Many of these waters are regularly planted with legal trout prior to the April opener, and some are open year ‘round. A few waters receive stocks of larger trout that average 2 pounds, or surplus steelhead averaging 8 pounds. Stream fishing for trout opens in May.

Coffenbury, a 50-acre lake in Fort Stevens Park, is regularly stocked with trout and surplus adult steelhead. Fish from a boat or walk the trail around the lake. Several docks provide access. Cast Rooster Tail spinners, or fish Pautzke’s salmon eggs beneath a float.

Tillamook County’s Smith Lake is a 35-acre body of water near Rockaway that is stocked with legal rainbows every spring. Access can be gained on the west side. There are no public boat ramps, but small craft can be launched with ease.

Vernonia Pond is a 42-acre lake located near the upper Nehalem River. A path that goes all around the lake provides good bank-fishing, and there is wheelchair access.

Twelve miles south of Astoria, you’ll find 220-acre Cullaby Lake. Long and narrow, it averages six to 12 feet deep and produces hatchery-raised trout throughout the season.

Lake Lytle is a 65-acre lake north of Rockaway, along Highway 101. Try it in the spring for stocked rainbows and resident cutthroats. Shallow and subject to weeds, it’s also capable of producing larger fish. The boat ramp is on the northeast side of the lake. Good fishing can be found along the shore.

Cape Meares Lake is 90 acres, shallow and rich. The ODFW stocks it regularly with legal rainbows and surplus adult steelhead. The best trout fishing is from March through May. Algae blooms make summertime angling more difficult.

You’ll find 3,100-acre Siltcoos Lake south of Florence along Highway 101. Siltcoos has nice shallows and good insect life. It grows wild cutthroats and big holdover rainbows. Hatchery legal rainbows will be stocked through spring and summer.

Fish near the mouths of tributaries all season and fish the Kiechle Arm and north of Reed and Booth Islands. Sea-run cutthroat and steelhead can be part of the incidental catch in Siltcoos. Take care to release wild sea-runs unharmed.

SOUTHWEST
Diamond Lake was drawn down in 2006, and commercial fishing nets were then used to haul out about a third of the lake’s population of the invasive tui chub. The ODFW administered rotenone to kill the remaining fish. Diamond’s historically productive water has bounced back. Clarity is at more than 40 feet. Zooplankton and insect life are healthy, and that means rainbows are putting on girth.

Last year, the ODFW stocked 178,000 fish, and their aggressive campaign is expected to continue. Bring your boat and still-fish jar baits, or troll small spoons, plugs or flies early in the morning and late in the evening.

For more information, call Diamond Lake Resort at 1-800-733-7593.

Lost Creek Reservoir has hatchery rainbows, cutthroats and browns. Try trolling a Wedding Ring spinner and a worm, a Rooster Tail, a Little Cleo or a Triple Teazer. Go deeper for a chance at landlocked chinook.

Hyatt Lake has 950 surface acres -- and big rainbows. The reservoir grows lots of insects that support trout and steelhead to 20 inches.

Detroit Lake receives more attention from the ODFW than anywhere else in the state. This 3,000-acre reservoir is home to rainbow trout, landlocked chinook salmon and kokanee.