Catch, kill, report walleye in Idaho's salmon and steelhead rivers

Walleye are spreading at an alarming rate upstream in the Snake and Salmon rivers and now occupy critical rearing and migratory areas of juvenile salmon and steelhead. For the past couple years, Idaho Fish and Game has asked — and continues to ask — anglers to harvest any walleye they catch in Idaho salmon and steelhead rivers and report the location and size of the fish to help Idaho Fish and Game better understand how this species is spreading.  

Anyone who catches a walleye in rivers is asked to kill it, take a photo and contact Idaho Fish and Game biologist Marika Dobos at the Lewiston Regional Office by email at marika.dobos@idfg.idaho.gov, or call 208-750-4228.

In 2023, anglers reported catching 19 walleye in the Snake and Salmon rivers and so far in 2024, we have received over 60 verified reports of walleyes that were caught. The increase is likely due to increasing abundances of walleye and our efforts to reach out to anglers about walleye.

These walleye were caught in Snake River upstream to Hells Canyon Dam and in the Salmon River upstream to Riggins. The size of walleyes reported by anglers ranged from 13 to 30 inches in total length, but most were 16 to 18 inches. Long stretches of these rivers are difficult to access so fishing effort can be low, so we know there are many more walleye out there. 

This increase in walleye abundance is concerning to fisheries manager because an additional non-native predator adds to the list of factors that influence salmon and steelhead survival. Recently, Idaho Fish and Game biologists joined with leaders from several other state, federal and tribal entities to discuss how to manage walleye where salmon and steelhead occur. There are many challenges when considering walleye management strategies, but the goal of this group is to determine how big of a problem these fish are going to be, especially with other predators in the system, and to reduce walleye predation on salmon and steelhead populations where possible. 

One of the best tools we have as managers that could slow the expansion of walleye are anglers. Thousands of anglers fish the Snake and Salmon rivers every year, and if they killed every walleye they caught, it could slow their expansion. Most anglers encounter walleyes while fishing for smallmouth bass with worms, swimbaits and soft plastics. Steelhead anglers have also started reporting catching walleye while backtrolling plugs. These fish are opportunistic fish eaters, so chances are you might encounter them with anything resembling a small fish. Some hot spots are right off sandy beaches, around islands and in back eddies where water is slower. Most have been caught at or near the bottom at varying depths. 

Idaho Fish and Game is extremely selective where it provides walleye fishing, which is currently limited to three locations: Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, Onieda Reservoir and Oakley Reservoir. Idaho Fish and Game asks anglers to kill all walleye they catch outside of those waters and report any of those fish to a regional Fish and Game office. 

— Idaho Fish and Game