Island Spear Co.

Regulations Idaho

Spearfishing Regulations in Idaho

Checked against the primary source (IDFG) on July 5, 2026state

Governing agency: Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). Last verified July 5, 2026 by independent primary-source check.

Summary

Idaho is a landlocked state with no saltwater, so all spearfishing is freshwater. Spearfishing (taking fish while underwater with a hand- or mechanically-propelled spear) has long been legal for unprotected nongame fish, and only during an open game-fish season on that water. As of July 1, 2025 Idaho added a genuinely new opportunity: the Fish and Game Commission authorized spearfishing for specific invasive GAME fish - Walleye, Northern Pike, Lake Trout, and Bass - but ONLY in an enumerated list of waters, where those fish have no bag, length, or possession limits and harvest is encouraged. Anyone 14 or older needs a standard Idaho fishing license; there is no special spearfishing license.

License

What you need to be legal

LegalA license is required
License
Idaho Fishing License (standard - no separate spearfishing license exists)
Who needs it
Any person 14 years of age or older must buy and carry a valid Idaho fishing license to fish by any method, including spearfishing. Children under 14 do not need a license but must follow all rules and limits. There is no spearfishing-specific permit; a standard fishing license appropriate to your residency covers it. 45
Resident cost
Resident Annual Fishing $30.50 ($25.75 with Price Lock); Resident Daily Fishing $13.50 first day + $6.00 each consecutive day; Resident Junior (14-17) $16.00; Resident 3-Year Fishing $73.75. Figures reflect the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule and may be adjusted; confirm at purchase. 5
Non-resident cost
Nonresident Annual Fishing $108.00; Nonresident Daily Fishing $22.75 first day + $7.00 each consecutive day; Nonresident Junior (14-17) $23.75; Nonresident 3-Year Fishing $291.25. Figures reflect the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule and may be adjusted; confirm at purchase. 5
Where to buy
Online at GoOutdoorsIdaho.com (gofishidaho.org), at IDFG offices and license vendors statewide, via the IDFG mobile app, or by phone at (800) 554-8685. 5

Exemptions

  • Children under 14 years of age (no license required, but all rules and limits still apply) 45
  • Idaho holds an annual Free Fishing Day in June when no license is required statewide (IDFG program; confirm the exact current-year date with IDFG)

The full story

The full story

Idaho is landlocked, so 'spearfishing' here is entirely a freshwater question, and until recently it followed the classic rough-fish pattern: you could spear only unprotected nongame fish, and only on waters that had an open game-fish season. Game fish - trout, bass, walleye, pike and the rest - were strictly for hook-and-line, and had to be hooked in the mouth or jaw. That rule is still the codified baseline in IDAPA 13.01.11.200.

What changed - and it is a genuine change in practice, not just on paper - is that on July 1, 2025 the Idaho Fish and Game Commission activated a new authority to allow spearfishing for specific GAME fish where those fish are unwanted because they conflict with the preferred fishery. The proposal came from the public, went through formal rulemaking, and is now in force. But it is deliberately narrow: it applies ONLY to Walleye, Northern Pike, Lake Trout and Bass, and ONLY in an enumerated list of waters spelled out region-by-region in the IDFG '2025-2027 Spearfishing Season and Rules' addendum. In those waters the state has removed all bag, length and possession limits and openly encourages harvest, because the goal is suppression of invasive predators. Outside that list, spearing a game fish is still illegal. So a diver must check the specific water against the IDFG list before targeting any game fish - Lake Trout, for example, is speakable only in Lake Pend Oreille and Upper Priest Lake, and nowhere else.

On the license question there is no law-vs-practice gap: Idaho genuinely issues and enforces a fishing license for anyone 14 or older, and that same standard license (no separate spearfishing endorsement) is what a spearfisher must carry. The only caution on the numbers is that the dollar figures cited here come from the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule; verify the current-year price at purchase.

One honest gap in sourcing: the idfg.idaho.gov website refused all direct connections from the research environment, so the two IDFG documents (the spearfishing addendum PDF and the June 2025 press release) were read verbatim from Internet Archive snapshots of the official IDFG URLs rather than fetched live. The content is IDFG's own; only the delivery path differed.

Where it's legal

Saltwater & freshwater

Saltwater

Not permitted

Idaho is landlocked and has no marine or saltwater waters, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. All spearfishing occurs in fresh water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams) under IDFG rules.

Freshwater

Legal

Legal, with two distinct tracks. (1) NONGAME: spearfishing has long been permitted for unprotected nongame fish, but only in waters and during the season set for an open game-fish season - you cannot spear nongame fish on a water that is closed to game fishing 34. (2) GAME FISH (new as of July 1, 2025): the Commission authorized spearfishing for specific invasive game fish - Walleye, Northern Pike, Lake Trout, and Bass - only in an enumerated list of waters, each with no bag, length, or possession limit and harvest encouraged 12. Outside those listed waters, spearing a game fish remains illegal; game fish must be hooked in the mouth or jaw 3.

