Silver Creek proposal

Fish and Game is proposing changing Silver Creek to allow anglers to harvest six brown trout of any size and require catch-and-release fishing for all rainbow trout.

The agency is also proposing to eliminate boat restrictions on Silver Creek that currently limit anglers to float tubes. Any boats would now be allowed, but motors would still be restricted.

"It's outdated and difficult to enforce," said Doug Megargle, fisheries manager for the Magic Valley region.

Silver Creek is one of Idaho's most famous streams, and it attracts anglers, mostly fly fishermen, from all over the country.

Megargle said some might consider the proposals radical, but he wants to gauge what people think.

"I'd be surprised if I got overwhelming support," he said. "I've got my flak jacket on, so let's see what happens."

Megargle said there are both biological and social reasons for the proposals.

The creek has four different sections with four sets of regulations ranging from general fishing rules on the lower end of the creek to fly fishing and catch-and-release only at the Nature Conservancy property.

There's often confusion over the different regulations, he said, and changing the rules would ease that.

There's also been a gradual change in the ratios of fish populations, with brown trout increasing and rainbows decreasing. Megargle said recent surveys of the stream showed up to 82 percent brown trout in some sections.

But he said the proposal is not intended to eradicate brown trout from Silver Creek.

"I don't think we could ever get rid of the browns," he said.

Reducing their population would likely cause a corresponding increase in rainbow trout, but Megargle said he doubts there would be a dramatic increase in brown trout harvest.

"I can't see people walking out of the Nature Conservancy with stringers of trout," he said.

In the meantime, people can call any regional office to give their opinions on proposed rule changes.

For the Magic Valley, call Doug Megargle or Robert Ryan at (208) 324-4359.

idfginfo@idfg.idaho.gov   ATTN: Doug Megargle or Robert Ryan