Fishing in near Bend?

[bballer3]

Hey guys ~

gonna take another stab at fishing and havent had too much luck with the places iv gone. I'm going to bend for a couple days and was wondering if you guys have suggestions for good fishing spots in or around the area? I want to catch fish for once!!

Thanks!
Dustin

 

[MustangBill]

If you want to catch fish but don’t really care if they are big fish I would suggest the short (45 min or so) drive to Prineville Reservoir. I am not sure if you are shore fishing or boat fishing but either way if you drive to the State park then take a right and follow the road towards the Resort there is a small dirt road on the right before you enter the resort that goes to an day camp called Juniper Bass and a few other others. Actually the road will take you along the crocked river to Post if you follow it long enough. Anyway that area is full of bullhead (catfish) and crappie. Just plain night crawlers will catch both types of fish. However late in the season like this the water gets green like pea soup so a Mac’s wedding ring (I usually use red) will add enough flash to attract the crappie. There are large and small mouth bass plus lots of trout up there too.

Good Luck

 

[fishtales]

Any recent reports for the Bend area?

 

[MustangBill]

I have a family member that works at one of the local sporting good stores and I talk to the locals out at the lakes too, so here is what I have heard and seen...

Wickiup - 30% of full pool fish are in the deep chaneels but fishing is slow

Crane Prarie - Fishing is ok in the channels for trout and the bass are scattered all over the snag areas (beware of high winds and rough water)

Prinville - catfishing and crappie fishing are good near the island and in the crooked channel (weddign rings trolled near shore are productive)

Billy Chinook - The bull trout are deep and not very active due to water temps but the kokanee spawn is about to start and they get aggressive (white and pink buzz bombs for kokanee and sinking silver black Rapalas for bull trout) small mouth bass have been hitting on worms and artificial worms along rocky points where the water is warmer

Suttle lake - I have not heard much

Cultus - is a party lake during the summer so I don't go out that way

East and Paulina Lakes - Trolling Rapalas and red wedding rings near the shore has been pretty good for trout

I don't fish too much in the rivers or smaller lakes but I will keep an ear out for what is happening.

 

[Raincatcher]

Wow,that is a pretty good job of reporting on so many lakes! Thank you for the info. I'm sure it will be put to good use.

 

[MustangBill]

You are most welcome

Where I live is right in the middle of all of those lakes (45 min drive in any one direction although some are a little closer).

I am happy to share what I see, hear and experience first hand.

 

[MustangBill]

They did pretty good but that was several weeks ago and a cold front just rolled through. Temps here are in the upper 50s to low 60s during the day and in the mid 30s at night and I think the pressure change has caused a bit of a slow down. I was on Crane last weekend when the weather really went south. I was in 30 plus mile per hour winds with huge 3-4 feet wind waves with white caps. I actually ruined my propeller on some rocks while getting tossed around up there. My report just included the word on the water in the few days.

 

[fishtales]

Just settling in after returning from Bend. Should have gone to wickiup and might have caught something. Fished late morning to early afternoon at East Lake. Got there and it was a mix of light rain mixed with a frozend slush. The wind was not bad hardly blowing. Ended up bank fishing for a few hours and did not get anything. Saw a bunch of little fish jumping in the shallows but that was about it. Good company so all in all not a bad outing. Fishing is much better in spring.

 

[MustangBill]

That is a bummer... The weather has gone down in this last week. It rained on and off where I live today too. I am hoping for another warm spell so the fishing will pick up again. It is not uncommon for thunder storms to roll through late in the dog days of summer but this cold snap is no good. Most of the lakes close October 31 or sooner depending on weather. From the boat damage I picked up at Crane I am more than likely out for the rest of this season.

If I hear of any hot spots I will pass the information on.

 

[fishtales]

Yeah I would have liked to have a good story to bring back. Too bad about the run in at Crane. Hopefully the fix is not terriblely expensive. I dread drainng my fishing fund for repairs while fishing.

We might make one more trip this season but have not decided yet. Thanks for the Saterday morning report!