Oregon is a great place for fishing as the state faces the North Pacific Ocean to the west. There are many types of fish you can catch in the state, but trout is one of the most abundant. The Beaver State is known for its rainbow, cutthroat, and bull trout species. Today, I will show you the best spots where you can find and catch them.
1. McKenzie River
The McKenzie River starts in the Cascade Mountains and spans 85 miles. The river crosses alpine forests, and it provides you with fantastic scenery of the countryside. Here, flyfishing is the preferred method for catching trout.
Here are the other types of fish you can catch:
- Cutthroat trout
- Chinook salmon
- Bull trout
Some of the best flies that I recommend are pheasant tails and Klinkhammer. You can also use olive woolly bugger and copper johns if you like.
The best time to fish is in the spring and summer. However, these are also busy periods, so expect to see many anglers. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for stocking the fish. They do this with thousands of rainbow trout every year.
2. Lower Deschutes River
This river is at the heart of the state, and the river is easily accessible. It is only two hours away from the beautiful city of Portland. By the way, this river is designated as Blue Ribbon, which means you can expect high-quality fish here.
Here are some of the fish species you can find:
- Steelhead
- Redband trout
- Native rainbow trout
- Mountain whitefish
- Bull trout
The best time to come here is during summer, and you can plan your trips as late as July. The best baits that I recommend are chernobyls, copper john, and pheasant tail.
3. East Lake
What makes East Lake a pleasant place to fish is that you can wade here. You can also fish by boat if you want. There are shallow flats, which means it is a great trout fishing spot for those who want sight fishing.
Here are some types of fish you can catch:
- Rainbow trout
- Brown trout
- Atlantic salmon
- Kokanee
- Brook trout
The East Lake is deep, but you can ask a guide to take you to shallow areas. You can fish at the boat ramp and fish at the East Lake Campground.
Wade fishing is ideal if you do it in the shallow areas where the fish is visible. You will see the trout, and you can cast our line just in front of the fish.
The best flies that I can recommend are streamers and black bunny leech. The trout here also love callibaetis and chironomid. Both of these insects hatch in the lake and are the main food source of the fish.
4. Rogue River
Rogue River is serene and calm, as opposed to its name. It is located in southwest Oregon, and it is a popular fishing destination for trout, salmon, and steelhead. Sometimes, the river rises during and after heavy rainfall, so make sure you consult with a guide before going here.
Here are the types of fish you can catch:
- Steelhead
- Rainbow trout
- Chinook
Sadly, there are no brown trout or brook trout in this river. Do not come to the river during the rainy season, as you are not likely to have a good catch. The best time to do dry fly fishing is between May and June.
5. North Umpqua River
North Umpqua is not known for its trout but for the abundance of steelhead. Nevertheless, there are trout species you can catch here. The steelhead, however, can surprise you as it can weigh up to eight pounds.
Here are the species you can catch:
- Brook trout
- Rainbow trout
- Brown trout
- Steelhead
- Chinook salmon
There is a stretch of 33 miles where you can do fly fishing. If you ever catch fish here, you can only keep fish that came from stock. A stockfish has a clipped fin. The fin of a naturally spawned fish is intact.
The gear and tackle you bring really depend on the type of fish you want to lure. Most people who come here target the steelhead, so you should not have a lot of competition if trout is your main goal. Consequentially, most of the anglers here also want to go to the deep parts of the river while you will stay in the fly fishing stretch to get the trout.
6. Crooked River
The Crooker River is a tributary that feeds water to the Deschutes River. If you fish here, I would say you must avoid the upper stretch as it is not teeming with fish. However, the entire river is ten miles long, so plenty of opportunities exist.
Here are the types of fish you can catch:
- Chinook salmon
- Redband trout
- Steelhead trout
- Pacific lamprey
- Bull trout
The best spot is the stretch beneath the Bowman Dam. Here, you can find many fish species because the dam releases cold water into the basalt canyon. It is here where you can catch red band trout. Some of the baits that I recommend are nymphs, particularly baetis, bedheads, prince nymphs, and Griffith’s gnats.
As a well-known fishing spot, you can expect that many people will come here to test their skills. And because of the dam, the trout here are not stocked; they are natural. Some of them grow to unbelievable sizes. One thing I like about this river is that the fish is not particularly difficult to catch—they are eager and always active.
Summary
Oregon is one of the best places to fish in the United States. The area receives an average of 200 inches of rain per year, and the government support fishing by stocking the rivers and lakes with trout.
Because of the rain, the rivers and lakes are teeming with life. As such, it is not only trout that you can catch here but also salmon and steelhead. Chinook is also a popular choice, and in some areas, you can also catch largemouth bass.