FERNAN VILLAGE - Idaho Department of Fish and Game will be out at the Fernan Lake boat launch on Saturday offering free fishing gear, bait and advice to new anglers of any age who are interested in learning how to hook the big ones.

Anyone can come and sign up to fish - at that specific location - for free on Saturday regardless of their age, said Phil Cooper, IDFG's Region 1 wildlife and conservation educator.

Cooper said the "Take Me Fishing" program was launched in earnest last year, and its is designed to help people learn how to fish Idaho's lakes and streams.

"A lot of people don't even know where to start," Cooper said. "Many of them don't know where to go, or they don't have any equipment."

That is what prompted the IDFG to purchase a number of Take Me Fishing trailers to encourage new anglers all over the state. The trailers are stocked with rods, reels, tackle and bait.

Cooper said the staff is also trained to give people advice on how to catch fish, and they will do that, as long as they have the time.

On Saturday, he said, people can just show up, sign up and get fishing. The trailer will be there from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and those who signed up are free to fish all day. IDFG will provide everything necessary to help get them started.

"It is open to anyone, and you don't even need a license as long as you come and sign up with us," he said. "It is free whether you are older than 14 or not."

Cooper said the trailer was at Falls Park in Post Falls last weekend and drew a small crowd of anglers.

"We had a 91-year-old woman come down with her family to fish," he said. "Unfortunately, she didn't catch a fish, but she had great time."

IDFG distributed bookmarks to all of the fifth-grade students in North Idaho this year with details of the program and a calendar of where the trailers will be all summer long.

The calendar can be found online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/trailerSchedulePan.pdf.