Fishing in the high lakes of Oregon

[Ironbar]

Hey all, I'm starting to get into backpack hiking, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with trout fishing in Oregon's high lakes.

I'll be headed to the Jefferson Park wilderness area next month and thought it might be cool to bring some tackle if there was any possibility of catching some fresh trout for dinner. There are quite a few lakes up there, and I know ODFW does some stocking in some high lakes, but their website is woefully out of date. Last info I could find was from 2017.

Thanks!

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[Mikej]

Man, I wish I could help you. One thing for sure, DEET. Plenty of DEET. There's also deer flies, or something similar that bites. I presume Oregon still has a no limit thing on brook trout. Way in the past when I'd play out there some, a stream/creek doesn't need to be very big to hold small 6" brook trout. They eat real good.

Here's a place I wanted to go but never did.
Shellrock and Hideaway Lakes Hike - Hiking in Portland, Oregon and Washington

 

[chukar]

No info on your specific area but I did a hike into the eight lakes basin, South of where you are heading and fishing was good.

Take DEET or alternatives as mentioned before.

You can always call the local ODFW office to that area for an update on stocking.

 

[Ironbar]

Affirmative on the Deet. Did a hike to Hanks Lake on the south side of Jefferson a couple years ago and Deet was a life saver. I think I walked out of that hike with only a couple bites.

 

[BoringCruffler]

Pamelia Lake is fun and is stocked with Rainbows a couple times per year but I've never taken one bigger than about fourteen inches there. Hunts Creek is packed with little Cutthroat that are a blast to catch and release.

You probably already know, but I wanted to throw out a reminder that the bastiches have made most of Jefferson Park into a 'limited access area'. You need to get your reservations in early (It may already be too late for this summer), and pay the extra tax to access and use 'your public land'.

 

[bbbass]

NE OR lakes aren't worth the trouble.

 

[BillyJean]

Don't have into on that specific area but I do a lot of backpacking and fish along the way. My Tenkara rod is light, simple, and keeps my pack weight down. Worth looking into if you haven't yet.

 

[Meridian7750]

NE OR lakes aren't worth the trouble.

And...
These are not the 'droids you're looking for.

Classic attempts at mis-direction.

 

[bbbass]

And...
These are not the 'droids you're looking for.

Classic attempts at mis-direction.

Movie quote???

 

[Siglvr]

One year the limit at Pamelia was 45 fish per person and folks were limiting out. Couple years later there's almost no fish there. So it might or might not be a good place to fish. Regardless, have fun!

 

[Meridian7750]

Movie quote???

Yeah, from Star Wars.
I'm not a fan of the movies, but it's one of those quotes that has woven its way into our cultural slang.

 

[bbbass]

Yeah, from Star Wars.
I'm not a fan of the movies, but it's one of those quotes that has woven its way into our cultural slang.

Ah. I thought maybe it was from I, Robot. I'm not a Star Wars guy. I liked the first one, but after that... nah. I'm also not a trend follower, so cultural slang takes forever to reach me.

Thanx for the explanation!

 

[DirectDrive]

Hey all, I'm starting to get into backpack hiking, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with trout fishing in Oregon's high lakes.

I'll be headed to the Jefferson Park wilderness area next month and thought it might be cool to bring some tackle if there was any possibility of catching some fresh trout for dinner. There are quite a few lakes up there, and I know ODFW does some stocking in some high lakes, but their website is woefully out of date. Last info I could find was from 2017.

Thanks!

Best advice I can give you is to get yourself a copy of "Fishing in Oregon" , find your area/lakes and map out your hike.
It used to be called "Henning's Guide".
When I hiked/fished the High Lakes it was my bible....very comprehensive guide to about every lake and stream in Oregon.

ETA:
Find a lake that has no developed trail.
Then you are making it happen.

 

[Capin JRo]

Pamellia lake is a great option although it is limited access. One of my favorite lakes is Santiam lake not much foot traffic there and lots a places to put up camp. I thin each one of the major lakes up there have there own personally.

 

[Lead Ball]

I haven't fished much there but have in the eight lakes area mainly Ann and Merion lakes but if you can make a trip to the Eagle Cap Wilderness area specifically East Eagle creek and Crater lake the other Crater lake that's over 7 thousand feet elevation that will be a great trip we hunted that area for Mulley and Elk during archery back in 75 thru 79 the hunting and fishing were the best ever

 

[jbett98]

Google map check the area you're interested in, as there's been some recent wildfires in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area and they have denuded some of the forests.

 

[Mikej]

Best advice I can give you is to get yourself a copy of "Fishing in Oregon" , find your area/lakes and map out your hike.
It used to be called "Henning's Guide".
When I hiked/fished the High Lakes it was my bible....very comprehensive guide to about every lake and stream in Oregon.

ETA:
Find a lake that has no developed trail.
Then you are making it happen.

Man, that Fishing in Oregon book was a waste of money when I bought into it when I first moved to potland. All those lakes and all the fish the book lied was in them. Well, maybe a few of the fish were there that the book said were there. Use the book to point to the lakes, don't trust that the fish they say there are actually there. If a person want's to effectively fish mountain lakes be sure the lake you're going to has access to deeper water. A good many of those lakes are very shallow along the edges, and out quite a ways.

 

[DirectDrive]

Man, that Fishing in Oregon book was a waste of money when I bought into it when I first moved to potland. All those lakes and all the fish the book lied was in them. Well, maybe a few of the fish were there that the book said were there. Use the book to point to the lakes, don't trust that the fish they say there are actually there. If a person want's to effectively fish mountain lakes be sure the lake you're going to has access to deeper water. A good many of those lakes are very shallow along the edges, and out quite a ways.

Apparently, I caught them all before you got there.
Easy-to-catch Cutthroat and Brook Trout....those guys were hungry after the long winter.
Sorry.



DD
Who started his "High Lakes Campaign" in 1975

 

[Mikej]

Apparently, I caught them all before you got there.
Easy-to-catch Cutthroat and Brook Trout....those guys were hungry after the long winter.
Sorry.



DD
Who started his "High Lakes Campaign" in 1975

I must have gone to the wrong lakes then! Or maybe I didn't know what I was doing? I came from a place, and traveled, where pretty much any moving or still water had fish. Northern Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. I thought all the small high lakes of Oregon, Cascades, were pretty sterile. The problem now is, I think, are any moving water is pretty much closed, or fly and lure only, and you can't keep anything to eat. Too many people will cause that.

If @Ironbar gets out there and get's to fish, pictures would be a great thing to see. Fish, or not. I miss those days of fishing high lakes in the Uinta Mountains.

 

[slimmer13]

Hey all, I'm starting to get into backpack hiking, and I was wondering if anyone has any experience with trout fishing in Oregon's high lakes.

I'll be headed to the Jefferson Park wilderness area next month and thought it might be cool to bring some tackle if there was any possibility of catching some fresh trout for dinner. There are quite a few lakes up there, and I know ODFW does some stocking in some high lakes, but their website is woefully out of date. Last info I could find was from 2017.

Thanks!

For backpacking I never want to mess with worms getting skanky in my pack so I've had good luck with a little red jig and a little powerbait. Spinners too but less so.