Idaho anglers who catch walleye outside three approved reservoirs are getting blunt direction from state fisheries managers: Keep them, kill them, and eat them.
Idaho Fish and Game says that walleye are a poor fit for most of the state’s waters. The agency manages walleye fishing in only three places: Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, Oneida Reservoir, and Oakley Reservoir. Outside those waters, biologists are asking anglers to harvest every walleye they catch and to never move the fish between bodies of water.
Moving walleye is illegal in Idaho. Fish and Game says it can also damage existing fisheries, especially where walleye compete with or prey on fish species Idaho anglers already value.
Editor’s note: If I had to choose one fish to eat for the rest of my life, walleye would be it. EAT THAT FISH. — RS
Why Idaho Doesn’t Want More Walleye
Walleye are popular fish in plenty of places. They’re good to eat, they’re fun to catch, and they can support strong fisheries in the right waters. Idaho Fish and Game’s concern is that many Idaho waters are not the right waters.
Walleye are native to large Midwestern lakes with abundant baitfish, including minnows, shiners, and other forage. Fish and Game says most Idaho waters don’t have that same forage base. When walleye don’t have enough baitfish, they turn to other game fish. That can put pressure on trout, kokanee, salmon, steelhead, and native fish.
The agency said that the problem is already showing up in two of the three Idaho reservoirs where walleye are managed. Walleye are plentiful in those waters, but many of them are small and skinny because there isn’t enough prey available for them to grow larger.
That creates a tough management problem. Once walleye become established, they can be difficult to bring back into balance. They’re effective predators, they spawn well, and a crowded population can be hard to reduce.
“We will continue to try to improve these few reservoirs where we manage for walleye,” State Fisheries Manager Joe Kozfkay said. “But if someone wants a glimpse into the future where an illegally stocked walleye population gets established, this is most likely what it will look like.”
The Salmon and Steelhead Problem
Fish and Game’s bigger concern is what walleye could mean for Idaho’s salmon and steelhead waters. The agency said walleye have long been present in the Columbia River and are moving upstream into the Snake, Clearwater, and Salmon rivers. Monitoring at Lower Granite Dam near Lewiston has shown more walleye passing through the dam each year.
Walleye have also been caught as far upstream as Riggins. That puts another predator in the path of juvenile salmon and steelhead.
“Salmon and steelhead did not evolve with these nonnative predators, and salmon and steelhead can be especially vulnerable to predation,” Fish and Game anadromous fish biologist Marika Dobos said. “As walleye expand their range and abundance in Idaho’s rivers, more hungry mouths will be eating salmon, steelhead and other native species, particularly the young fish that are trying to grow large enough to go to the ocean.”
In 2025, Fish and Game asked anglers who catch walleye in the Lower Snake, Clearwater, and Salmon rivers to kill the fish, take a photo, and report the catch to the agency. Biologists use those reports to track where walleye are showing up, how often anglers are catching them, and the size of the fish anglers remove.
What Anglers Should Do
Fish and Game’s message is simple. If you catch a walleye outside Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir, Oneida Reservoir, or Oakley Reservoir, don’t release it.
Keep it. Kill it. Eat it.
Anglers should also report anyone moving walleye between waters. Fish and Game says illegal stocking rarely helps anglers and can create long-term problems for existing fisheries.
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