Idaho Encourages Residents To Go Frigging This Weekend

BOISE, ID — Fishing for bullfrogs? Is that a thing? According to Regional Wildlife Biologist Brandon Flack, it most certainly is! With nothing more than a fishing license, basic fishing gear and a good bullfrog spot, one could be frigging for bullfrogs in no time.

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Check out the article (link here) recently published on the Idaho Fish and Game website to learn more about how to fish for them and how to take them from pole to plate.

Brandon Flack, a frigging pro, shows you all you need to know from where to find bullfrogs to how to cook them in two videos recently posted on the Fish and Game YouTube channel.

Bullfrogs live, grow and reproduce in the warm, shallow and calm waters often found in wetlands, small ponds and sloughs. Such habitats are scattered across the landscape of the Panhandle Region, and many of them are known to hold plenty of bullfrogs.

Regional Wildlife Diversity Biologist Casey McCormack said “There is a good chance bullfrogs will be in most warm, shallow bodies of water in the valleys of northern Idaho.”

If you’re interested in giving frigging a try, check out some of the spots recommended by Fish and Game regional biologists in the Panhandle. This is not an exhaustive list, but it should get you headed in the right direction.

Boundary-Smith Creek WMA
McArthur Lake WMA
Jewel Lake
Kelso Lake
Benewah Lake
Wetland ponds around the St. Joe River and St. Maries River
Albeni Cove, Oden Bay and Cocollala ponds on Pend Oreille WMA

As an added bonus to having fun and eating well, frigging is a great way to help slow the spread of the American bullfrog. They are not native to Idaho, but they have certainly made their mark. American bullfrogs tend to dominate the habitats where they live, and they often threaten other native frog species by eating their food or actually eating the native frogs. There is no limit on the number of bullfrogs you can harvest, so bring a bucket and fill it with bullfrogs!

Bullfrogs are easy to identify by sight and sound, but if you get confused, here is a helpful pamphlet to assist with identifying native frog species.

If you’re looking for ideas for your next frigging excursion, don’t hesitate to contact the Panhandle Regional office at (208) 769-1414.

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