Fishing the Shallows at Wickiup Reservoir

Oregon's second largest reservoir may be 10,000 or so acres, but it's 20-foot average depth makes it far more fishable than the typical oligotropic reservoir. Add a decent population of usually small kokanee, a reasonable number of rainbows and scarce, but massive, brown trout that often top 5 pounds and you've a fishery to suit anyone's method and patience with lovely shore camping.

Kokanee Considered

Just now the kokanee average a bit under a foot and seem to be scattered out across the lake. As the water warms kokanee move back into the only deep water in the lake in the flooded Deschutes River and Davis Creek channels. Rainbows and browns follow. Locals use the usual flashers and wedding ring spinner rigs with a bit or corn and such. Fishing seems to improve later in the season as the kokanee drop back into the channels. Bait fishing from shore with "sandwiches" of a salmon egg and/or corn and/or a mini marshmallow take kokes and everything else.

Best for Big Browns

Wickiup Reservoir may be the best place in Oregon to catch big browns. Right now browns cruise anywhere and dusk seems the best time, but by July dawn fishing works best.

Fly fishers should fling big black rabbit hair leeches, hair bass bugs up on the flats at dawn or dusk. During the day, Clouser minnows on short leaders and fast sinking lines produce in the Davis Arm that seems to collect more rainbows and browns in the early season for more action.

Spin fishermen can do well from boat or bank with ¼ to ½ ounce copper or dark spoons that offer maximum casting range. The edges of the two main channels and points near the dam produce best. Steelhead sticks with light line let you fling the big plugs mentioned below.

TIP: Scope out the popular aluminum chair bait fishing spots around the lake and get up before dawn. Stay well back from the bank and cast a plug far down the shore and fish it parallel to the bank. Big browns and other trout will, as the season progresses cruise in after dark to pork up on "cast off" bait.

Tolerable Trolling

The efficient method for big browns is trolling big plugs along the inshore edges of the channels to catch browns as they ambush kokanee, whitefish and rainbows. This is "fish a day - if you're lucky" fishing, but if you use a six inch or larger Rapala®, Cotton Cordell® or other minnow plug in rainbow trout or silver and blue finish you can expect browns to average four or five pounds. Use four or six pound test as the big browns are line shy.

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