Fishing at Upper Rigdon Lake, Lane County, Oregon

• Overview

  Set in Lane County, Oregon, this is Upper Rigdon Lake. The setting is mixed woodland on every side. At about 26 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Some 21 miles away sits Oakridge, the nearest settlement. La Pine is 28 miles away, with Three Rivers at 29 miles. Others worth noting: Lower Rigdon Lake some 0.3 miles off, Ernie Lake 0.6 miles away, Lake Kiwa some 0.6 miles off, Harvey Lake 1.1 miles away and Round Lake some 1.4 miles off. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Upper Rigdon Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Lane County include rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, largescale sucker, Coho salmon and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Upper Rigdon Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 57°F in August and bottoms out near 29°F in December. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan any trip to Upper Rigdon Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lower Rigdon Lake at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. For Upper Rigdon Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.