Fishing Kinnikinnic Lake in Deschutes County, Oregon

• Overview

  Kinnikinnic Lake lies in Deschutes County, Oregon. Elevation runs to 5,407 feet. Small even by pond standards, it rewards one careful line. Our Deschutes County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Three Rivers, is 23 miles away. The big place round here is Eugene, 60 miles distant. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Kinnikinnic Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Deschutes County include rainbow trout, brook trout and mountain whitefish. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Kinnikinnic Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 56°F and December about 27°F. In milder years the surface never sets. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. On Kinnikinnic Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking sits 0.9 miles out, which makes for a walk with tackle. 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 stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Phantom Lake, 0.1 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Kinnikinnic Lake for certain.