Best rainbow trout lakes in Oregon
28 Oregon waters hold rainbow trout, 26 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic stocked cold-water trout. Depth is everything: rainbows follow the temperature layer they like.
- Agency Lake — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Crater Lake — 1947 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Kokanee
- Hart Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout
- Crane Prairie Reservoir — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout
- Howard Prairie Lake — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout
- Crescent Lake — 240 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Cougar Reservoir — 400 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Beulah Reservoir — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch
- Malheur Reservoir — 105 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout
- Deschutes River (Lower) — 10 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Steelhead
- Bully Creek Reservoir — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout
- Fourmile Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Eel Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
- Fish Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout
- Miller Lake — 140 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Loon Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
- Hosmer Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Floras Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout
- Big Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Rogue River — 12 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead
- Clear Lake — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Cleawox Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
- Haystack Reservoir — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Olive Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
- Charlton Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout
…plus 3 more Oregon waters holding rainbow trout.
When to fish rainbow trout in Oregon
- Spring 5–20 ft — Post-ice-out trout roam shallow; fish inflows and windblown shorelines.
- Summer 8–30 ft — Rainbows hold near cold inflows, current seams and the thermocline — find the cool water and you've found the fish.
- Fall 10–35 ft — Fall feeding on rock shoals, current and channel edges as water cools.
- Winter 8–40 ft — Trout are comfortable in cold water — one of the best winter targets; streams and tailwaters fish shallow, deep lakes hold on basin edges.
Also in Oregon: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best crappie lakes
Rainbow Trout elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · North Dakota · Indiana · Connecticut · Utah · Colorado · Alaska · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Nevada · Tennessee · Missouri · Maine · Vermont · West Virginia · Rhode Island · New Jersey · California · Idaho