Monday March 6, 2023
KTVB —
An effort to increase rainbow and brown trout in the Boise River is underway thanks to volunteers with Boise Valley Fly Fishers and Flood District No. 10.
The two entities are in the midst of enhancing a side channel on the Boise River between Garden City and Eagle as a safe haven where trout can spawn and continue to populate the popular recreation area.
If successful, more channel work on the river could take place to help with the initiative.
“We’re trying to keep the reputation of the Boise River being a Blue Ribbon Fishery and a Blue Ribbon River for the folks that are here,” said Mike Dimmick, district manager for Flood District No. 10.
Already, recent trout fry surveys by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game shows the fish-enhancement work is yielding results, according to a news release from Boise Valley Fly Fishers. Fish and Game found more trout fry in the new dry creek side-channel — about 85 brown and rainbow trout fry — than any other surveyed location in the river.
Other river areas surveyed featured about 20 trout fry in those locations.