High Mountain Lakes

jc2it · Jul 3, 2008

I am looking for information on fishing high mountain lakes outside of Estacada, Molalla, Scotts Mills and Silverton. I have a short list of the lakes I would like to try first.

Code:

[FONT="Courier New"]
Feature Name		County      Latitude  Longitude  Elevation Quadrangle Name
--------------------	--------    --------  ---------  --------- ---------------
Beyers Lake		Clackamas   45.03472 -122.55556      1100  Wilhoit
Neil Beyer Reservoir	Clackamas   45.035   -122.555              Wilhoit
Butte Lake		Marion      44.88611 -122.41528      4000  Gawley Creek
Cougar Lake		Clackamas   45.03667 -122.26361            Soosap Peak
Dunlap Lake		Marion      44.81778 -122.09389            Mother Lode Mountain
Deardorff Reservoir	Clackamas   44.99944 -122.54722      1218  Elk Prairie
Elk Lake 		Marion      44.82278 -122.11889            Mother Lode Mountain
Emerald Lake		Clackamas   45.02083 -122.35083            Soosap Peak
Joyce Lake		Clackamas   44.94583 -122.24722      4320  Bagby Hot Springs
Rhody Lake		Marion      44.89167 -122.40833      4200  Gawley Creek
Twin Lakes		Marion      44.8575  -122.1175             Mother Lode Mountain

[/FONT]

My wife and I went up to Joyce Lake last Friday. We were about 3 miles from it and had to turn around because the snow was about two feet deep on the road. I think we were only about 3700 ft. Needless to say we did catch and release down on the Molalla, or would have if we hadn't got skunked.

Mokai · Jul 3, 2008

I would recommend a book called " Fishing in Oregon"
You can get it at most fishing stores..I think Joe's carries it..
It will give you lots of info for allot of great places to fish in the state...

FishSchooler · Jul 3, 2008

I've read that Elk Lake has some nice trophy trout, and I think that there is a hike required.

Troutski · Jul 3, 2008

Great book...

Great book...

Mokai said:
I would recommend a book called " Fishing in Oregon"
You can get it at most fishing stores..I think Joe's carries it..
It will give you lots of info for allot of great places to fish in the state...

I got mine at Bi-mart, great book - full of great information.

Chuck

ArcticAmoeba · Jul 3, 2008

If it is the Elk Lake from when i was a kid, then yes it is fishable, and yes there are trophies in it. It takes a bit to walk in to it, but carry a day pack, and stay light. I think Elk is close to Dunlap. I might be wrong, but i thought twin lakes were private or something. Anyhoo a lot of the lakes will have snow on the banks, and roads as well because of the mega pack this year. Good Luck

FishSchooler · Jul 4, 2008

I'm not sure if this will help or not, but there's a awesome little glacial emerald lake in Yoho national park in canada! I fished there once when we went on a long camping trip, the limit is 3 trout per person, my family wanted some wild fish so bad, so I took 3, caught and released 3. I want to go again, there was perfect shelter, there was some logs and trees fallen into the water which was like 3-4 feet deep, then it went into a about 10 foot dropoff and the trees would hand off and attract smaller fish, then there were knats and mosquitos flying, then you'd see like 5 trout jump after the same mosquito, then theres a bridge crossing over a bay, i fished off it, dropped my line, and walked back and forth. Trolling without a boat! I used pink powerbait. There were also native bull trout. I saw a spider fall off its web on the bridge and into the water. In 5 seconds it was gobbled by a trout! There are so many, you could see at least 50 feet into the water, so fishing was easy. I want to go again!

ArcticAmoeba · Jul 4, 2008

Good Gravey! That is a beautiful lake! I wish i could fish somethin as purrty as that around here, and bang the trout like you did.

Sounds like a great place! Especially for fly fishin.

JC2IT - I have a funny feeling a lot of those lake are going to have impassable access/logging roads, although not all of them. I was just asking a efw people about some of them and they said they will be full of water when you can actually get to them. By the end of the month all of them should be accessible. Good Luck or your High Mountain adventures!

FishSchooler · Jul 5, 2008

You can also rent a rowboat or canoe at the lake, so you can catch some big lunkers in the deep parts. The bull trout don't like powerbait for some reason, I danced a blob right in front of one's face, it didn't even budge, so I caught some nice brook trout and 1 12 inch rainbow. Perrtyful little fish they were.

jc2it · Jul 7, 2008

High Mountian Lakes Update

High Mountian Lakes Update

We went up to Rhody lake on Saturday. I was thinking after my experience at Joyce Lake the snow would have melted off a bit. I stopped at the snow and hiked in to the lake, about 300-400 feet. I was not wearing the appropriate shoes (water sandals) so I didn't stay long, But it was beautiful up there. I ended up driving down to Butte Creek to fish above the falls. You can keep two trout in that area. I did not have any luck however.

furflinger · Sep 8, 2008

High Mountian Lakes

High Mountian Lakes

I live in molalla/colton area and have fished a lot of the lakes on your list and would have to say that couger lake even though now,it is harder than ever to get, there but still possible, would be my first choice.This is a small lake full of brookies trhat run from 6 to 16 inches.Butte lake is a mudpuddle,maybe a limit of fish in the hole lake unless somebody kept them. There are a lot of lakes on Goat mt. that have some nice fish.Williams,clear,and memmaloose,just to name a few.
Rip some lips but let them go to do it another day!

Raincatcher · Sep 8, 2008

Welcome Furflinger

Welcome Furflinger

Welcome to the board,Furflinger. Glad to have another seasoned local from your area. Be prepared for some brain picking.

Is it safe to assume from your moniker that you are a fly-fisherfolk? There are a lot here and more wanting to learn. Hope to hear much more from you. Again, welcome to OFF.
Barb