Trout stocking taking place through September
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game will stock local waters with catchable trout.
Photo courtesy of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Many of Idaho’s lakes and ponds are soon going to be bolstered with Idaho Fish and Game stocking roughly 104,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout this September.
Want to know if the stocking trucks are going to be backing up to your favorite fishing hole? We asked our Fish and Game hatchery staff to boil down some of the most notable stocking highlights coming to your local fishery this month.
Many of the fisheries highlighted below are easy to access, family-friendly fishing destinations. All you need to get started is a fishing license and some basic tackle. Annual adult fishing licenses cost about $30, junior licenses (ages 14-17) are $16 and youth (under 14) fish for free. Go to Fish and Game's online vendor to buy a license.
Fishing for stocked rainbow trout can be a great way to introduce budding anglers to the sport by using simple, inexpensive setups like worm/marshmallow combinations or commercial baits like PowerBait or Crave, placed either near the bottom or below a bobber; and as anglers know, there’s nothing quite like a trout fighting on the end of your line. The Learn to Fish webpage at idfg.idaho.gov/fish/learn-to offers diagrams for basic bait rigs.
Most Idaho waters are open to fishing year-round, but some may have slightly different rules. Be sure to pick up a 2022-2024 Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules Booklet — available at any Idaho Fish and Game office or most sporting goods stores statewide — or download to look at season dates, special regulations and bag limits.
September 2023 Fish Stocking Highlights
Panhandle Region
• Elsie Lake – 900 rainbow trout
Elsie Lake offers excellent fishing for anglers of all levels, and you will also find a beautiful setting. It's a drive-to mountain lake, but the road is mountainous and rough.
• Gene Day Pond – 1,000 rainbow trout
Also known as Osburn Pond, the water is stocked regularly so catch rates should be good.
• Lower Glidden Lake – 900 rainbow trout
A beautiful drive-to alpine lake, it's a great spot for anglers of all levels and a scenic choice for small watercraft (electric motors only).
Connor Liess is a public information specialist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.