Middle Hanks Lake Fishing in Deschutes County, Oregon

• Overview

  Middle Hanks Lake stands in Deschutes County, Oregon. The water sits 5,394 feet up. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Three Rivers is 23 miles out. Eugene is the closest city, 60 miles away. Nearby, in order: West Hanks Lake just 0.2 miles, East Hanks Lake (0.2 miles), Harlequin Lake just 0.4 miles, Kershaw Lake (0.5 miles) and Sundew Lake just 0.5 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Middle Hanks Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for Deschutes County list rainbow trout, brook trout, mountain whitefish and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Middle Hanks Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 27°F in December up to 56°F in August. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Middle Hanks Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Parking is at Many Lakes Trailhead, some half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, West Hanks Lake is 0.2 miles off. Ask locally about Middle Hanks Lake if anything is unclear.