Sometimes the best fishing trips are the ones that barely qualify as a plan.
This year, our Free Fishing Days run through Washington, Idaho, and Montana was mostly a crapshoot. We had a rough idea, a few places in mind, and one real goal: keep it cheap.
Free Fishing Days gave us the excuse to get out, camp when we could, and put some time on the water without turning the whole thing into an expensive production.
It was not perfect. The weather had opinions. The fish were not always impressed. But by the end of it, we had bass in Washington, a couple days on Fernan in Idaho, and a great Montana camping trip on Noxon Reservoir with walleye and plenty of smallmouth action.
That is a win in my book.
Washington: Davis Lake near Spokane
Washington started at Davis Lake near Spokane, and the best way to describe that day is simple: cold, windy, and stubborn.
We headed out that Saturday with the kind of optimism anglers seem to carry even when the weather forecast is waving a red flag. The wind was pushing around 25 mph, and the cold made everything feel a little more like a chore than a relaxing day on the water.
But we stuck to our guns.
That is part of fishing. Sometimes you get the calm morning, the perfect bite, and the kind of day that makes you want to stay out forever. Other times, the highlight is getting packed up and knowing you survived it.
Davis gave us a couple bass, so it was not a total loss. It was just one of those days where the fish were not enough to make the weather feel friendly. Still, catching anything in cold wind feels earned.
Best moment of the day: getting packed up.
Worst moment: everything before that involving 25 mph wind.
Idaho: Camping at Fernan
Idaho was a much better reset.
For Idaho Free Fishing Day, we spent two days camping near Fernan Lake on private property. The weather was still a little iffy, but compared to Davis Lake, it felt like we had moved from punishment to vacation.
Fernan was exactly the kind of place that makes free fishing days worth planning around. It is close, familiar, and easy to enjoy even when the weather is not perfect. We found lots of largemouth bass and a few smallmouth mixed in, which kept things interesting and gave the trip some much needed momentum.
There is something about camping near the water that makes the fishing feel less urgent. You are not racing the clock the same way. You can fish, take a break, eat something, wander back down, and try again.
That is probably what I enjoyed most about Fernan. It was not just about catching fish. It was about being there.
The bass helped, though.
Montana: Noxon Reservoir Made the Trip
Montana was the one part we actually planned better, and it paid off.
We camped at Marten Creek Campground on Noxon Reservoir, and it ended up being the highlight of the whole free fishing run. The campground had a nice site, plenty of amenities, and a boat ramp right there, which makes everything easier when you are trying to fish and camp without complicating the trip.
Noxon itself was a blast.
We spent time in the biggest bay on the reservoir and found a few walleye along with plenty of dink smallmouths. The smallmouth action was not full of giants, but it was steady enough to stay fun. Sometimes that is exactly what you want, especially on a camping trip where the whole point is to relax, fish, and enjoy the place.
The walleye were the bonus.
After Washington gave us cold wind and Idaho gave us a good local campout, Montana felt like the reward. Free camping, free fishing, a boat ramp, nice scenery, and enough fish to keep us busy.
That is hard to beat.
Keeping It Cheap Was the Whole Point
The best part of this trip was that it did not have to be fancy.
Free Fishing Days are a great reminder that getting outside does not always need to be expensive or overplanned. We did not need a perfect schedule. We did not need perfect weather. We did not even need perfect fishing.
We just needed enough of a plan to get moving.
Washington was rough but memorable. Idaho was comfortable and fun. Montana was the clear winner. Put all three together, and it turned into the kind of Northwest fishing trip that makes you want to start looking at next year’s free fishing calendar.
Not every trip needs to be a trophy trip.
Sometimes a couple bass, a windy lake, a private camp spot, a few walleye, and a pile of dink smallmouths are more than enough.
And when the fishing is free, the camping is free, and the memories are still coming home with you, that is a pretty good deal.
