Idaho Fishing

The first edition contained more than 200 pages of fishing information about Idaho’s rivers, stream, lakes and reservoirs and took two years to compile. It was written for everyone from worm dunkers to fly casters, beginners to veterans, for winter and summer.

The second editions contains the same, though updated, type of information, plus three additional chapters and new backcountry fly-in fishing information. With approximately 260 pages, the new chapters cover Native Lands, high mountain lakes and a thorough, albeit brief, section on fishing Yellowstone National Park.

In the Native Lands chapter, Evancho shows that Fort Hall and the Duck Valley reservations have some of the finest fishing around and that the Nez Perce and Coeur d’Alene tribes manage their fisheries with great pride and care. Each of the reservations has specific regulations of which angler’s should be aware.

High-mountain lakes are an important part of Idaho’s fishing heritage, but not a lot has been written about them. Fly-in (backcountry/wilderness) fishing can be as dangerous as it is fun. Because of the influx of new pilots working the backcountry, many inexperienced pilots are going where experienced pilots fear to go. This chapter goes on to explain some of the common sense aspects of backcountry flying as well as the water that is available. The section is also a prelude to Evancho’s next book, Idaho High Mountain Lakes, to be published in the spring of 2005

And because a small portion of Yellowstone National Park is in Idaho, a brief overview of the park is included as well as comments on several of its better-known waters.

The book covers the significant bodies of water in Idaho where fish can be caught—more than 600, according to Evancho. It also tells you where, for an assortment of reasons, no fish will be found. "That," the author said, "is to keep you from wasting good fishing time."

Several sections of the book are dedicated to the selection of proper gear, tackle and equipment of all kinds. The most popular and seasonal fly patterns are also listed. The book provides an in-depth look at Idaho’s top ten fishing spots, which includes Henry’s Fork and South Fork of the Snake, Silver Creek, Middle Fork of the Salmon and Kelly Creek and more.

The rest of the easy-to-use book is a guide to fishing sites. It’s divided into eleven sections made up of the state’s seven major drainage regions. Each section includes a brief description of the region’s features and reference points. Each map shows waterways, cities, towns, interstate highways and state highways leading to fishing areas. Global positioning coordinates are also included for some mountain lakes.

Sub-drainages within each region are detailed with specific information on the rivers, creeks, tributaries, reservoirs, lakes, ponds and puddles in terms of fish limits and whether they are stocked, natural or wild. Also included is information about lodging, campsites, vehicle access, boat access, ADA access and foot trails.

Former Magic Valley Regional Manager Chuck Warren had high praise for the first edition. He said it was "user friendly for all types of anglers which is nice to see considering the diversity of waters and anglers we have in Idaho. I plan on keeping it on hand in my office to help me answer some of the many questions we get concerning waters around the state."

This second edition is more comprehensive and with four new chapters and an expansion on the species section, it will compliment the first edition nicely. The maps have been refined but still work best with topo maps, and the GPS coordinates allow for more precise traveling in backcountry areas.

Work has started on a website that will include season fishing reports and links to several other Idaho fishing sites.

The beauty of FISHING IDAHO is that even if you don’t fish, it’ still a great book for guiding you through marvelous places where fish are found. Idaho native, Wayne Walker—former All-American linebacker at the University of Idaho and All-Pro linebacker for the Detroit lions—wrote the book’s introduction and summed up the possibilities nicely: