Channel Catfish in Idaho
Idaho rules and water for channel catfish.
- no limitbag
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The Gem State and its Channel Catfish
The 2025-2027 Idaho tables leave channel catfish without a numeric limit. The IDFG Panhandle Region block words it as "No bag, length, or possession limit".
34 lake and river pages list it as an IDFG pick; try Brownlee Reservoir, Lake Lowell and C. J. Strike Reservoir. 78 stocking rows sit in the Planner tables; the last one is from August 25, 2026.
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| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | No bag, length, or possession limit |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
| IDFG Southwest Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Southeast Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | No bag, length or possession limit |
| IDFG Salmon Region | No bag, length, or possession limits |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
Recent Channel Catfish plants in the Planner
| Water | Release as printed |
|---|---|
| Rose Lake | Channel Catfish, 1,530 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 25, 2026 |
| Cocolalla Lake | Channel Catfish, 2,380 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Fernan Lake | Channel Catfish, 1,530 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Hauser Lake | Channel Catfish, 2,805 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Jim Moore Pond | Channel Catfish, 900 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Milner Lake | Channel Catfish, 9,509 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Rexburg City Ponds | Channel Catfish, 300 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), August 12, 2026 |
| Black Canyon Reservoir | Channel Catfish, 1,380 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Jewel Lake | Channel Catfish, 175 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Lake Lowell | Channel Catfish, 4,972 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Mann Lake | Channel Catfish, 1,000 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Murtaugh Lake | Channel Catfish, 3,003 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Smith Lake | Channel Catfish, 158 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Tolo Lake | Channel Catfish, 600 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Winchester Lake | Channel Catfish, 1,000 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), August 11, 2026 |
| Milner Lake | Channel Catfish, 20,302 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 24, 2025 |
| Jewel Lake | Channel Catfish, 175 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 23, 2025 |
| Jim Moore Pond | Channel Catfish, 900 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 23, 2025 |
| Rexburg City Ponds | Channel Catfish, 300 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 23, 2025 |
| Smith Lake | Channel Catfish, 150 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 23, 2025 |
| Black Canyon Reservoir | Channel Catfish, 1,080 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 22, 2025 |
| Cocolalla Lake | Channel Catfish, 4,163 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 22, 2025 |
| Dog Creek Reservoir | Channel Catfish, 1,530 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 22, 2025 |
| Fernan Lake | Channel Catfish, 1,480 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), July 22, 2025 |
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.
Gem State lakes and rivers for channel catfish
Lakes and reservoirs for channel catfish
- Brownlee Reservoir10,995 acres
- Lake Lowell8,826 acres
- C. J. Strike Reservoir6,760 acres
- Milner Lake4,350 acres
- Crane Creek Reservoir2,315 acres
- Hells Canyon Reservoir1,254 acres
- Alexander Reservoir1,012 acres
- Cocolalla Lake804 acres
- Oxbow Reservoir581 acres
- Hauser Lake539 acres
- Carey Lake517 acres
- Swan Falls Reservoir470 acres
- Fernan Lake423 acres
- Oneida Narrows Reservoir421 acres
- Rose Lake371 acres
- Mann Lake136 acres
- Winchester Lake103 acres
- Cove Arm Reservoir76 acres
- Sawyers Pond61 acres
- Dog Creek Reservoir54 acres
- Freeman Lake53 acres
- Jewel Lake47 acres
- Smith Lake36 acres
- Tolo Lake36 acres
Rivers and creeks for channel catfish
- Bear RiverBear Lake County
- Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Malad River (Oneida County)Oneida County
- Payette RiverBoise County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Fish IDFG lists beside channel catfish
- Black CrappiePomoxis nigromaculatus
- Bluegill and SunfishLepomis
- BullheadAmeiurus
- White CrappiePomoxis annularis
- Yellow PerchPerca flavescens
Benchland and bank around Channel Catfish, seen through a lens
Photo: Sidpatchy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: M. Beeton, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: FunGi_ (Trading), CC BY-SA 2.0
channel catfish in Idaho: questions anglers raise
Is there a daily cap on channel catfish in Idaho?
As many as you like; the table reads "No bag, length, or possession limit".
Is there a new Idaho record channel catfish?
Not in the 2026 releases read here; IDFG keeps the full list.
Which Idaho waters does IDFG recommend for channel catfish?
IDFG picks it on 34 pages, Brownlee Reservoir, Lake Lowell and C. J. Strike Reservoir among them.
Do Idaho hatcheries release channel catfish?
78 rows; the newest went to Rose Lake, August 25, 2026.
Is the channel catfish rule the same on every Idaho water?
Rule blocks read here leave it out.
Is channel catfish threatened or endangered?
No; it is not on the federal list IDFG cites.
Which permit goes with channel catfish in Idaho?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
How is an Idaho channel catfish record certified?
IDFG certifies them; released fish count by total length, kept fish by weight on a certified scale.
Pick Idaho water for channel catfish
Every listed water carries its own rule summary.