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Odell Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A Cascade crossing lake: Odell holds mackinaw and kokanee at 4,800 feet beside Willamette Pass.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
47 / 49 F
Wind
SW 6 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Odell Lake sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. Today brings cloud cover, wind SW around 6 mph, rising pressure near 1014 hPa and a high of 49. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Lake troutGood

Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Yellow perchGood

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 55 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp47 F
High / Low49 / 37 F
WindSW 6-10 mph
Pressure1014.2 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 33%
Sunrise / Sunset06:35 / 19:38
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 49/37 F, wind 7 mph, rain 33%

Fair or better. Calm and stable: plan around the solunar majors at dawn and dusk.

Species guide

The species that matter on Odell Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Lake trout illustration

Lake trout

Best: ice-out and fall turnover

The char of the deep: 40-year-old predators patrolling the cold basins of glacial lakes, from the Finger Lakes to the Rockies. Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Odell Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lake trout
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Odell Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 48 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 48 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 63 F, wind to 15 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Oregon requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Oregon license. Lake trout and kokanee limits per current ODFW rules; bull trout are protected and must be released.

Access

Forest Service ramps and campgrounds plus two resorts off Highway 58 near Willamette Pass.

About this water

A 3,600-acre glacial lake 280 feet deep at 4,800 feet in the Oregon Cascades, Klamath County, Oregon.

Fishing Odell Lake: the full guide

A deep mountain lake

Odell Lake covers about 3,600 acres at 4,800 feet in the Oregon Cascades near Willamette Pass, reaching 280 feet deep in a glacially carved trough. The cold, deep water supports mackinaw (lake trout) that reach substantial size, a strong kokanee population, plus rainbow and bull trout. Forest surrounds it and the Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby.

Mackinaw and kokanee

Lake trout are the trophy fishery: troll large plugs deep or jig over the basin at 80-150 feet, with spring after ice-out and fall bringing fish shallower. Odell has produced Oregon’s largest lake trout. Kokanee school through summer at moderate depths and take small dodger rigs, providing the numbers most anglers come for.

Rainbows and bull trout

Rainbow trout cruise the shallower shelves and inflows, taking trolled spoons and flies in the cooler months. Bull trout are present and protected: release them and know the identification. The lake sits high enough that the season is short, typically opening as snow clears and running into fall.

Willamette Pass logistics

Forest Service ramps, campgrounds and two resorts serve the lake, reached from Highway 58 near Willamette Pass. Wind funnels through the pass and can build serious waves on the long axis of the lake: fish mornings and respect the forecast. Oakridge and Bend are the nearest towns with full services.

Common questions

How big do the lake trout get?

Odell has produced Oregon’s largest: the deep basin holds genuine trophies for anglers with the right gear.

Is the wind a problem?

Yes: it funnels through Willamette Pass and builds waves along the lake’s long axis. Fish mornings.

Are bull trout catchable?

They are present but protected: release them immediately and learn the identification before fishing.

Is fishing good at Odell Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Crane Prairie Reservoir19 miDiamond Lake29 miEast Lake43 miUmpqua River69 miMetolius River73 miFern Ridge Reservoir73 mi
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