“Getting to yes” on spearfishing in Idaho

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Recreational divers and anglers are already taking advantage of the new opportunity, including Dennis Haussler, a seasoned spearfisherman in the Panhandle Region who played an instrumental role in working with the Commission.

"When I moved up here five years ago, I figured my freediving and spearfishing would be set aside," Haussler said. "But this has opened the door to what I really love to do."

Haussler now regularly dives Lake Pend Oreille, targeting walleye, lake trout and northern pike-species Fish and Game manages for reduced abundance in order to protect kokanee, rainbow trout, bull trout and cutthroat trout populations.

On the process itself, Haussler added:

"No place I've ever been has anything like this ever happened before. Never," he said.