Tum Lake Fishing Guide, Deschutes County, Oregon

• Overview

  Look for Tum Lake in Deschutes County, Oregon. It stands 6,473 feet above sea level. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. On size it sits at the modest end of our Deschutes County list. For a base, Deschutes River Woods sits 14 miles out. Beyond it, Sunriver at 14 miles and Bend at 16 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Tum Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Deschutes County include rainbow trout, brook trout and mountain whitefish. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. On Tum Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 53°F at the top of summer and 24°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid May. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid May and starts locking again about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Tum Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Todd Lake, 2.3 miles away. Confirm access to Tum Lake locally before you travel.