Fishing at Smith Lake, Tillamook County, Oregon

• Overview

  Smith Lake is one of the Tillamook County waters in Oregon. It sits at 13 feet above sea level. At about 40 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is low-lying compared with other Oregon water we list. You are 2.4 miles from Rockaway Beach. Bay City is 4.8 miles and Tillamook 9.8 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Smith Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The tide is the timetable on this water; two hours either side of the change usually fish hardest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon, Chum salmon and Chinook salmon. On Smith Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 58°F and January near 44°F on the long-run figures. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. It sets the rhythm of the year at Smith Lake. Autumn feeding runs harder as the light drops away.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. Public data records a pier about 170 yards out. There are picnic tables half a mile away. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Hidden Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. What applies at Smith Lake may have changed since it was mapped.