VACATIONING

Fishing Recreation

Prineville is a central location for some of the finest fishing Oregon has to offer. There are fishing opportunities in every season so grab your gear and be prepared to make some memories!

Each of these fishing locations is a full-day experience. Walton Lake and the Prineville Reservoir are wonderful family spots for novice anglers, while The Crooked River offers bait and fly fishing opportunities in a basalt rimrock canyon. Anglers who like to troll for their dinner will prefer Prineville Reservoir and Ochoco Reservoir. Experienced fly fishermen will want to try the spring fed, gin-clear Metolius and blue-ribbon Deschutes. Those new to fly fishing will do best on the Crooked River.

Fishing Destinations

All distances are calculated from the Crook County Courthouse.

  1. Ochoco Reservoir - This reservoir is stocked, but there are good size native trout too. Fishing is year-round. When full, the reservoir is 1100 acres. Max depth 100 ft.; average depth 30 ft. Average catch 12-14" with lunkers up to 6 lbs.
    • Access: Hwy. 26 east of Prineville for 7.4 miles.
    • Fish Species: Rainbow trout, brown bullhead catfish, largemouth bass, black crappie. Both stocked trout and native trout.
    • When to Fish: Mid-Feb. to early April best for larger trout. Fingerling trout stocked April, May, and June. Troll April to July. Bass fishing best when water is low and warm. Ice fish Dec.-Feb.
    • Flies: Trout flies, beadheads, and streamers, poppers for bass.
    • Conventional Angler: Use cheese and eggs, medium split shot, 4lb test leader, #14 hook for cheese, #12 hook for eggs. Use cheese, marshmallows, or worms on a 4-6 lb. line with a 16 in. leader and slide sinkers. Troll black or green spotted flatfish, flashers with bright colors, Mepps, or Rooster Tails.
    • Note: Boat launch with single wide dock, fish cleaning station. Fish near the mouth of the Ochoco Creek or the underwater channels. As the water is drawn down for irrigation, fishing is better near the deep water of the dam. Use a motorized boat, row boat, or pontoon boat for the most successful fishing. Watch for afternoon winds.
  2. Walton Lake - This is a beautiful little 18 acre lake surrounded by pine forest. Trout are stocked on a regular basis, some trophy size. Good fishing from a float tube, rowboat, or bank and a wonderful family vacation spot. Average water depth 12 feet.
    • Access: Hwy. 26 east for 14 miles. Take right-hand fork onto Forest Service Road #23. After 8 miles, continue on #22 by taking left-hand fork. Paved road continues to lake and completely around it.
    • Fish Species: Rainbow trout.
    • When to Fish: Early spring is best for larger fish. Rainbows 8-10" stocked each month, April to Aug.
    • Flies: Caddis, ants, midges, gnats, beadheads, zugbugs, streamers, prince.
    • Conventional Angler: Troll with flashers. Use spinners or rooster-tail from the bank. Worms, eggs, and Power Bait work.
    • Note: Overnight camping permitted. No gas motors allowed; only electric motors permitted. Fly fisherman use an intermediate sink line. Slow retrieve.
  3. Crooked River - This scenic byway provides access to 17 miles of river coursing through dramatic canyons. Open to fly fishing year round. Some of the better fish runs are from milepost 13 to 18. There is nothing like fishing in evenings while deer tiptoe down to the river's edge.
    • Access: South on Hwy. 27.
    • Fish Species: Redband trout, whitefish.
    • When to Fish: Fly fish and lures year round. Bait fish late May to end of Oct. Best fishing September to May. Avoid early mornings. Fish until dark.
    • Flies: Caddis, midges, PMD, beadheads, ants, hoppers, chironomids, scuds, BWO. Use eggs when whitefish are spawning. Sometimes a streamer works.
