Urban Fishing and Angler Recruitment in Idaho’s Treasure Valley

Authors: J. Lance Hebdon and Jeff C. Dillon

Southwest Idaho’s Treasure Valley includes the Boise, Meridian, and Nampa metropolitan areas and several other smaller communities.  Within this geographic area are over 500,000 residents, about 35% of the entire state population.  The Boise River flows through Boise and through or near several other communities, and despite substantial habitat and flow alterations the river provides an important fishery for both wild and hatchery trout and transplanted steelhead trout.  Within the Treasure Valley is also a complex of 15 small ponds managed as public fisheries, many of which are associated with city parks or other recreational facilities.  These waters support more intensive angling pressure per acre than any other fisheries in the state.  We describe the fishery management programs associated with these waters, and compare angler demographics with more rural or remote fisheries.  We discuss the role of local communities in maintaining or developing new urban fishing opportunities, and offer general observations on economic impacts of these fisheries.  Finally, we discuss the role of the Treasure Valley urban fishing program in angler recruitment and education