Rim Lake near Sisters: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Rim Lake is a Deschutes County water, Oregon side. The surface lies 6,965 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is high ground by Oregon standards. The nearest place of any size is Sisters, 14 miles away. Eugene is the closest city, 70 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Rim Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Fish documented in Deschutes County include rainbow trout, brook trout and mountain whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Rim Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 25°F in December and 53°F in August. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. After mid May the shallows warm and the fish move up. The lid tends to go about mid May and return around late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Rim Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Tam Lake, 0.1 miles away. The position on Rim Lake is worth confirming on the day.