Smokey Lake, Oregon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Klamath County entry here is Smokey Lake, in Oregon. It lies 4,295 feet above sea level. At about 126 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. A shoreline of some 1.7 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Klamath County are bigger. The closest town, Altamont, is 25 miles away. For a city, Eugene is 140 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Smokey Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Across Klamath County, recorded fish include rainbow trout, klamath largescale sucker and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Anyone new to Smokey Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by January the average is down near 28°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Plan around that when you fish Smokey Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Wild Billy Lake is 4.5 miles distant. What applies at Smokey Lake may have changed since it was mapped.