Hunting, Fishing and Shooting

Fishing

From the Wild and Scenic St. Joe River to Pend Oreille - Idaho's largest lake, to small, family-friendly lakes like Robinson Lake, there are fishing opportunities to suit everyone.

Most of the developed campgrounds are located adjacent to fishable streams and lakes and many trails lead to high mountain lakes. So, pack your fishing gear the next time you visit.

Be sure to check with Idaho Fish and Game for information about licenses and regulations before tossing a line into the water.

Lake and Pond Fishing

North Idaho is probably best known for its three large lakes: Priest, Pend Oreille, and Coeur d'Alene.

Each lake is capable of producing large fish. The world record rainbow trout (37 pounds) was caught in Lake Pend Oreille. Even bigger fish have been caught in the other two lakes. The state record northern pike (40.76 pounds) came from Hayden Lake and landlocked chinook salmon (42 pounds) came from Lake Coeur d'Alene. A lake trout exceeding 57 pounds was caught in Priest Lake.

Many other smaller lakes like Bonner, Round, Chase, Robinson, Smith, Brush, Kelso, Antelope and Twin provide additional opportunities for anglers.

There are numerous mountain lakes stocked with brook trout and rainbow trout.

River and Stream Fishing

If you prefer wading and casting, North Idaho also has one of the premier blue-ribbon trout streams in North America: the St Joe River.

Fly-fishing for westslope cutthroat in the catch-and-release section of this river has few equals. Hatches of mayflies during the summer brings the surface alive with the dimples of rising fish.

Although the St. Joe is the best-known cutthroat trout stream on the IPNF, fishing can often be just as good in sections of the North Fork Coeur d'Alene River and the Little North Fork of the Clearwater.

Fishing in the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene continues to improve as watershed restoration improves the quality of the stream.

In contrast, fishing in the Little North Fork of the Clearwater has always been good --- mainly because few people are willing to make the hike down to the inaccessible portions of this river.

Ice Fishing

When smaller lakes and sheltered bays of larger lakes in northern Idaho freeze over one will find people out on the ice with rod and reel. Brush, Robinson, and Smith lakes in the Lower Kootenai River area (Bonners Ferry Ranger District) of the IPNF are popular spots.

Hunting

Idaho has some of the best and most varied hunting in the west and Forest Service recreation sites often serve as hunting base camps or access points.

In the Idaho panhandle you'll find opportunities to hunt big game such as elk, deer, and moose. There are seasons for bear and mountain lions as well. You will also find a variety of upland game, turkeys, and waterfowl. Check with Idaho Fish and Game for seasons, regulations, licenses, and tags.

Shooting

Target shooting is allowed on national forest or grassland unless restricted. Check your local ranger district for more information about local restrictions. In general, it is prohibited to shoot:

In or within 150 yards from a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation area or occupied area.
Across or on a national forest or grassland road or body of water.
In any manner or place where any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge.
Into or within a cave.
Firing tracer bullets or incendiary ammunition.
Disturbing, injuring, destroying, or in any way damaging any prehistoric, historic, or archaeological resource, structure, site, artifact, property.
Abandoning any personal property or failing to dispose of all garbage, including targets, paper, cans, bottles, appliances.

In general, you should target shoot only if you:

Use approved targets. Exploding targets are never allowed on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests due to safety and fire concerns.
Use a "bullet-proof" backstop. Do not to attach your targets to vegetation or structures, such as trees, log decks, slash piles, fences, or water tanks.
Practice safe gun handling by:
- Treating every gun as if it is loaded.
- Never letting the muzzle of a firearm point at anything you do not intend to shoot.
- Keeping your finger off of the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are ready to shoot.
- Making sure of your target and what is beyond.
Are not in possession of alcoholic beverages while discharging a firearm.

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