Fishing at Applegate Lake, Jackson County, Oregon

• Overview

  The Jackson County end of Oregon holds Applegate Lake. The surface lies 1,936 feet up. Surface area runs to roughly 950 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Around 11 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Jackson County. Nearest town is Williams, 14 miles off. Eugene sits 139 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Applegate Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Species logged across Jackson County include rainbow trout, black crappie, largemouth bass and brown bullhead. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. At Applegate Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 38°F in December and 67°F in August. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Applegate Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Acorn Woman Lakes, 5.8 miles away. For Applegate Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.