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Idaho Fish and Game

Fish Hatchery
Henry's Lake
Before you go

The Henrys Lake facility is located in southeast Idaho near the town of Island Park. The facility can be reached by driving 45 miles north of Ashton, Idaho on highway 20 until you reach the junction with Highway 87. Drive 3.5 miles northwest on Highway 87, and the facility will be visible on the left side of the road on the banks of Henrys Lake. A visitor parking lot is available with room for 10-15 vehicles. The phone number to the facility is (208) 558-7202.

Related Location

3850 Hwy 87
Island Park, ID 83729
United States

Location Facts

The Henrys Lake facility is an egg taking station only. Fish are available for viewing March and April only. Spawn taking activities usually take place twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Watching these spawn taking operations is also a popular activity and visitors are encouraged.

Location Things to Know

Egg production goals currently are to take approximately 3 million green Yellowstone cutthroat eggs and approximately 800,000 green hybrid eggs to yield 1.7 million eyed Yellowstone cutthroat eggs and 350,000 eyed hybrid eggs. Using Henrys Lake cutthroat females and fertilizing the eggs with Rainbow milt from our Hayspur facility produces the hybrid eggs. The newly fertilized hybrid eggs are then pressure shocked to produce sterile fish. Sterile hybrids are planted in Henrys to prevent dilution of the Yellowstone cutthroat genetics.

In the fall, the Mackay facility releases 1.3 million Yellowstone cutthroat fingerlings and 200,000 sterile hybrid fingerlings back into Henrys Lake. The Ashton facility raises and releases an additional 100,000 sterile brook trout into Henry's Lake.

Additional duties of the Henrys Lake staff includes monitoring fish populations in the lake and conducting fry trapping on the tributaries to monitor natural reproduction and maintaining and monitoring fish screens that prevent fish from being lost to irrigation ditches.

Access Information

Visitors to the Henrys Lake facility are welcome. There is a public restroom and an interpretive center on site. After the spawning season, we do not have fish but the public is still welcome to fish or picnic.

Tours of the facility are gladly given during the spawning season. Please call ahead for large groups. The staff will be happy to set up a personal tour of the facility.