelhead angling opportunities are directly affected by the hatchery’s ability to achieve adult return objectives.

“As the principal manager of Idaho fisheries supported by this hatchery, we are directly accountable to anglers. We feel this agreement allows us to better serve the people of Idaho,” Fredericks said.

The Hagerman hatchery is one of 10 salmon and steelhead hatcheries operating under the congressionally authorized Lower Snake River Compensation Plan, which is a mitigation program funded by Bonneville Power Administration for lost natural fish production and harvest opportunity caused by hydropower development.

No spawning or adult holding occurs at the Hagerman national hatchery, instead, eggs are collected at adult trapping facilities operated by Fish and Game staff in the Salmon River Basin and delivered to the hatchery.

With this new agreement, Fish and Game will operate five of the 10 Lower Snake River compensation hatcheries. Three others are operated by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and two are operated by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

As with the nine other compensation hatcheries, Hagerman will remain property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The transfer to Fish and Game is only for operations, and funding for hatchery operations will continue to be paid by the Bonneville Power Administration.

Fredericks is confident the transition will be smooth as Fish and Game takes over operational responsibilities at the hatchery starting in October.

“We have tremendously competent and dedicated staff, and we know the business of raising fish,” he said.

Fish and Game will accept applications for a 2018 grizzly bear tag starting Friday, and the deadline to apply is July 15. The drawing is limited to Idaho residents with a valid Idaho hunting license.Hunters can apply at any Fish and Game license vendor…

Idaho Fish and Game’s Free Fishing Day on June 9 is exactly as it sounds: a chance for anyone to grab a rod and go fishing with no license required.

At many locations, you don’t even need a rod, tackle or bait. Just show up and Fish and Game employees and volunteers will loan you gear and show you how to catch a fish.

Here’s a list of events in Eastern Idaho on Saturday:

Southeast Region

• Bannock Reservoir (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Grace Fish Hatchery (limited to anglers 14 and under, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Upper Kelly Park Pond (limited to anglers age 13 and under, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Edson Fichter Pond (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Upper Snake Region

• Becker Pond (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Mill Creek Pond, Mill Pond (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Rexburg City Ponds (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
• Trail Creek Pond, Victor Kids Pond (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

The department will stock trout in select locations before the event to increase your chances of landing a fish.

Free Fishing Day events aren’t the only way to learn how to fish. Fish and Game’s “Take me Fishing Trailers” are loaded with loaner rods and tackle, and Take Me Fishing Trailer events let you try fishing without having to first buy a license. Events are held throughout June, July and August. 

Free Fishing Day and Take Me Fishing trailers are great opportunities to learn firsthand why fishing is one of Idaho’s favorite activities, and a fun way to spend time with your family and learn how to catch your own dinner.

While Free Fishing Day temporarily waives the requirement for a fishing license, all other rules such as bag limits and other restrictions still apply. 

While the day is intended to give folks an opportunity to try fishing without having to spend money up front, fishing remains a very affordable, year-round activity. To keep fishing, anyone age 14 and older needs to buy a daily license, or an annual license, both of which are available at vendors throughout the state, or an annual license can be bought through Fish and Game’s online vendor. 

Fishing in Idaho is a convenient way to get outside, and many fishing spots are easily available near urban and rural areas. Community ponds make for easy fishing trips close to home, while rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs make excellent weekend trips or vacation destinations. 

Idaho also has a large variety of game fish, from palm-sized bluegill that are a great way to teach kids fishing, up to sturgeon that are decades old and measured in feet rather than inches or pounds. 

Imagine a river loaded with big fish that are eager to bite and put up a mean fight when hooked. Imagine you have most of the river for you and your fishing pals to catch as many fish as you want to clean and eat.

Imagine no more, because this place actually exists, and it’s only minutes from Idaho’s most populous region. If you haven’t already guessed, it’s the Snake River, and while anglers may pine for that scenario to include steelhead and salmon, the river has catfish in almost embarrassing abundance.

Despite being in the Snake River since the 1940s, catfish fishing doesn’t have a rich tradition in Idaho. They’re kind of an “other” fish that many anglers catch incidental to fishing for something else. But anglers might want to rethink that because they are a big, fun fish to catch, and there are lots of them.

How many? Joe Kozfkay, Southwest Region Fish Manager for Fish and Game, pauses when asked and concedes there’s no way of getting an exact count in a system this large. But he’s comfortable estimating it’s more than a million catfish in Snake River and its Southwest Idaho reservoirs in the stretch from Hells Canyon Dam upstream to Bliss Dam. In the prime water between Swan Falls Dam and Brownlee Reservoir, he estimates there are a couple thousand catfish per mile.

Those include both channel catfish and their larger cousins, flatheads, with channel cats being by far the most common. Channel cats are available in such large numbers there’s no limit on them, and previous angling surveys done by the department have shown the harvest is so low it doesn’t affect the population. In fact, there are so many that Fish and Game captures catfish from the Snake River and transplants them into Treasure Valley ponds and elsewhere to provide more fishing opportunity.

Catfish are also available in many of the Snake River’s tributaries, including the Weiser, Payette and Boise Rivers, typically in the lower stretches.

And these catfish aren’t the little bullheads many people are familiar with catching. Channel cats average about 4 to 6 pounds and lots of them range above 10 pounds. The state record is 31 pounds and 38 inches, but it’s practically a runt compared to the record flathead catfish, which weighed in at 58.5 pounds.

Catching cats

Another thing attractive about catfish fishing is its simplicity. You don’t need a whole tackle box — or several — full of expensive, exotic lures and baits (looking at you, bass anglers). You just need some large bait hooks, some swivels and some pyramid weights.

