Idaho’s bounty and net program slashes lake trout, revives kokanee salmon in Pend Oreille

In 2006 Idaho launched a coordinated suppression campaign against non-native lake trout in Lake Pend Oreille, pairing a $15 bounty for anglers with commercial deep-water netting during spawning runs. Partnerships with Avista Utilities, the United States Geological Survey and local fishing clubs helped remove more than 190,000 trout over ten years, driving adult lake trout numbers down by 64 percent by 2016. The decline in this top predator allowed kokanee salmon to recover dramatically, with hydroacoustic surveys showing densities comparable to the 1970s and a tenfold increase in biomass.

The resurgence of kokanee benefitted rainbow trout growth, larger catches for anglers, and provided more prey for threatened bull trout. After the program’s success, limited kokanee fishing reopened in 2013 and limits were later raised. Ongoing netting and bounty payments remain essential, as models predict trout could rebound quickly if efforts cease, and the strategy is now being applied to other western lakes.