Fishing South Lake in Tillamook County, Oregon

• Overview

  South Lake sits within Tillamook County in Oregon. The shore lies 12 miles out. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Nearest town is Grand Ronde, 11 miles off. Further out sit Pacific City (12 miles) and Willamina (14 miles). Round about: Hebo Lake about 4.2 miles, Camp Cooper Reservoir within 11 miles, Town Lake about 11 miles, Miles Lake within 12 miles and Skookum Lake about 12 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on South Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Tillamook County list rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Coho salmon and Chum salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On South Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 58°F; the cold one sits at 39°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. South Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping records the water as stocked. Mapping shows a campsite some 100 yards from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Hebo Lake is 4.2 miles distant. For South Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.