Wishram Lake Fishing near Cascade Locks, Oregon

• Overview

  Wishram Lake sits within Skamania County in Oregon. The country here is rolling hill. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Skamania County are larger. Start from Cascade Locks, 1.3 miles down the road. Gresham sits 27 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Wishram Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. At Wishram Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes. Look for colour changes in the water and fish the seam between them.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give August about 62°F and January about 33°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. At Wishram Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Wecoma Lake is 0.1 miles distant. Check the position on Wishram Lake before loading the car.