Earlier this year Fish and Game made an incredibly short sight regulation change that changed the long running catch and release season below American Falls. The new regulations allowed bait during a time when water conditions leave trout extremely vulnerable and easily accessed. This change has already had an extremely detrimental effect on both quality and quantities of trout in the river section below the dam. We fear that if this bait season is allowed to continue this fishery known for producing some of the best trout fishing in the state will be lost. 

Through the course of this season we have caught many trout with severe hooking injuries, many with cut off bait hook leaders protruding from their mouths. 

We ask that the commission look first at the heath of this fishery and revert the regulations back to the long standing bait ban during catch and release season. We understand that enforcement of this regulation was difficult in the past, but lack of enforcement should never be the reason to change a season in such a way that the fishery is damaged.