Howell Lake in Multnomah County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Multnomah County end of Oregon holds Howell Lake. The coast is 39 miles away. About 11 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Ground here is low by Oregon standards. 5.9 miles away sits North Portland, the nearest town. Vancouver is the closest city, 7.5 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Howell Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Multnomah County, recorded fish include Chinook salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Howell Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 65°F and January near 40°F on the long-run figures. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. It sets the rhythm of the year at Howell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Mapped as intermittent, it fills after rain and shrinks between. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. This sits inside Howell Territorial Park, so read the reserve notices first. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Sand Lake is 1.6 miles distant. Treat Howell Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.