Idaho Fish and Game: Walleye found in Lake Lowell and Lake Cascade

BOISE, Idaho —

Walleye fish have been positioned in Lake Lowell and Lake Cascade, in response to Idaho Fish and Recreation (IDFG).  

IDFG mentioned the fish is nonnative, will be harmful to different fish species, and are solely allowed in very restricted places throughout Idaho. 

Final week, IDFG acquired a report of an angler who caught a walleye in Lake Lowell in mid-Might. The angler was fishing for bass on the Caldwell Dam when he landed a 17” walleye, in response to IDFG. It’s the first-ever report of a walleye being positioned in Lake Lowell and comes after two different walleye had been present in Southwest Idaho. 

The angler threw the fish again, however took pictures prior. After studying a latest press launch about walleye being caught in Lake Cascade, the angler known as and reported his latest catch, in response to IDFG. 

“We’re positively involved with this report,” mentioned Artwork Butts, Regional Fisheries Supervisor. “Lake Lowell is among the higher largemouth bass fisheries within the state, and it produces some high quality bluegill as properly. All through the West, there are quite a few examples of launched walleye negatively impacting established panfish and largemouth bass fisheries, so that is one thing we shall be monitoring intently.” 

IDFG asks that anglers report any surprising walleye catches. Anglers who catch walleye in places the place they aren’t speculated to be are requested to kill, take away and report their catch to a regional workplace. 

IDFG mentioned anglers can preserve the fillets, however are requested to avoid wasting the carcasses and convey them to a regional workplace, or notify division employees and organize for a decide up. 

“We’re significantly curious about these carcasses if anglers catch a walleye in Lake Cascade or Lake Lowell,” Butts mentioned. “However as a result of we don’t have any established walleye fisheries in your entire Southwest Area – and these fish should not be current right here – we’d additionally like walleye carcasses if anglers occur to catch one in one other waterbody.” 

Lake Lowell feeds into a number of canals, which might doubtlessly present walleyes passage to different fisheries, together with the Snake River or Boise River, in response to IDFG. 

“Whereas we didn’t see any walleye throughout our electrofishing surveys earlier within the spring, we shall be doing a little further sampling within the subsequent couple weeks to try to get a deal with on the potential abundance of walleye in Lake Lowell,” Butts mentioned. 

IDFG employees might also have the ability to decide from which physique of water a walleye originated and decide whether or not the fish naturally migrated, or had been illegally transported by an irresponsible angler. 

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