Fishing Hanks Lake in Linn County, Oregon

• Overview

  Out in Linn County, Oregon, sits Hanks Lake. The setting is open valley. Small at around 7 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Sisters, is 27 miles away. Warm Springs lies 29 miles off, Culver another 31 miles. Also within reach: Hunts Lake about 0.4 miles, Bingham Lake 1.7 miles off, Table Lake about 1.8 miles, Patsy Lake 1.9 miles off and Pamelia Lake about 2.1 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Hanks Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Linn County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, bluegill and largescale sucker. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Hanks Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 27°F to 54°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Expect Hanks Lake to follow that timing. The first frost of the year slows things for a few days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Mount Jefferson Wilderness runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Hunts Lake, 0.4 miles away. Rules at Hanks Lake are worth checking on the day.