Rainbow trout excellent at Haystack Reservoir

Published 5:00 am Thursday, May 28, 2009

Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Central Zone

BIG LAVA LAKE: Anglers are having fair to good success and the bite should continue to improve as the water temperatures warm. Big Lava is a great place to catch nice rainbow trout ranging from 12 to 20 inches in length.

CRANE PRAIRIE RESERVOIR: Anglers are having some degree of success catching nice rainbow trout along with a few brook trout. Crane provides great opportunity for top-of-the-line brook trout and anglers are strongly encouraged to try their hand at angling for them. Fish brook trout at dawn and dusk. Small spinners or spoons are often quite effective as are both wet and dry flies. Worms also work well. Anglers after the big brook trout should cast their fly, lure or bait close to cover such as submerged logs or undercut banks. Once you hook your brook trout head for open water as they’re notorious for tangling your line around logs and rocks. Please note new angling regulation specifying the daily trout bag may only include one non-fin-clipped rainbow trout per day. Crane is a great place to catch larger rainbow trout, though the novice angler will require patience.

CLEAR LAKE: Snow is preventing access.

CRESCENT LAKE: Anglers continue to have good success catching kokanee, lake trout and brown trout.

CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: Anglers continue to catch redband trout and mountain whitefish, however they are encouraged to check flows before making a trip. Consistent flows generally result in better fishing. Anglers are reminded to exercise caution when wading on the slick rocks of the Crooked River and wading in areas, marked by signs indicating redband spawning habitat is discouraged through May.

CULTUS LAKE: No angler reports though the fishing should be good for lake trout.

DAVIS LAKE: No recent angler reports. Remember Davis is a fly angling lake only.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Mouth to Warm Springs): The Deschutes River Canyon is full of flowering balsamroot, lupine and hungry trout. Late April and May is often considered the best time of the year to catch trout on big dry flies. Fly anglers should look for caddis hatches during most days and large stone flies in the warm afternoons. Typically, golden stoneflies tend to primarily hatch below Maupin with salmonflies above Maupin. The salmonfly hatch is nearing its peak in the Maupin area, and should continue to work upstream. The highest concentration of trout and whitefish are from around Maupin upstream to the reservation boundary.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Lake Billy Chinook to Benham Falls): No recent reports. The flows are now well-suited for fishing. This reach of the Deschutes provides good spring angling opportunity for brown trout and redband trout.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Benham Falls to Wickiup Reservoir): No reports from the past weekend.

DESCHUTES RIVER (Wickiup Reservoir to Crane Prairie Reservoir): No reports from the past weekend.

Crane Prairie Reservoir to Little Lava Lake: Anglers were abundant on this reach over the Memorial Day weekend. Angler success was fair.

EAST LAKE: Reports of good success and some fair success. The rainbows appear to be a little thin from the long winter and hopefully will fill out as the water warms. Weekend water temperatures ranged from 37 degrees Fahrenheit to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

ELK LAKE: Elk Lake is not yet accessible.

FALL RIVER: Recent reports from a couple of experienced angler types indicate that the angling has been slow fair with a few nice fish being caught. Despite the warmer temperatures and increased insect hatches it appears that nymphing is still the most productive method for catching fish. River water temperatures are generally in the 38- to 40-degree Fahrenheit range. This is a popular spring fishery for fly-fishers.

FROG LAKE: Snow is continuing to prevent access.

HAYSTACK RESERVOIR: Rainbow trout fishing has been excellent from the shore and boats. Large fish have been active in the recent weeks with reports of 10lb rainbows being caught.

HOSMER LAKE: No angler reports.

KINGSLEY RESERVOIR: Kingsley has been recently stocked and should offer good opportunity for legal and trophy-sized trout.

LAKE BILLY CHINOOK: Fishing in Billy Chinook remains consistent with catches similar to previous years. Angling opportunities appear to be best in the Deschutes and Crooked River arms. Kokanee bag limit is five fish per day, included in the trout daily bag limit. Anglers should consult 2009 Sport Fishing Regulations for new angling regulations on Lake Billy Chinook.

LAURANCE LAKE RESERVOIR: Laurance Lake has been recently stocked and should offer good opportunity for legal and trophy-sized trout. Anglers have reported excellent early season success.

LITTLE LAVA LAKE: Anglers indicated the bite was a little slow over the weekend.

METOLIUS RIVER: Some recent reports of fair success. The warmer temperatures continue to make for good hatches. The green drakes are showing up and should make for some good action over the next couple of weeks. The reach of river from Allingham Bridge upstream to the Metolius headspring is now open.

NORTH TWIN: Fishing is reported to be fair. Good beaches, good wind protection and good numbers of stocked rainbow trout are North Twin positives.

OCHOCO CREEK UPSTREAM TO OCHOCO DAM: Bait fishing is not allowed. Artificial flies and lures only, and regulations allow no more than two trout per day with only one trout greater than 20 inches and no trout under eight inches. Opportunities are good for native redband trout.

OCHOCO RESERVOIR: Fishing improves at the head of the reservoir as spring runoff increases. Anglers have reported catches of large fish and fishing is expected to improve with weather.

ODELL LAKE: Friday, May 22 on Odell saw phenomenal kokanee fishing. Saturday followed with very good fishing. Sunday came and the fish decided to take the day off until late morning when the bite came back strong. The summation: The fishing at Odell can be fast and furious one minute and slower than molasses the next, but if one is patient ultimately they’ll catch some nice kokanee. The lake trout bite is still fair and anglers have also seen success for rainbow trout. Please note that all bull trout must be released unharmed.

PAULINA LAKE: The lake is now accessible with anglers reporting some success for brown trout and rainbow trout and limited success for kokanee.

PINE HOLLOW RESERVOIR: Pine Hollow has been recently stocked and should provide good opportunity to catch various sizes of trout, including some large trout.

PRINEVILLE RESERVOIR: Anglers have reported good catches of rainbow trout and smallmouth bass fishing from the shore of Prineville Reservoir. Anglers should note an error in the 2009 fishing regulations for Prineville Reservoir (p. 63). The CORRECT regulation is: largemouth and smallmouth bass, 15 in. MAXIMUM length, only one of which may be a largemouth.

ROCK CREEK RESERVOIR: Rock Creek has been recently stocked with trout and should provide good opportunity to catch a limit of trout.

SOUTH TWIN: South Twin anglers are reporting fair catches of rainbow trout. South Twin provides plenty of opportunity for rainbow trout, great wind protected shoreline and good beach-like shoreline for the kids to run around on when they’re tired of catching fish. A great family lake.

SUTTLE LAKE: No angler reports, though the lake should provide good opportunity for anglers interested in chasing kokanee or brown trout.

TAYLOR LAKE: Taylor Lake has been recently stocked with trout and should provide good opportunity to catch a fat trout. Taylor Lake is also a great spot to catch carp with flies, look for carp in the shallows as water temperatures warm with spring temperatures.

WALTON LAKE: No recent reports. Gate to campground is locked, anglers must walk ¼ mile to the reservoir. Spring temperatures are likely to make ice unsafe; use extreme caution if checking ice conditions.

WICKIUP RESERVOIR: Anglers are having success catching brown trout and limited numbers of kokanee. The kokanee are in great condition with a few fish ranging up to 16 inches in length. Anglers are encouraged to work the shallows for browns and rainbow during the early morning hours and hours just before dusk.