12-15-2004, 09:14 PM
Thanks for the insight bsflies. I would have to agree with you that salmon eggs are ok and minnows aren't but I think there is a lot of gray area with what bait is legal at Henry's and Island Park Reservoir. I've asked a couple different F&G guys about this and they have told me basically what bsflies said. In the Upper Snake River exceptions part of the regs, nothing is listed about minnows being illegal at Island Park Reservoir or Henry's Lake. You have to read the "fine print" to find it.
There use to be a small note at the beginning of the Upper Snake River Exception page but it was removed when the last set of regs was printed. For a few months last spring I thought they had done away with this rule until I noticed it listed as a small side note next to exceptions of the Henry's Fork. I don't know how they expect anglers that haven't fished the Island Park area much to notice this. The rule reads.
"No person shall take, have in possession, trap, seine, or use any live or dead fish or fish parts for bait while fishing in any waters of the North (Henry's) Fork of the Snake River drainage upstream from Lower Mesa Falls."
Salmon eggs and fish scents made from fish oils are technically "fish parts" but I don't think a warden would give you a ticket for using them or having them in your possession (boat or tackle box).
If that isn't confusing enough Island Park Res is listed as a "family fishing water". The "family fishing waters" are supposed to simplify the regulations but I don't think that is the case for Island Park Reservoir. Since it is a family fishing water it isn't suppose to have any special regulations and "standard fishing gear" is allowed there. Minnows are arguably "standard fishing gear" so if a warden did write you a ticket you could probably weasel your way out of it. Live minnows are a different story and I'm sure if the F&G caught someone using them the perpetrator would get more than just a regular ticket.
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There use to be a small note at the beginning of the Upper Snake River Exception page but it was removed when the last set of regs was printed. For a few months last spring I thought they had done away with this rule until I noticed it listed as a small side note next to exceptions of the Henry's Fork. I don't know how they expect anglers that haven't fished the Island Park area much to notice this. The rule reads.
"No person shall take, have in possession, trap, seine, or use any live or dead fish or fish parts for bait while fishing in any waters of the North (Henry's) Fork of the Snake River drainage upstream from Lower Mesa Falls."
Salmon eggs and fish scents made from fish oils are technically "fish parts" but I don't think a warden would give you a ticket for using them or having them in your possession (boat or tackle box).
If that isn't confusing enough Island Park Res is listed as a "family fishing water". The "family fishing waters" are supposed to simplify the regulations but I don't think that is the case for Island Park Reservoir. Since it is a family fishing water it isn't suppose to have any special regulations and "standard fishing gear" is allowed there. Minnows are arguably "standard fishing gear" so if a warden did write you a ticket you could probably weasel your way out of it. Live minnows are a different story and I'm sure if the F&G caught someone using them the perpetrator would get more than just a regular ticket.
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