Odell Lake
Odell Lake Resort selection and Odell Lake Fishing
Select an Odell Lake resort or an Odell Lake Lodge and a
place to stay at Odell Lake whether you want to say in a resort
at Odell Lake or camp in your tent or RV or trailer. Odell Lake
camping, fishing and lodges & resorts are listed here as well as
other places to enjoy your vacation in central Oregon.
Kokanee fishing is great at Lake Odell and
fishing vacations offer good fishing for Mackinaw Kokanee and
trout.
Welcome to Odell Lake in central Oregon. Lake Odell is home
to Odell Lake Resort, Odell Lake Lodge and campgrounds and RV
Parks as well as Shelter Cove Resort. Odell Lake is located
near Willamette Pass in the northwest corner of Klamath County,
Oregon, United States. It is one of several lakes in the Cascade
Range in central Oregon, and lies within the Deschutes National
Forest. It was named for William Holman Odell by B. J. Pengra in
July 1865. The lake fills a basin carved by a glacier, and the
resulting terminal moraine confines the water along the lake's
southeast shore. Odell Lake fishing report: kokanee,
lake trout, rainbow trout
Odell Lake is ice free. Boat launching is available at the
resort ramps and USFS Princess Creek Campground. Please check
with the Odell Lake Lodge, Shelter Cover Resort and the USFS
Crescent R.D. for information on camping availability. The
opportunity for kokanee on opening day should be good though the
water is still a little cool. Anglers targeting kokanee should
get on the water early. Lake trout angling should also be good.
Please note that all bull trout must be released unharmed.
Recreation at Lake Odell
Odell Lake offers recreational opportunities similar to nearby
Crescent Lake, which is 4 miles to the south. There are several
developed campgrounds around Odell Lake, as well as boat ramps
that allow for sailing, wind surfing, water skiing and fishing.
The last two state record lake trout were caught in Odell Lake;
the most recent being a 40 lb 8 oz lake trout or Mackinaw caught
in 1984. Fish species found in the lake include Kokanee salmon
lake trout (mackinaw) rainbow trout mountain whitefish and bull
trout - listed as a threatened species and also called Dolly Varden.
How to fish Odell Lake
Lake Odell fishing tips
Fishing Opportunities at Odell Lake
Mackinaw to 30 pounds-plus, kokanee to 20
inches and Dolly Varden and rainbow trout weighing several
pounds! Those are the attractions which draw anglers to Odell
Lake in Central Oregon. Whether you're new to Odell, or have
fished it in the past, the following information will help you
have a more productive outing. Odell Lake is located adjacent to
State Highway 58 in the state of Oregon, which leads southeast
from Eugene to intersect U.S. 97 at Chemult. It's about 65 miles
from Eugene to the lake and about the same distance via U.S. 97
south from Bend and then west on 58. With over 3,300 acres of
water available, this large, natural lake can be troublesome for
the first-time angler, or those who have made only occasional
trips. There are specific areas which consistently produce fish
and deserve your attention. The following is a rundown on the
various fish species and techniques proved effective for
catching them at Odell.
KOKANEE
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Game plants nearly
200,000 of these land-locked sockeye salmon each spring as
fingerlings. However, these plants make up only five percent of
the total kokanee catch at Odell Lake. All other kokes caught
are native, with most being spawned in Trapper Creek. The
average Odell kokanee runs in the 10- to 16-in. range, with some
up to 20 inches. Kokanee fishing begins with opening day, the
last Saturday in April, and continues until the lake closes Oct.
31. Early season finds the kokes in large schools ranging from
near the surface, down as deep as 60 feet. Later in the season,
after the water temperature has risen, you'll find them near the
surface early in the morning and late in the evening. During
warm summer days, they often are found from 25 foot depths down
to the bottom (usually near 100 feet). Trolling techniques work
well, with most anglers using lead core line, a lake troll and a
small spoon such as a Needlefish, Super Duper or Kokanee King. A
size 4/0, 3/0 or 2/0 Jensen Dodger is an excellent attractor.
Jigging in the early season has also become very effective in
recent years. The fish are aggressive and sometimes found in
massive schools. Odell has very clear water, so we recommend a
24- to 48-inch, 4- to 8-lb. test leader between troll and lure.
During warm weather, when kokes can be found near the bottom, a
size 025 Nordic jig in Mother-Of-Pearl, Chartreuse/Green Stripe
or Nickel/Blue Stripe/Silver Prism-Lite or Crippled Herring in
Mother-of-Pearl, Pearl White, Nickel/Neon Blue Stripe or Fire
Tiger can be very effective. One of the biggest mistakes made by
anglers is working a lure too fast. Most will not perform
correctly at fast speeds and kokanee generally will not hit a
rapidly-moving lure . . . they need to be tantalized by it. The
best advice we can give you is to troll S-L-O-W-L-Y . . . the
slower the better. NOTE: Kokanee have very delicate and tender
mouths. Care must be taken to ensure that the shock of the
initial strike is absorbed by using a rubber snubber or having a
flexible rod tip. They must be carefully played and landed with
the aid of a net to prevent the hooks from tearing out.
RAINBOW TROUT
The same trolling setups and lures suggested and diagrammed for
kokanee also can successfully be used for catching Odell's
rainbow trout. Some of the hottest rainbow action comes while
trolling near shore with a lake troll followed by a small spoon
or a troll followed by a small Hot Shot plug. Popular trolls
include the Willow Leaf, Ford Fender, Beer Can and Main Train.
Rainbows can be found most anywhere along the shoreline,
particularly where a dropoff exists.
MACKINAW
Odell Lake is famous for its mackinaw (lake trout) with fish
over 30 pounds available. Most macks run 4 to 10 pounds and can
be taken with lake trolls followed by large plugs such as a
J-Plug or a Kwikfish. One technique perfected by the Luhr Jensen
fishing Team which has produced consistent mackinaw results
(after a concentration of fish has been located using a depth
sounder) is jigging with a Nordic or Crippled Herring. Some of
the team's favorite jigging areas are out from Princess Creek,
View Point and the Railroad Slide. Glo-Fluorescent Green Stripe
and Nickel/Neon Green Stripe have been the top colors. See the
diagram for jigging instructions. NOTE: Strikes which come when
working a jig almost always occur as the lure is falling.
Hesitation in the descent of the jig, a twitch of the line, a
"tap" or anything else unusual as the lure is falling is
immediate reason for setting the hook. Many times you will not
be able to detect a "strike" but will feel resistance as you
begin to raise the rod. This too signals "set the hook". The use
of a premium quality, high-visibility line such as Trilene XT
(which also has high knot strength and thin diameter in relation
to pound test) is one thing that will aid you in detecting
strikes as the jig is falling. Because of Odell's size, there is
just no substitute for a good quality depth sounder, such as one
made by Lowrance, in indicating concentrations of fish and
especially for pinpointing kokanee and mackinaw schools when you
wish to try jigging. Luhr Jensen hopes you enjoy your trip to
Odell Lake and that this information aids in your fishing
success while there. Camping facilities, boat rentals, fishing
tackle and food are available at both Odell Lake Lodge and
Shelter Cove Resort. HAPPY FISHING!
thanks to Luhr Jensen for giving us permission to repost
the above information |