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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3][black]I made another post similar to this on the Utah board but I came up with a few more questions. I also thought some of you might not see the other questions before it was buried on the Utah board. I already have an opinion about all of the questions but would like to see what some of you think.[/black][/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]Is it legal to use salmon eggs at Henry’s Lake or Island Park Reservoir?[/size][/black][/font][size 3][black]
[font "Times New Roman"]If it is legal to use salmon eggs is it legal to use store bought (dead) minnows at Henry's Lake or Island Park Reservoir?[/font][/black][/size]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]If it is illegal to use salmon eggs (or minnows) at Henry's Lake or Island Park Reservoir can the warden give you a ticket for having salmon eggs (or store bought minnows) in your tackle box or boat?[/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]I know that minnows can be large portion of the diet for some fish in Island Park Reservoir but from what I have seen and heard minnows aren't a significant food source for fish at Henry's. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]What do some of you think about minnows being a significant food source at Henry's? [/size][/black][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]Do certain species (like brook trout) eat more minnows than other species (like hybrids)? [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]How are the chubs in Henry's doing? [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]I have never caught one or know anyone personally that has caught one out of Henry's. I know the F&G are still pulling a few up in the gill nets but not in large enough numbers to cause concern. [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]Do you think chubs are a serious problem for Henry's? [/size][/black][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][black][size 3]I don't think they will hurt the trout fishing at Henry's unless something changes at the lake that allows chubs to be more adaptable than the trout.[/size][/black][/font]
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It is legal to use salmon eggs on both Henrys Lake and Island Park Reservoir.
It is illegal to use minnows of any kind in either Henrys or IP, or to have them in your possession above Mesa Falls on the Henrys Fork.
Minnows are not a significant source of food on Henrys Lake. There are a lot of dace and shiners in the lake, but they are only about 3% of the food for the trout there. The major source of food are scuds and then other nymphs. Brook trout will utilize minnows more so than other species, but not that much - too much other food without using effort.
The chubs are alive and well at Henrys Lake. There are times that we see them, but they now have been located throughout the whole lake. When the water starts warming - late July and early August they are caught during the moring around Staley Springs. Also in the fall they are caught around the Cliffs. They are not a serious problem at Henrys right now, but could be in the future.
The trout population on Henrys Lake is down, but I think that it is drought related rather than chub related. In the 1990's about 75% of the trout in Henrys came from natural spawn - now it is estimated at under 10% because of lack of water in the tribs during the late summer and fall.
Hope this helps.
Bill
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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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Hi BrianID,
Very good discussion post. Lots of good questions. Made me do a fast check through my current regulations. Seems like you and Bill have it pretty well nailed down with your responses. I have to admit that I was unaware of the regulation as far as it applying to Henry's Lake and Island Park Reservoir. It appears to be placed in the regulations at a spot where someone fishing on the North Fork (Henrys Fork) would see it and could readily understand the regulation for the river. However, it is very vague as too its application to fishing either of the two stillwaters mentioned.
BSFLIES, do you know of incidents where anglers have been ticketed for abuse of this regulation at Henrys Lake? It almost seems like the regulation is misleading and certainly could be challenged by someone willing to do so who had been ticketed for fishing for example with dead minnows.
I personally do not use minnows, dead or alive, as bait at Henrys. Maybe Fish & Game could post a clarification or otherwise place the regulation in the rules where it would be easily noticed by those many anglers who come to Henrys and Island Park every year just to fish the lakes and don't spend any time on the river.
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OldJigHead,
Welcome to BFT and the Idaho Board.
Are you the guest that posted under the "Warm Weather Ice Conditons" thread? Here's a link if you can find the thread. [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=173588;guest=7967625"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=173588;guest=7967625[/url]
Either way we hope you stick around and swap info with the rest of us.
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OldJigHead,
I also sent you a PM (personal message)
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BrianID,
I did read through that particular conversation, but, I was not the guest attempting to sign in/register. I did not have any problems at all getting registered for the forums. Actually I wish I did have the time to get up to Islamd Park!
Yes, I did receive your private message and have responded in kind.
Thanks
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oldjighead,
Good to see your logged in. I don't think Island Park is normally the best place to chatch numbers of fish through the ice but the average size of fish is usually larger than other places. The average size of fish being caught out of there this winter seems to be several inches larger than years past but the ice fishing for me there on friday was the slowest action that I have had up there in several winters. It could have also just been my location or just been a bad cycle to fish. We only fished for about 3 hours so we could have easily missed a good feeding period.
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I am going to cross my fingers for some time right after the first of the year to make a trip up to Isalnd Park. I wouldn't mind getting into some bigger fish. Its always nice to get out on the ice anyway.
Looking forward to getting on Ririe also.
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In years past there have been some anglers ticketed for fishing with minnows on Henrys Lake, but I have not heard of any lately. The fish there are really keyed into insects rather than bait. I understand that the fish near the dam on Island Park Res. are full of minnows and they feed on them during the winter a lot.
For ice fishing on Island Park the very best fishing is usually from 7 to 9 a.m. and then between noon and 2 p.m. will be another bite. I have not had great success between 9 and noon either in the summer or winter. It is quite odd.
Bill
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Thanks for the info bsflies.
If those guys that were ticket for fishing with minnows several years ago were using live chub minnows I think they got off too easy if they were just given a small ticket.
I've done well at Island Pard all hous of the day. The early moring is normally best but I've had some good afternoons and evenings as well.
I don't keep many of the fish that I catch in IP reservoir but have found minnows in the stomachs of fish from all over the lake. From what I've noticed the fish on the west end have more insects and the ones on the east end of the reservoir tend to have more minnows and crawfish. Some of the fish that I have caught off the docks at Bills Island during the summer are full of crawfish. Did any of you guys that keep fish by the dam this winter find crawfish in there stomachs? What size of minnows have you been finding in there stomachs? If you could tell, what species of minnows were in there stomachs?
I'm sure there are a few crawfish in Henry's but I don't think I have ever found one in the stomach of a fish. Have any of you ever found a crawfish in the stomach of a fish that you caught at Henry's?
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