Fishing in the high lakes of Oregon

[thorborg]

Teto Lake: Mt Jefferson Wilderness
I prefer to come n from the top, instead of Marion lake.
My experience was in the 70's and 80's and all the fish you could eat, perfect back pack pan size. Bring plenty of Ghee.
Dont know about today, but back then, no trail to it from the main trail by it, had to find by map and compass.

 

[jbett98]

Luhr Jensen's smallest (#60 I think) Hot Shot frog lures are by far the best casting lures for high lakes.

Use some pinch lead about 12" in front of the lure and cast out near an inlet or outlet of the lake if there is one, otherwise head for side that's downwind, as the native bugs will be blown that way.

 

[FullMetalJerk]

I'd give some recommendations but they're top secret.

Too bad.

 

[slimmer13]

I'd give some recommendations but they're top secret.

Too bad.

Honestly in those high lakes, you could probably throw out a gun wrapper and do ok.

 

[FullMetalJerk]

.

 

[FullMetalJerk]

Honestly in those high lakes, you could probably throw out a gun wrapper and do ok.

Not if you want good sized fish.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Elk Lake, Devils Lake, Pamilia Lake, Blue Lake, Lost Lake, ALL have tons of fish, but they tend to be kind of picky this time of year, PowerBait, corn, Colored marsmellows, LurJenson (K-5?) Orange/Tiger Stripe, or Watermelon Flat Fish cast out hard and far, and retrieve as slow as you can! Smallest wiggle warts you can find also work! Panther Martin spinners are also a great lure! Bring plenty of egg weights and and split shot, and lots of #10 through #16 trebble hooks as well as size 4 and 6 Single hooks and you will do fine!

 

[bbbass]

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

Fishing in the high lakes of the Eagle Cap Wilderness sucks, and E. Eagle, main Eagle, and West Eagle have only Bull Trout and the places to camp are few and far between, and the roads are always washed out. Not worth the effort. Westside lakes are sooooo much better!!!

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.

When backpacking, I always kept my gear to the minimalist standard. A few size 0 Mepps Aglia or Roostertail, but mainly a small casting bobber or two, and a 35mm film canister full of homemade/handtied simple flies.

 

[Otter]

In all my years in Oregon I've never heard of anyone going to Jefferson Park to fish. That might not mean anything of course, but I don't think those lakes hold many fish. Pamela and Marion Lakes though can be hot fishing lakes but they are not in Jeff Park. Duffy Lake is another good one, but that is farther south and might be part of the Eight Lakes area.

I never had much luck fishing from shore either. We always took a raft. Fishing a worm dragged across the bottom was always a sure way to catch some nice brook trout. Powerbait is generally for freshly planted hatchery trout and I never found it to work in the high lakes.

 

[Ironbar]

In all my years in Oregon I've never heard of anyone going to Jefferson Park to fish. That might not mean anything of course, but I don't think those lakes hold many fish. Pamela and Marion Lakes though can be hot fishing lakes but they are not in Jeff Park. Duffy Lake is another good one, but that is farther south and might be part of the Eight Lakes area.

I never had much luck fishing from shore either. We always took a raft. Fishing a worm dragged across the bottom was always a sure way to catch some nice brook trout. Powerbait is generally for freshly planted hatchery trout and I never found it to work in the high lakes.

OK, duly noted! My last big hike was through Pamelia Lake to Hanks Lake. That was THE hardest hike I have ever done anywhere. Seven-ish brutal miles!

 

[entaras]

I've never fished anything there specifically, but in those high lakes I like a light line and spinners or flies. Last summer in the Eagle Caps I caught dinner on Rooster Tails, and plenty more fish on a few small brown flies. I'm not a fly fisherman, but an old guy I ran in to bank fishing at Hagg had given me a few and told me to fish them on a long 4# leader below a clear bobber. I never bothered until I was up at Mirror lake not catching anything, watching all those damn redbands jumping all around me. Switched to the flies with a slow retrieve and I was on to something almost every cast. Good luck.