White Sturgeon in Idaho
Idaho rules and water for white sturgeon.
- release onlybag
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The Gem State and its White Sturgeon
Across the Idaho region tables, white sturgeon may be caught but never kept. The IDFG Panhandle Region block words it as "Fishing for sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal; Sturgeon caught incidentally must be released immediately".
3 lake and river pages list it as an IDFG pick; try C. J. Strike Reservoir, Swan Falls Reservoir and Salmon River. 36 stocking rows sit in the Planner tables; the last one is from September 21, 2026. It sits on the USFWS list as endangered. Its Latin label, per IDFG, is Acipenser transmontanus.
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| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | Fishing for sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal; Sturgeon caught incidentally must be released immediately |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| IDFG Southwest Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| IDFG Southeast Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
| IDFG Salmon Region | Sturgeon – catch-and-release; Sturgeon must not be removed from the water and must be released upon landing; Barbless hooks, sliding swivel device to secure a weight, and a lighter test line to secure weight to sliding swivel device are required. See fishing regulations for details |
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 White Sturgeon plants in the Planner
| Water | Release as printed |
|---|---|
| Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir | White Sturgeon, 55 fish, Adults, September 21, 2026 |
| Lake Walcott | White Sturgeon, 40 fish, Catchable (15-19 inches), June 3, 2026 |
| Snake River (Bonneville County, 398 acres) | White Sturgeon, 63 fish, Catchable (15-19 inches), June 3, 2026 |
| Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir | White Sturgeon, 65 fish, Catchable (15-19 inches), April 15, 2026 |
| Brownlee Reservoir | White Sturgeon, 24 fish, Adults, October 27, 2025 |
| Snake River (Bonneville County, 398 acres) | White Sturgeon, 87 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), June 10, 2025 |
| Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir | White Sturgeon, 115 fish, Sub-Catchable (6-8 inches), April 14, 2025 |
| Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir | White Sturgeon, 116 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), March 18, 2024 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 3 fish, Adults, November 18, 2022 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 4 fish, Adults, November 14, 2022 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 2 fish, Adults, November 9, 2022 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 2 fish, Adults, November 8, 2022 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 2 fish, Adults, October 25, 2022 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 237 fish, Adults, May 20, 2020 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 8 fish, Adults, October 1, 2019 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 250 fish, Adults, June 7, 2018 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 100 fish, Adults, November 3, 2017 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 125 fish, Adults, October 18, 2017 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 47 fish, Adults, June 29, 2017 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 215 fish, Adults, April 21, 2016 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 339 fish, Adults, November 13, 2015 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 77 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), November 13, 2015 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 333 fish, Adults, November 12, 2015 |
| Snake River | White Sturgeon, 72 fish, Adults, July 14, 2015 |
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 white sturgeon
Lakes and reservoirs for white sturgeon
- C. J. Strike Reservoir6,760 acres
- Swan Falls Reservoir470 acres
Rivers and creeks for white sturgeon
- Salmon RiverBlaine County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Idaho waters with a rule naming white sturgeon
- C. J. Strike ReservoirIDFG Southwest Region (Nampa subregion)
- Kootenai RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
Rule blocks printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.
Benchland and bank around White Sturgeon, seen through a lens
Photo: Sidpatchy, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bureau of Reclamation, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
white sturgeon in Idaho: questions anglers raise
Is there a daily cap on white sturgeon in Idaho?
No; IDFG wording: "Fishing for sturgeon in the Kootenai River is illegal; Sturgeon caught incidentally must be released immediately".
Is there a new Idaho record white sturgeon?
Not in the 2026 releases read here; IDFG keeps the full list.
Which Idaho waters does IDFG recommend for white sturgeon?
IDFG picks it on 3 pages, C. J. Strike Reservoir, Swan Falls Reservoir and Salmon River among them.
Do Idaho hatcheries release white sturgeon?
36 rows; the newest went to Lower Salmon Falls Reservoir, September 21, 2026.
Is the white sturgeon rule the same on every Idaho water?
On 2 waters, including C. J. Strike Reservoir.
Is white sturgeon threatened or endangered?
Yes: USFWS lists it as endangered (U.S.A. (ID, MT), Canada (B.C.), Kootenai R. system).
Which permit goes with white sturgeon 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 white sturgeon record certified?
IDFG certifies them; released fish count by total length, kept fish by weight on a certified scale.
Pick Idaho water for white sturgeon
Every listed water carries its own rule summary.