    • Conventional Angler: Power bait, worms, crickets. Spinners such as Mepps, Rooster Tails, and Panther Martins.
    • Note: Fish the banks, riffles, and behind boulders. Rig a floating line; weight nymphs with a small splitshot. Indicators are a must. Fish this river by wading. Use a wading staff as the turbid water hides large boulders and the beds of water plants provide slick footing. This is a good place to learn fly fishing as you can wade into the middle of the river and avoid catching brush with your backcast. Water flow will not knock you off your feet.
  4. Prineville Reservoir - The lake is a popular boating and fishing destination. Jasper Point and Prineville Reservoir State Parks are located here. This high desert reservoir on the Crooked River is stocked with as many as 170,000 rainbow trout annually.
    • Access: To visit take Hwy. 26 East and turn right on Combs Flat Rd. Turn right on Juniper Canyon Rd. and continue for 12 miles. This road becomes SE Parkland Drive.
    • Fish Species: Fish this body of water from a boat for bass, crappie, catfish, and trout.
    • When to Fish: Open for year-round fishing. Best fishing is January through June in the upper end (away from the dam). Crappie are caught in the shallow coves upstream from the resort. Best bullhead fishing is May-June and September. Bullheads are near the dam.
    • Flies: Try streamers and nymphs.
    • Conventional Angler: Use worms, jigs, cheese, eggs, spinners, flashers.
    • Note: Cabins, tent sites, RV hookups, and boat slips are available.
  5. Allen Creek Reservoir - In the NW corner of Big Summit Prairie is a medium-sized lake with a beautiful view of the Ochoco Mountains.
    • Access: Open May 15-September 15. Locked gate 1.5 mi. from the lake the balance of the year. Take Hwy. 26 east, turn right on County Rd. #23, then US Forest Service Rd. #22 past Walton Lake, past Allen Creek Horse Camp, then right on USFS #3010, and right on 3010-019 to reservoir. Total distance 45 miles from downtown.
    • Fish Species: Redband trout and brook trout.
    • When to Fish: May-June
    • Flies: Match the hatch.
    • Conventional Angler: Troll or bank fish. Use spinners, spoons, cheese, eggs, Power Bait, worms.
    • Note: No facilities. Please respect private property and only use BLM land. Use a float tube, boat, or bank fish.
  6. Antelope Flat Reservoir - Located on the south side of the Maury Mountains, this reservoir is a tranquil getaway from busier places.
    • Access: Travel SE on Hwy 380 for 29 mi. Turn right on USFS #17. Continue 11.5 mi., turn left on #1700-600 for .5 mi. Total distance 25 miles from downtown.
    • Fish Species: Rainbow trout. Average 12", some 18".
    • When to Fish: Early spring. Algae blooms in summer interfere with fishing.
    • Flies: Match the hatch. Try caddis and midges.
    • Conventional Angler: Troll with flashers. Use Power Bait, worms, and eggs.
    • Note: There is a boat ramp, but most bank fish. August-November fish Macks Canyon to Sherars Falls. Late September-October fish Sherars Falls to Warm Springs.
    • Steelhead Flies: Purple, black, and orange Teeny Nymphs. Purple Peril, Freight Train, Green Butt Skunk, Articulated Leech, Egg-Sucking Wooly Bugger, Egg-Sucking Leech, Girdle Bug, Beadhead Prince.
    • Conventional Angler: Use spinners and spoons in size 3, 4, and 5, colored silver, nickel, brass, or black. Mepps Aglia, Blue Fox Vibrax, and Rapalas all work. Plugs of blue, purple, green, gold, and silver also work.
    • Note: Hatchery-reared fish have clipped fins. Catch and release all wild steelhead. Successful steelheaders cast 45° downstream and let the line swing across the water. Prime fishing areas have lots of structure (boulders and sunken limbs). Water depth is 2-6 ft. deep and moving at a slow walk. Use a slow retrieve.

