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Jamie Powell

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Jamie Powell
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Jamie Powell

FAQ: Pilot Relocation of Wild Rainbows

Q: What does “relocation” mean? A: Relocation means carefully moving wild trout from one part of our watershed to another under IDFG oversight. It is not hatchery stocking — these are wild fish from the same original lineage as the Henry’s Fork rainbows. Q: What are the benefits of this approach? A: The possibility for an immediate bump in angling opportunity, and high transport survival, based on past efforts (~98%). Q: Why are you doing this? A: To test whether relocation could be one more tool in our adaptive science toolbox. It’s a pilot experiment designed to learn, not a long-term policy. Q: How will you measure success? A: Monitoring survival rates, contribution to the population, and overall acceptance. Results will be transparent and guide future decisions.   View the joint press release from IDFG and HFF here.

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Jamie Powell

Pilot Relocation of Wild Rainbows Demonstrates Adaptive Science to Strengthen the Henry’s Fork Fishery

In a first-of-its-kind adaptive science effort for the Henry’s Fork, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and Henry’s Fork Foundation (HFF) are launching a pilot project this October to evaluate whether small-scale relocation of wild Rainbow Trout can strengthen long-term fishery resilience. On the South Fork, a small number of Rainbow Trout are being relocated as part of IDFG efforts to suppress Rainbow Trout abundance by 30% to benefit native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout conservation. Approximately 400 of these wild Rainbows will be transferred under IDFG supervision as one experimental component of a broader, data-driven management strategy. The relocation will take place in mid-October. These are not hatchery fish, but wild trout that will be carefully marked to support long-term monitoring and help estimate their contribution to the population during routine assessments, including the spring 2026 Box Canyon population survey. “This is an opportunity to provide a win-win management action for both the South Fork and Henrys Fork fisheries,” said Brett High IDFG Regional Fisheries Manager. “IDFG was already planning on moving these valuable wild Rainbows from the South Fork Snake River to a different location that could be improved with the addition of more trout. The section of

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