The drought that has been plaguing East Idaho for several months has pushed Twin Lakes Canal Company to drain Winder Reservoir in Franklin County for irrigation, prompting Idaho Fish and Game to issue a salvage order allowing anglers to catch and keep fish from the reservoir without the usual limits.

The order takes effect Friday and runs through Oct. 31.

Water levels at the reservoir are dropping quickly, and Fish and Game anticipates it will be fully drained by Sept. 4. As the water recedes, conditions in the reservoir will become unsuitable for fish to survive. Rather than let those fish go to waste, Fish and Game issued the salvage order so anglers can harvest them while the reservoir is still accessible.

Under the order, anglers can use any fishing method aside from firearms, explosives, chemicals or electric current. The usual caps on bag size, possession limits and the number of rods an angler can use are all suspended for the duration of the order, giving anglers more flexibility than standard regulations typically allow.

A valid Idaho fishing license is still required to fish the reservoir during the salvage period. Any fish caught under the order must be kept — live fish cannot be transported away from the reservoir.

Boaters should also note that, per Twin Lakes Canal Company rules, no motorized watercraft are allowed on Winder Reservoir. Anyone bringing a canoe, kayak or other floatation device to the reservoir must have it inspected for aquatic invasive species beforehand and be prepared to show proof of that inspection.

Fish and Game officials say the goal of the salvage order is to give the public a chance to make use of fish that would otherwise die once water levels drop too low to sustain them. Salvage orders like this one are typically issued when a waterbody is drained for reasons outside Fish and Game's control, such as irrigation needs, and are meant to prevent fish populations from going to waste.

Anglers with questions about the order can contact the Southeast Region Fish and Game office in Pocatello at 208-232-4703.