Harriet Lake Fishing Reports 2021

J
Jay K
Visited Harriet Lake this morning and timed it perfectly. Trophy sized stocked this week and they were crushing rooster tails. Lots of fun. Enjoy the holiday.

Harriet Lake Fishing Reports
 
  • Like
Reactions: beavis and Admin
DOKF
DOKF
Harriet Lake is open?
 
J
Jay K
Yes. You need to access the lake forest road 57 from Timothy lake dam. PPG also opened the camp sites this weekend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ultramepps
DOKF
DOKF
I was reading the ODFW recreation report this week and it says Harriet Lake is still closed due to the fires.

Does that mean the lake is closed to angling, or that ODFW doesn't think anyone will be able to access it?

The ODFW stocking schedule lists that it was stocked twice in May ...
 
O
olshiftybiscuits
I spoke with a representative from PGE parks earlier this week and can confirm the original poster's information, Harriet is open and can be accessed via NF-57, which follows the Oak Grove Fork from Timothy to Harriet.

@Jay K -- Thanks so much for the report. How was the condition of the road from Timothy to Harriet? I've never had a problem with it in the past, but I don't have a car that can handle much unexpected terrain.
 
J
Jay K
The gravel road section was fine. A few potholes in a couple sections but otherwise fine. Nothing to worry about.
 
  • Like
Reactions: olshiftybiscuits
DOKF
DOKF
Thanks!
 
DOKF
DOKF
The boy and I made it up to Harriet for the evening rise on Sat. Well worth the trip! And it is a bit of a hike coming in the back way fro Timothy Lake.

We landed several browns (max 12") and rainbows (max 11") on dry flies (caddis, renegade) and several more on a gold panther martin. All the fish were very feisty, and the browns especially just hammered the #14 flies; the browns swallowed the flies making it difficult to unhook.

The weather cooperated nicely, an occasional warm east wind reminiscent of the desert, a couple of inconsequential sprinkles, and we avoided any deluge until the inevitable long hike home.

An otherwise highly enjoyable afternoon / evening was sullied by the sight of a few wasted trout carcasses and guttings from a group of guys who monopolized the creek inlet area bait fishing a bit too successfully. When they finally quit the area at about sundown, we saw them haul out a couple of stringers with mostly 14 ~ 20" rainbows in excess of the 5 trout each limit. I get meat fishing, and have been known to enjoy some tasty smoked or grilled trout myself, but that was just sad. :cry:
 
O
olshiftybiscuits
The brown trout population at Harriet is in trouble. The lake has been massively over stocked this past year and a half. It has been accessible to the public for 3 of the last 19 months, due to weather, COVID and fire closures. I went through about 100 fish last week on Wednesday. Not a single brown. At least a dozen stocked holdovers over 20 inches. They’re out-competing the wild fish. ODFW needs to put in some temporary regs to a) protect the wild fish from harvest and b) eliminate bag limits on the fin clipped fish. If you ever see people bait fishing the inlet again, write down their plates and report them. It’s illegal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: troutdude
DOKF
DOKF
The brown trout did seem a bit on the lanky side, while the rainbows were definitely more chunky.

But as for over-harvesting, I am sure that the lake will get fished out very quickly. The parking lot was full; I had to wait for a spot to open up.

I just don't like to see such blatant waste and greed. Unfortunately, I do not have much faith in the authorities doing anything with any information I might provide.
 
O
olshiftybiscuits
You’d be surprised. The guy who patrols Harriet takes it very seriously, and he’s not ODFW he’s clackamas sheriff’s department. I’ve had him pull me off the lake in the middle of an epic evening hatch to check my license, and every single detail about my boat until he found something wrong to write me up for. I doubt the lake will get fished out quickly, it never does, and it’ll see fewer than half its usual visitors this year. I’ve fished Harriet probably more than any other water body in the state and can say with confidence that the fish population makeup has completely changed over the past two seasons due to overstocking and lack of public access. I’ve flagged the issue to ODFW and they’ve acknowledged receipt but we’ll see if they take any action with temporary regulation changes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: beavis
J
Jay K
Be aware the road between Harriet and Timothy is now closed. I believe the sign said until mid July. Access to Harriet is being rerouted through single lane forest service roads. The extra time was worth it on Friday as the bite was still great.
 
  • Like
Reactions: beavis and Admin
DOKF
DOKF
Thanks for the heads up!

There was some roadwork on the Timothy ~ Harriet main last week.
 
akbrad
akbrad
Jay K said:
Be aware the road between Harriet and Timothy is now closed. I believe the sign said until mid July. Access to Harriet is being rerouted through single lane forest service roads. The extra time was worth it on Friday as the bite was still great.
Any details about the dates and detour "FS" road numbers? does the detour start at the Timothy Lake dam? any specific details will be welcomed...going to Harriet July 11 for 3 days of fishing/camping...thanks...
 
  • Like
Reactions: DOKF
J
Jay K
Starts right at the Timothy dam on 5810 to 5820. You pass over anvil creek to shell rock road. The road is mixed gravel and paved. It’s one lane with wide spots to allow for traffic to pull over. If your planning a large RV it may be a challenge. People with trailers seemed fine. Here is a pic of the wider section. Enjoy your trip!

Fishing Harriet Lake
 
  • Like
Reactions: Admin
akbrad
akbrad
JK...thanks for the detailed update...just what I was looking for... we have a pop-up camper on our midsize Nissan p/u, so no different than some of the other gravel roads used to other lakes... thanks for the FS road #s as well...just looked at Google map, it looks like most of the route is on 5810 unless it jagged onto 5820 a ways...one final question: Is the detour well marked to get to Harriet Lake? Sounds like you had 'no problem'...thanks again...Brad
 
J
Jay K
The route is marked with small detour signs when you come to splits that are not obvious which is the main route. At night they may be harder to spot. Have fun. Jay
 
akbrad
akbrad
Thanks Jay... yeah, we will have a mid day drive...should be nice... might even check out a few of the creeks... pretty much a Tenkara fisher these days...always ready fling a fly to any size fish... thanks again for your help and info... Brad
 
Admin
Admin
Don't forget to post your report. ;)
 
akbrad
akbrad
A question to fly fishers with recent trips to Lake Harriet...above "DOKF" mentioned dry flies(caddis/renegade)...Love any updates on flies you found successful--dry/wet on your recent trip to Harriet...tactics? trolling, casting to rises, areas of the lake that seemed "hot"... will be float tubing there and any more info will be appreciated... my first time fishing the lake, so any and all info will assist our upcoming efforts 7/11 for 3 days... thanks...
 
Top Bottom