A good basic set up is the “sliding sinker rig” that Fish and Game requires for sturgeon anglers. It’s a good set up for catfish as well and reduces the chances of lost tackle becoming hazardous to fish and wildlife.

During summer when weeds become thick in the Snake River, people can switch to a float rig and hang or drift bait so it stays above the weeds.

There are many options for bait, and you might start with a common nightcrawler. But experiment with different bait, such as shrimp, cutbait from any oily fish such as carp, sucker or pikeminnow. Crickets are also a popular catfish bait, especially Mormon crickets when they’re available. There’s also a variety of premade catfish baits available at sporting goods stores and tackle shops.

“Catfish are true omnivores,” Kozfkay said. “They will eat anything in the river they can get their mouths around.”

A misunderstood fish

There are many species of catfish, but they all seem subject to the same stereotype: they live in slow-moving, muddy rivers scavenging dead stuff from the bottom. There’s enough truth to support some of the stereotype. Catfish are adapted to living in dark, murky water and those barbels (whiskers) that give them they’re name are highly sensitive to taste and smell, so they don’t have to rely on their eyesight to find food.

“That reinforces the myth that all they do is hang out in deep, dark holes, and all they do is scavenge,” Kozfkay said.

But much of the stereotype is inaccurate, especially for channel catfish. As previously stated, they’re omnivorous and will seek out a variety of food, including hunting live prey. They can also be found in most of the habitat in the Snake River, not just its deep holes.

“They’re very comfortable in rivers,” Kozfkay said. “They really like river features with depth changes, velocity changes and woody cover.”

Channel catfish will also move into riffles to feed, especially during summer and can even be seen eating insects on the surface.

So anglers should take note and fish for them in different places. Kozfkay noted the fish are very migratory and move in and out of reservoirs, so you may have to move around to find them. Catfish will find your bait pretty quickly if they’re feeding, so if you go 10 or 15 minutes without a bite, move to another spot.

Piscivorous panic button

If you put some effort into trying several spots, you’re likely to catch some catfish in the Snake River (or its tributaries), so now you’ve cracked the code, right?

Sort of. After you’ve caught several fish, you may notice fishing gets a little slower. It’s unlikely you’ve caught all the catfish in the hole, it’s that the fish may recognize something is amiss in their world. Catfish, like carp, release a pheromone that signals danger to other fish. So when you hook, fight and land a fish, there’s a good chance it will release that pheromone and the remaining fish will catch a whiff of the scent and flee or stop feeding.

“It seems like if you catch five or six fish out of a hole, they’ve figured it out,” Kozfkay said.

That’s when you know it’s time to move and find more fish. But keep that spot in mind when you return because chances are good you will find them there again.

Time for catfish fry

It’s a tasty tradition, and most people have eaten catfish at one time or another. They’re commonly raised commercially and sold in restaurants.

Catfish from the Snake River are also tasty fish, but there’s a consumption advisory from Idaho Health and Welfare that recommends balance and moderation for catfish consumption, especially for children and pregnant or nursing women.

People should balance that advisory with the health benefits of eating fish, and Health and Welfare also states, “Eating fish on a regular basis can be beneficial to both adults and children. Fish are a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids.”

One easy way to minimize contaminants contained in catfish is eat the younger, smaller ones in the 1 to 4 pound range, eat only the white meat, trim off as much fat was you can prior to cooking, and bake or broil fish on a rack so the remaining fat drips away while cooking.

You can see Health and Welfare’s consumption advisory at https://bit.ly/2H7fKuP.

Don’t let that discourage you from taking advantage of a great fishing opportunity. It’s rare to have a plentiful population of big fish so close and available to so many anglers. Even if you decide to release the catfish you catch, you will have a blast catching them.

Applying for a coveted controlled hunt for deer, elk or pronghorn? Improve your chances of hunting your dream unit by also entering the Super Hunt drawing at the same time you apply.

Here’s the deal. Thousands of hunters apply for controlled hunts every year hoping to snag one of those prime controlled hunt tags during the application period May 1 through June 5. A resident Idaho hunter pays a $6.25 application fee and gets one chance for a tag in any of those controlled hunts for deer, elk, pronghorn and fall black bear. You can apply online, at any license vendor or by phone at 800-554-8685.

The Super Hunt program is a separate and smaller pool of tags, but for an additional $6, a hunter can get added chances at any particular controlled hunt (except black bear) because a Super Hunt tag is good for any controlled or general hunt for that specific species.

Unlike the controlled hunt applications, hunters can enter as many times as they want for Super Hunt tags. There are eight tags each for deer, elk and pronghorn, along with one moose tag, which will all be drawn in June. But the deadline for Super Hunt entries is May 31, so don’t delay.

If you really have an open calendar for fall, there’s also one Super Hunt Combo up for grabs, which provides the lucky winner with one tag each for deer, elk, pronghorn and moose. Entries for the Super Hunt combo are $20 each, and hunters can also enter for the combo as many times as they like.

So what happens if you draw both a controlled hunt and a Super Hunt tag? Well, you’re one lucky hunter! The Super Hunt tag is considered an “extra” tag, so you would have two tags to enjoy the best hunting experiences Idaho has to offer.

Remember that you will need a 2018 hunting license to apply for a controlled hunt; however, residents and nonresidents can enter for Super Hunt tags without purchasing a license first.

A full list of the hundreds of controlled hunts offered for 2018 can be found in the Big Game Seasons and Rules booklet, which is available at license vendors. You can apply for both controlled hunts and Super Hunts at huntfishidaho.net, and if you haven’t been to the site already, you will need to set up an account with a username and password.

Once you’re there, apply for the controlled hunts on the application page, and add your Super Hunt applications by clicking on the “purchase a license, tag or permit” box. You can also buy Super Hunt entries at license vendors or by calling 800-554-8685.