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A spring-fed Cascade river of astonishing clarity near Camp Sherman. Wild redband/rainbow trout, kokanee and whitefish. The river tops out around 8 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Metolius River runs 921 acres with 64.4 miles of edge. The 15.2 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 16.6 mi long by 10.6 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Jefferson County. For a second option, Haystack Reservoir lies 19 mi east.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 2.5), a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: kokanee sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Current seam (mile 2.5), a current seam in the 4 ft range, good in spring. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger or a kokanee bug + corn until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Small dodger + squid (pink), Wedding-ring spinner + corn |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 30 to 70 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Dodger + pink/orange squid on downrigger, Kokanee bug + corn |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Dodger + squid (deeper red/purple), Small spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Small glow jig + corn or maggot, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, lake whitefish slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 14.9): a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 14.9) (3 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Riffle & run (mile 14.9) (3 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
15 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), around 6 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Oregon State Marine Board — Boating Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Oregon waters are set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Metolius River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Oregon fishing regulations →
Metolius River is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, kokanee, lake whitefish on Metolius River.
Current seam (mile 2.5) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Metolius River is regulated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official Oregon regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Haystack Reservoir 19 mi · Big Lake 21 mi · Clear Lake 26 mi · Deschutes River (Lower) 33 mi · Sparks Lake 39 mi · Hosmer Lake 42 mi · Rock Creek Reservoir 47 mi · Cougar Reservoir 47 mi · McKenzie River 49 mi · Deer Lake 54 mi · Crane Prairie Reservoir 55 mi · Torrey Lake 58 mi
See how Metolius River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Oregon
Browse all Oregon fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.