Fish Facts

  • Fish eyes cannot adjust to bright light. During the day they will seek deeper, darker areas.
  • Only the 30º directly behind the fish is in a blind spot.
  • Fish can see up to 15' away.
  • Fish can see objects above the water.
  • Fish can see form, size, and color.
  • Fish see well at night, but they lose the ability to see colors.
  • A fish's hearing is more sensitive than a man's.
  • Fish only hear low frequency noises.
  • Fish feel the vibrations and hear noises of motion on the bank.
  • Fish have a keen sense of smell.
  • Frightened fish release an alarm odor in the water.
  • Fish do have lips.
  • Fish do not like the taste of insect repellent.

A Note About Redband Trout

Redband Trout are indigenous to Central Oregon. They spawn in rivers and streams during March, April, and May. Cool, clean water is necessary for the eggs to survive. Fry emerge from the gravel in June and July. Redband live where they were spawned. It takes three years for them to fully mature.

Other Nearby Destinations

The Deschutes River and the Metolius River are not for beginners, but if you came to Oregon to fish, you must try some of our finest waters in spectacular settings.

  1. Metolius River - The Metolius River springs from the base of Black Butte, an ancient, symmetrical volcanic cone 3,000 ft. high. It doesn't start with a trickle, but arises from the ground as a full-blown river. It's said that a sad Indian Mountain Spirit shed a tear and it became this unforgettable river. The Metolius is near the crest of the Cascades, but being on the west side of the slopes, it is in a mossy, wet, ponderosa pine forest. Only 29 mi. in length, the Metolius flows from Black Butte to Lake Billy Chinook. It is a spring fed river, meaning it is fed by underground springs and it is not depleted by irrigation withdrawals. It is therefore always full, always 48°F, with a stable population of plants, insects, and aquatic animals. The river supports herons, otters, deer, osprey, and redband trout. The redband trout is a native trout that is genetically different from other trout. It is greenish with a brilliant slash of reddish purple along its sides. This fish is large in girth, and compact, often described as having "shoulders". The larger fish are 12" to 20".
    • Access: Camp Sherman - Hwy. 126 to Redmond. Continue to the town of Sisters, then NW on Hwy 20. Turn right on USFS #14 following the signs to Camp Sherman.
    • Fish Species: Redband rainbows, brown trout, bull trout (Dolly Varden), whitefish.
    • When to Fish: Year-round. Best season November to March. Fish after 9:30 a.m.
    • Flies:
      • Dry-Dun, PMD, Green Drake, Slow Water Caddis, Sofa Pillow, Adams, Baetis, small Black Gnats and Midges.
      • Nymph-Beadhead Pheasant Tail or Prince, Hare's Ear, Zug Bug.
      • Streamers-Sculpin, Muddler Minnow, White Rabbit Leech.
    • Note: Weight may not be used. If fishing nymphs, rig with a sinkline, sinking mini-tip, or use flies with tungsten body parts. Fish the hatches. Presentation is everything as fish are leader shy. Fishing from the bank is the rule. No boats or tubes. Fly fish only with barbless hooks from Bridge 99 upstream to the walk-in campgrounds. The road ends at Bridge 99. Hike or bike to fish north of this point. A fish hatchery is located at Wizard Falls.
  2. Middle Deschutes River - This is the stretch of the Deschutes River from Pelton Dam/Lake Simtustus north of Madras to Sherars Falls north of Maupin.
    • Access:
      • Warm Springs Boat Ramp-Hwy. 26 to bridge that crosses the Deschutes River, 14 miles north of Madras. Parking and ramp is .25 mi. south of the bridge. Walk-in access is good along the highway. Fish for 1 mile upstream of the ramp. Locally known as "Portland Corner".
      • Warm Springs Boat Ramp-Float to Trout Creek or South Junction. Use a drift boat or pontoon boat.
      • Mecca Flat-Hwy. 26 north to Warm Springs Bridge. Take the dirt road at the east end of the bridge between the market and Deschutes Trailer Park. There are three forks; the third one goes to Mecca Flat. Travel north to camp and day use area. High clearance vehicle recommended.
      • South Junction-Hwy. 97 north to turnoff for Biggs Junction, 33 mi. north of Madras. Turn west (left) onto a gravel road, 10 mi. to South Junction. At the bottom of the hill, take the right fork. Good camping and day use area.
      • Maupin-Hwy. 97 north 33 mi. to Hwy. 197. Travel NW on Hwy 197 22 mi. to Maupin. On the south end of town turn left on the paved road just before The Oasis Resort. Drive in and park at the locked gate.
    • Fish Species: Redband rainbow trout, steelhead, some browns, bull trout, and whitefish.
    • When to fish: Seasons and limits vary. Check the ODFW regulations. Summer evening trout fishing is most productive. Salmon Fly hatch is generally in May, lasting three weeks. Steelhead arrive in the fall. Fish steelhead when the sunlight is off the water. Use greased line, dry fly, no slack method or nymph. Cast downstream at 45°angle and drift across the water. Very popular place to fish. Try fishing mid-week.
    • Flies:
      • Dry: Elk Hair Caddis, BWO, Slow Water Caddis, CDC, March Brown, Griffith's Gnat, Renegade, Salmon Flies.
      • Nymph: Girdle Bug, Hare's Ear, Kaufmann's Stone, Sparkle Pupa, Nort's Worm, Pheasant Tail, Prince, Brassie, Caddis Pupa, Serendipity, Egg-sucking Leech. Black Stones #14 and #18 in winter.
    • Conventional Angler: Small, bright colored trout lures (like Mepps, Rooster Tail, Panther Martin) rigged with a bubble work well.
    • Note: Beware Whitehorse rapids if floating between South Junction and Maupin. Return all wild steelhead. Try Maupin if the crowds are getting you down. Purchase a Tribal Permit to fish the reservation side of the river. You may not fish and drift. Anchor your boat and wade to fish. Fish for trout along the seams, drop-offs, back eddies, and along the bank. Fish are often in water that is only a couple inches deep.
  3. Lower Deschutes River - This is the stretch of river from Sherars Falls north to the Columbia River.
    • Access:
      • Macks Canyon-Hwy 97 to Grass Valley. Turn west (left) to Hwy. 216. Turn north on the gravel road next to the river. The rough gravel road extends for 17 miles. It ends in Macks Canyon Campground.
      • Kloan-Only accessible with four-wheel drive vehicle in dry weather. Take Hwy. 197 to the Dalles. Get onto Fifteenmile Rd. heading west, paralleling I-84, follow the sign for Petersburg School. Continue to the town of Petersburg School, and further on to Fairbanks. At 12.5 mi., turn onto Fulton Rd., a gravel road. Take the right fork at 1.5 mi; continue for another 2 mi. You are now at the rim. The river is 1000 ft. below. Carefully drive down the last 1 mile and park by the RR tracks.
      • Heritage Boat Landing/Deschutes State Park-Hwy. 97 to Biggs. Left on Hwy. 84 to mouth of the Deschutes.
    • Fish Species: Although redband trout and whitefish are present, this stretch is fished for steelhead.
    • When to Fish: Fish are returning from the ocean to spawn in the rivers. Late July-October fish the mouth of the Deschutes to Macks Canyon.

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