Lake Harriet in Clackamas County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Clackamas County end of Oregon holds Lake Harriet. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed woodland. About 17 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It ranks high for size among our Clackamas County listings. Supplies mean a trip to Mount Hood Village, 19 miles off. Estacada is 23 miles and Sandy 27 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Lake Harriet

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Clackamas County records list Coho salmon, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Lake Harriet before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 61°F and January about 32°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. At Lake Harriet the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Hideaway Lake, 3.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. The position on Lake Harriet is worth confirming on the day.