Fishing at Saunders Lake, Coos County, Oregon

• Overview

  Saunders Lake falls in Coos County, part of Oregon. Around the bank it is mixed woodland. It measures about 56 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Ground here is low by Oregon standards. Lakeside sits 3.7 miles from the bank. For a city, Eugene is 67 miles off. Others close at hand: Clear Lake 0.9 miles, Butterfield Lake at about 0.9 miles, Beale Lake 2 miles, Lyons Reservoir at about 3.2 miles and Snag Lake 3.5 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Saunders Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Coos County include Coho salmon, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, brown bullhead and cutthroat trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The near bank of Saunders Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 60°F for August and 46°F for January. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That is the shape of the year on Saunders Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Clear Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Saunders Lake may have changed since it was mapped.