Northwest Fishing Reports

My wife and I went out to fish Fernan Lake yesterday for an hour. It was kind of wet and cold and the fishing was slow, I only saw two other fish on the dock in the first place. I started out with Berkley Gulp trout bait with no luck. Right as i was about to leave I casted a Roostertail and caught a little 8" rainbow.

Daniel

Where's Fernan lake?

Its in Idaho, next to Lake Coeur' D Alene. If you drive the 90 intersate to Coeur' D Alene, youll see it on your left hand side, just as your leaving the city.
Daniel

I've always wanted to fish Fernan. I hear it's a good bet for crappies in the summer suspended over brush piles. I have fished Benewah Lake for crappies and done fairly well fishing next to the RXR pilings.

Mike,
Benewah Lake is at the far south end of Coeur d' Alene Lake, which is actually called Lake Chatcolet. It's where St. Joe River dumps into the lake system. Good fishing for crappie, bass and huge northerns.

For Crappies Ive found that Hayden Lake back at the Sportsmans park is a better bet than Fernan, plus the fish are a better quality fish. I hooked one that went 2+ lbs last year.

Daniel

Hayden lake does have good crappie fishing in it. With that being said, it is managed as a trophy fishery with a 10"min size limit. We have worked hard at providing appropriate spawning habitat and regulations on this lake. If you fish for these guys please only keep what you can eat that night, not what the limit allows, and throw the lunkers back to reproduce and pass on their genes. With ethics like this this fishery will continue to flourish for many generations. Fernan has a good crappie population but the meat sackers have depleted the size from that lake. Average fish size is 5-6" with maybe a few over 10. When the spawn is on go to the north end, called crappie cove, the bank will be lined the whole way around with guys on buckets keeping every fish they catch, then complain about the lack of size.This is too bad, with a little more self discipline this lake could be a great crappie fishery. Now I wish the weather would cooperate so the warm water fishing would start.

I second what fish4brains said, if you catch a trophy let it go. I let all trophys, and wild trout go, to pass on their genes. And personally I only eat the planted trout. I may be missing out, but the abundance of trophy fish make up for that.
Daniel