Hiking to fish near Mt. Hood?

[probably]

I haven't gone fishing since I was a teenager. I'm way overdue for some quiet nature time so for my 42nd birthday I'm planning a day hike to an 'alpine lake' for some trout fishing. I found the ODFW stocking map but figure there are probably other options.

Would you fine humans care to offer any suggestions or other commentary? Here's my flexible wishlist:

Trying to stay within 1.5 hours of Portland.
The hike could be anywhere from 1-8 miles round-trip.
I'm totally fine with elevation gain.
I won't be sad if I don't catch anything.
I will be sad if there are more than a couple other people there. The real goal is solitude.

Right now I'm looking at either Clear, Williams, or Memaloose Lakes. The lakes near Frazier Trailhead could be fun but might be more popular and it's a solid 2 hour drive.

 

[Snopro]

I will be sad if there are more than a couple other people there. The real goal is solitude.

Good luck. There are more people recreating outside in the PNW than I've ever seen.

Don't overlook the Washington side of the river in the GP. Some nice hikes to lakes in there.

 

[probably]

Good luck. There are more people recreating outside in the PNW than I've ever seen.

Don't overlook the Washington side of the river in the GP. Some nice hikes to lakes in there.

Thanks, I haven't inspected anything on the Washington side.

Yeah, I do understand the increase in recreation. I suppose I'll be more flexible about that bit as well.

 

[troutdude]

Last Saturday my nearby gas station owner sold 4 times the amount gas than usual (in Corvallis)! So yeah...without much else to do...peeps were heading to the outdoors. Seems like it would be even more difficult within short range of metropolitan Portland/Vancouver. Although hiking in one-way 4 miles, will eliminate the party animals/beer guzzlers. LOL Good luck.

 

[Aervax]

I do have some quieter hike in lakes that we fish occassionally on Hood. The hikes range from 0.5 to 2.0 miles one way. Most are wild brook trout fisheries. Let me know if you're fly fishing, bait fishing, or throwing a fly on a bubble or spinner fishing. I will message you a suggestion based on your fishing method.

 

[troutdude]

I do have some quieter hike in lakes that we fish occassionally on Hood. The hikes range from 0.5 to 2.0 miles one way. Most are wild brook trout fisheries. Let me know if you're fly fishing, bait fishing, or throwing a fly on a bubble or spinner fishing. I will message you a suggestion based on your fishing method.

Float tube, spinning rod/reel, torpedo bobber and Woolly Buggers and/or Teeny Nymphs was my favorite way to trout fish years ago!

 

[probably]

I do have some quieter hike in lakes that we fish occassionally on Hood. The hikes range from 0.5 to 2.0 miles one way. Most are wild brook trout fisheries. Let me know if you're fly fishing, bait fishing, or throwing a fly on a bubble or spinner fishing. I will message you a suggestion based on your fishing method.

I used the Trout, bass, panfish guide on the odfw site to assemble my kit. I'm setup for bait fishing with a 5' spinning rod/reel. Have some powerbait glitter trout bait, #8 wide gap bait hooks, swivels, weights, lelands ez trout floats, this little lake tackle kit, and access to plenty of juicy worms from my backyard.

 

[troutdude]

That tackle kit wasn't designed for alpine coldwater lake trout fishing. Rather it was designed for warmwater fishing for bass, crappie, bluegill, etc. Not to mention that you won't find warmwater fish in coldwater lakes. And you certainly wouldn't want to tangle with a bass, on an ultralight trout rod. But it sounds like you have other tackle that you should fair well with.

If you have some leisurely time to kill; I highly recommend watching this video series. It'll help to bring you up to speed quickly. Within the realm of "all things trout".

https://myodfw.com/articles/how-fish-trout