Sturgeon Lake, Oregon: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Sturgeon Lake is a Columbia County water, in Oregon. The country round it is dry hill from end to end. This is big water, about 4.9 sq miles, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. Among the waters listed for Columbia County, none is wider. The closest town, Scappoose, is 4.2 miles away. Vancouver sits 8.7 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Sturgeon Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Columbia County: Coho salmon, bluegill, yellow perch and largemouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Sturgeon Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 40°F at the bottom of winter. It fishes twelve months of the year. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. On Sturgeon Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Haldeman Pond, 0.7 miles away. Nothing on Sturgeon Lake should be assumed from this page alone.