Gear

What you can carry

Speargun
Permitted. Idaho's definition of spearfishing expressly covers a 'mechanically propelled' spear, which includes spearguns, provided the diver is underwater and is taking a legal species in a legal water. 12
Pole spear
Permitted. A 'manually propelled single- or multiple-pronged spear' (hand-thrown or hand-driven pole spear) is within the statutory definition of spearfishing. 12
Hawaiian sling
Permitted by definition. A Hawaiian sling (an elastic-propelled spear) is a mechanically propelled spear used while underwater and falls within Idaho's spearfishing definition. IDFG does not name it separately but does not prohibit it. 12
Spearfishing on SCUBA
Idaho requires the person to be underwater to spearfish, so free diving, snorkeling and SCUBA are all consistent with the rule; IDFG's spearfishing rules do not prohibit SCUBA. Being underwater is precisely what distinguishes legal spearfishing from bowfishing (which is done from the surface). Individual waters or land managers may impose their own diving restrictions. 12

Gear restrictions

  • The spearfisher must be underwater - 'Taking of fish by a person while underwater' - so you may not spear fish while standing, wading at the surface, or from a boat (that would be archery/bowfishing, governed by different rules) 12
  • Firearms are excluded as a method of take (a 'mechanical device, excluding firearms') 34
  • A gaff hook is prohibited except in two narrow cases in the codified rule: while ice fishing in waters with no length restriction or harvest closure for that species, or when landing unprotected fish species taken with archery equipment. The rule's gaff exception names archery equipment, not spear equipment, so a spearfisher should not assume a gaff is authorized 3

Do not spear

Prohibited species

  • Any GAME fish in any water NOT specifically listed in the IDFG 2025-2027 Spearfishing Season and Rules - outside the enumerated waters, spearing game fish is illegal and game fish must be hooked in the mouth or jaw 13
  • Trout (rainbow, cutthroat, brook, brown, etc.), salmon, steelhead and kokanee - these are game fish and are NOT on the spearfishing list; note Lake Trout is speared ONLY in Lake Pend Oreille and Upper Priest Lake, nowhere else 13
  • Bull trout - a protected/threatened species, may not be harvested by any method (general IDFG protection; see s3)4
  • White sturgeon - protected, catch-and-release only, may never be speared or harvested (general IDFG protection; see s4)
  • Any protected nongame species; only UNPROTECTED nongame fish may be speared, and only during an open game-fish season on that water 34

Where you can't

Area restrictions

  • Game-fish spearfishing is limited to the specific enumerated waters by region (Panhandle: Walleye statewide-region, Lake Trout in Lake Pend Oreille and Upper Priest Lake, Northern Pike in Lake Pend Oreille/Clark Fork River/Pend Oreille River/Pack River and tributaries; Clearwater: Bass in all rivers and streams and Walleye region-wide; Southwest: Walleye region-wide and Bass in the Salmon River drainage; Magic Valley: Bass in Magic Reservoir; Southeast: Bass in Blackfoot Reservoir; Upper Snake: Walleye in Ririe Reservoir; Salmon: Bass in all rivers/streams and Walleye region-wide) 12
  • On the Pack River and tributaries, fishing (including spearfishing) is closed 100 yards upstream and downstream of Grouse Creek Falls on Grouse Creek 12
  • Standard water-by-water closures, seasons and special rules in the IDFG Fishing Seasons and Rules apply; you may not spearfish a water that is closed or out of season 34

Worth knowing

Notable rules, seasons & limits

  • You must be underwater to spearfish - this is the legal line between spearfishing and bowfishing (which is done at the surface, often from a boat) 12
  • GAME-FISH spearfishing is brand new (in force July 1, 2025) and exists only in an enumerated list of waters for Walleye, Northern Pike, Lake Trout and Bass; everywhere else, spearing a game fish is illegal 12
  • Where game-fish spearfishing is allowed, the target species (invasive/undesirable there) carry NO bag, length, or possession limits and IDFG actively encourages harvest 12
  • NONGAME spearfishing is permitted only on waters and during seasons set for an open game-fish season - a closed game-fish water is closed to nongame spearing too 34
  • There is no special spearfishing license - a standard Idaho fishing license covers it 45

What divers here typically use

Gear up for Idaho spearfishing

Where spearfishing is allowed in Idaho, this is the core kit divers assemble before their first day in the water. Our honest guide to the Beginner Spearfishing Gear List walks through what to look for — curated from published specs and community consensus, not paid placement.

