Down riggers, lead-core line, fish finders, and knowledge are needed to fish Crescent Lake effectively. Kokanee fishermen often jig in the middle of defined schools, but trolling is also very effective. Knowing the correct depth and getting there is necessary once summer gets under way, as kokanee can be found as deep as 95 feet. Kokanee can be found throughout the lake, but Simax beach, near the summer homes, and the mouth to Summit Creek have heavier concentrations of these fish. Bait angling with eggs and worms off the north shoreline can also produce.
Mackinaw trout are the second most populous fish in Crescent Lake, second only to the kokanee.
Crescent Lake is being managed as a trophy mackinaw fishery, and it is paying off. The shoal area near the summer homes, Rainbow Point, and Contorta Point all produce well. But as the waters warm, you will have to go deep, very deep. A depth of 60-180 feet may be what it takes, and a fish finder and downrigger will give you a fighting chance. Fishing underneath schools of kokanee is a crafty way to catch these predators because the mackinaw feed on kokanee and whitefish.