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PARKS
Ochoco National Forest
Fishing

Ochoco Creek

Location: Approximately 16 miles east of Prineville on Highway 26, turn right at County Road 23, and drive 9 miles to the Ochoco Ranger Station.
Facilities: See Ochoco Forest Camp in this book. Dispersed campsites along Ochoco Creek up to Ahalt Creek.
Type of fish: Trout
How to catch: Fly fishing is best. Please use barbless hooks.
Fishing Season: End of April to end of October. Consult Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
Interesting tidbits: Ochoco and Canyon Creek are known for their gold mining history. Remains of some buildings are on both creeks. A pioneer road built about 1870 follows Ochoco Creek, then up Canyon Creek, and down Johnson Creek.
Silver Creek

Location: Two miles west of Riley on Highway 20 turn right (north) on County Road 138. Travel approximately 16 miles and turn left on Forest Road #45. Go approximately one-half mile to bridge over Silver Creek.
Facilities: Off road parking at bridge.
Type of fish: Brook trout
How to catch: Fly fishing is best. Please use barbless hooks.
Fishing Season: Consult Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations
Interesting tidbits: Approximately 4 miles down stream from the bridge on Forest Road #45 is public land. Approximately 2 miles upstream from the bridge is private land then public land Camp Currey 1865-66 T. 22S; R. 26E; Sec 30 at Indian Springs.

Walton Lake

Location: Forest Road 22, 7 miles east of Big Summit Ranger Station.
Facilities: Boat trailer parking, paved boat ramp, tables, fire rings, toilet. Physically challenged fishing dock.
Boating Regulations: No gas motors allowed, only quiet, low speed electric trolling boat motors.
Size of lake: 18 acres
Type of fish: Rainbow trout
How to catch: Troll with flashers. Bank fishing with cheese/fish eggs, worm/marshmallow. Best bank fishing on north side near dam.
Fishing Season: Consult Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations
Interesting tidbits: Depth - 21 feet. Constructed in 1940 and named after Isaak Walton. This lake looks like it could be in the movies. Beautiful setting and is the most popular lake on the Ochoco National Forest.

West & East Fork Howard Creek

Location: Forest Road #22. West fork is 9 miles east of Ochoco Ranger Station, and east fork is 11 miles east of Ochoco Ranger Station.
Facilities: None
Type of fish: Trout
How to catch: Fly fishing is best. Please use barbless hooks.
Fishing Season: End of April to end of October. Consult Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
Interesting tidbits: This stream drains into Big Summit Prairie which used to be an Indian Summer camp site, meeting site, and a trade and travel route. There are homes still being used on this prairie dating back to the European settlers. Most of Big Summit Prairie is under private ownership.

Cottonwood Creek

Location: Approximately 59 miles east of Prineville on Highway 26 turn right on Forest Road #12. Travel approximately 15 miles and turn left on Forest Road #38. Travel Forest Road #38 approximately 11 miles, turn left on Forest Road #3850. Continue on Forest Road #3850 approximately 2 miles, turn right on Forest Road #3850-450 and drive to dead end. A 400 foot drop from the road to the creek.
Facilities: None
Type of fish: Trout
How to catch: Fly fishing is best. Please use barbless hooks.
Fishing Season: End of April to end of October. Consult Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
Interesting tidbits: The hike will be better than the fishing. There are about 3 miles of fishable stream to the Forest boundary. The northern end of Forest Road #3850 was part of a pioneer road dating back to 1860. The pioneer road followed Day Creek and Cottonwood Creek to Highway 26.

Antelope Flat Reservoir

Location: Approximately 29 miles southeast of Prineville on Highway 380 turn right on Forest Road #17. Travel approximately 11.5 miles, turn left on Forest Road #1700-600. One-half mile to reservoir.
Facilities: Boat trailer parking, paved boat ramp, tables, fire rings, toilet.
Boating Regulations: Gas motors allowed.
Size of lake: 170 acres
Type of fish: Rainbow trout
How to catch: Troll with flashers. Bank fishing with cheese/fish eggs, worm/marshmallow, spin cast with green, yellow, or black rooster tails. Best bank fishing near boat ramp and south side in the tree line. This water is always muddy looking.
Fishing Season: Open year round. Snowed in from late November to May
Interesting tidbits: Depth - 28 feet. Road snowed in from late November to mid May. Best months to use snowmobiles are December through March. Reservoir was drained, fished out, and treated in Fall '92. Stocked with trout in Spring '93.

Delintment Lake

Location: Approximately one-half mile southwest of Hines on Highway 20 turn northwest on County Road 127. Travel approximately 16 miles, turn left of Forest Road #41. Continue on approximately 29 miles, turn right on Forest Road #4100-015. One-quarter mile to lake.
Facilities: Boat trailer parking, paved boat ramp, tables, fire rings, toilet. Physically challenged fishing dock on south side.
Boating Regulations: Gas motors allowed.
Size of lake: 62 acres
Type of fish: Rainbow trout
How to catch: Troll with flashers. Bank fishing with cheese/fish eggs, worm/marshmallow, spin cast with green, yellow, or black rooster tails. Fly fishing with white miller moth.
Fishing Season: Open year round. Snowed in from late November to May.
Interesting tidbits: Depth - 18 feet. Originally beaver ponds but in 1940 a small dam was constructed with a 35 acre lake. In 1953, the dam and lake were enlarged to the present size. This lake is for recreation.

Haystack Reservoir

Location:

From Madras: Approximately 8 miles south of Madras on Highway 97, turn left at KOA sign. Travel approximately 1.25 miles, turn right on Forest Road #96. Continue approximately 1.5 miles and turn left on Forest Road #9605. One-half mile to reservoir.
From Prineville: Go 16 miles north of Prineville on Highway 26 to Forest Road #96, Haystack Reservoir junction, turn left on Forest Road #96 and proceed 6 miles, take right fork and proceed 1 mile to junction into east shore campground. Unimproved camping area on west shore.
Facilities: 2 boat trailer parking lots, 2 paved boat ramps, floating platforms at dam in northwest corner, tables, fire rings, toilet.
Boating Regulations: Gas motors allowed.
Size of lake: 282 acres
Type of fish: Largemouth bass, rainbow trout, catfish, kokanee, & crappie.
How to catch: Largemouth bass - use worms, spinner bait, and lures. Fishing best on south side in spring and summer. Kokanee - troll flashers, from bank cheese/eggs, marshmallow/worms. Fishing best in the middle of the lake in late winter through early summer. Rainbow trout - same season and food as kokanee. Fishing best in south half of reservoir. Crappie - use jigs and worms. Best fishing on north shore from falls to campground. Catfish - worms. Best fishing on south side on muddy bottom. Best bank fishing on south and east sides.
Fishing Season: Open year round. Best fishing January through June (water is hither). Read Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations.
Interesting tidbits: Named after butte to the south, this lake was constructed in 1950.


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