If you break them

Penalties

Fishing without a required license, or taking a species or using a method not authorized (e.g., spearing a game fish outside a listed water, or spearing on a closed water), violates Idaho fishing rules under Title 36 Idaho Code and IDAPA 13.01.11. Violations are generally misdemeanors punishable by fines, civil penalties, and possible suspension or revocation of fishing/hunting privileges. Specific dollar amounts are set by statute and rule and were not enumerated on the sources consulted.

Not yet independently confirmed — verify directly

  • Exact current-year (2026) license dollar amounts - figures cited reflect the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule shown by IDFG's contracted publisher; the annual amounts may be adjusted and should be reconfirmed at purchase.
  • The exact date of Idaho's annual Free Fishing Day - IDFG runs a statewide license-free fishing day each June, but the precise current-year date was not confirmed from a primary source in this research.
  • Specific penalty/fine dollar amounts for unlawful method or species take (set in Title 36 Idaho Code and IDAPA 13.01.11; not enumerated on the sources consulted).
  • Whether any individual water, state park, or land manager imposes SCUBA-specific or dive-flag restrictions on top of IDFG rules - not addressed in the statewide sources.
  • Statewide SCUBA/compressed-air legality is an inference, not an explicit IDFG statement: IDFG defines spearfishing only as taking fish 'while underwater' and neither names nor prohibits SCUBA. SCUBA satisfies the underwater requirement and nothing in the rules bars it, but IDFG has not affirmatively addressed compressed-air diving for spearfishing.

Confirm these points directly with Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) before you rely on them.

Primary sources

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from these official sources. Each was retrieved on the date shown; regulations can change after that date.

  3. Source 3: OFFICIAL Idaho Administrative Code, IDAPA 13.01.11 'Rules Governing Fish', Section 200 - Fishing Methods and Gear (government primary source, adminrules.idaho.gov). Confirmed verbatim: 'The use of snagging, bow and arrow, crossbow, spear or mechanical device, excluding firearms, is permitted for the taking of unprotected fish, provided there is an open season for game fish'; game fish must become 'hooked in ... its mouth or jaw'; and the gaff-hook exception applies only while ice fishing or 'when landing unprotected fish species taken with archery equipment' (no spear). Linked to the Internet Archive snapshot of the official adminrules.idaho.gov PDF because that host also blocks automated/datacenter access; snapshot returns HTTP 200. Canonical URL: https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/13/130111.pdf. Cornell LII (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/idaho/IDAPA-13.01.11.200) is a secondary aggregator retained only as convenience corroboration.

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://web.archive.org/web/20250530023714/https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/13/130111.pdf

  4. Source 4: Idaho Fishing - Statewide General Rules (IDFG's official contracted digital regulations, eRegulations)

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://www.eregulations.com/idaho/fishing/statewide-general-rules

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is spearfishing legal in Idaho?
Saltwater spearfishing is restricted in Idaho, and it is permitted in fresh water, subject to license, gear, species, and area rules. Idaho is landlocked and has no marine or saltwater waters, so saltwater spearfishing does not exist here. All spearfishing occurs in fresh water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers and…
Do you need a license to spearfish in Idaho?
Yes. Idaho requires the Idaho Fishing License (standard - no separate spearfishing license exists). Resident cost: Resident Annual Fishing $30.50 ($25.75 with Price Lock); Resident Daily Fishing $13.50 first day + $6.00 each consecutive day; Resident Junior (14-17) $16.00; Resident 3-Year Fishing $73.75. Figures reflect the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule and may be adjusted; confirm at purchase. Non-resident cost: Nonresident Annual Fishing $108.00; Nonresident Daily Fishing $22.75 first day + $7.00 each consecutive day; Nonresident Junior (14-17) $23.75; Nonresident 3-Year Fishing $291.25. Figures reflect the official Dec 1, 2024 fee schedule and may be adjusted; confirm at purchase.
Can you spearfish on scuba in Idaho?
Idaho requires the person to be underwater to spearfish, so free diving, snorkeling and SCUBA are all consistent with the rule; IDFG's spearfishing rules do not prohibit SCUBA. Being underwater is precisely what distinguishes legal spearfishing from bowfishing (which is done…
What can't you spear in Idaho?
Protected or no-take species you may not spear in Idaho include: Any GAME fish in any water NOT specifically listed in the IDFG 2025-2027 Spearfishing Season and Rules, Trout, Bull trout, White sturgeon, Any protected nongame species; only UNPROTECTED nongame fish may be speared, and only during an open game-fish season on that water. Always check the full prohibited-species list and current seasons before diving, and confirm with Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG).

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Last verified July 5, 2026. Regulations change — always confirm the current rules with Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) before you dive.

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