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Oregon's Wallowa Mountains

By Gary Lewis

The high-altitude lakes of Oregon's Wallowa wilderness offer breath-taking alpine scenery, plus some pretty good fly fishing.

he lake--deep blue and green--was visible through the trees. Alpine meadows with twisted firs and pines gave way to steep, landslide country where few plants grew. High above were granite cliffs and rocky, rugged peaks. I'd been told that mountain goats were somewhere up there, and I shaded my eyes with my hand to look.

But trout, not goats, were the reason my father and I were here, and my attention was soon riveted by the sight of several eight to ten inch brookies cruising in the lake's shallows.

After we'd made camp, I headed to the water. It took only three casts before a brook trout rose from the dark green depth and took the size 14 Adams. It promised to be a good day of fishing.

August and September are by far the best times for fishing the high mountain lakes of Oregon's Wallowa Mountains. In the Eagle Cap Wilderness, the alpine lakes are accessible only by foot or by horseback. It's late summer before the snows have receded enough to allow passage along the trails.

Dry fly fishing for the region's uneducated brook trout provides great sport in the clear water. The fish see the fly from far beneath the surface, streaking upward--sometimes two at a time--to slash at the imitation. Food is especially scarce in the deeper lakes, so terrestrials are a bonus for the fish that can spot them.

It pays to bring a well-stocked fly box here. The Adams, Mosquito, Royal Wulff, Mouserat, and Parachute Hopper are all effective dry flies, enticing hungry trout to the surface. Large dry flies are eagerly attacked by these brook trout. Often, they will attempt to drench their prey first by dunking it.

Wet flies and nymphs can be even more effective than dry flies. The extra flash of a bead-head pattern proves deadly for these trout. Hares Ears, Princes, and Zug Bugs can bring slashing strikes when fished deep. Fish the brown Soft Hackle, Carey Special, and similar wet flies on a slow-sinking line, varying retrieve until you find what works. If your ambition is to catch two fish at a time on a tandem rig, you can do it here.

Streamer patterns also work for these hungry fish. Try a size 8 Zonker or Jannsen's Minnow behind a size 14 brown Soft Hackle, and watch what happens. These fish are too competitive to let a minnow steal their lunch!

Popular Wallowa fisheries include Ice Lake, a deep, 46-acre stillwater. The brook trout are plentiful, hungry, and average seven to eleven inches long. There are several good campsites near the lake.

Aneroid Lake is 39 acres in size. Brook and rainbow trout provide good fishing and there are campsites around the lake. Glacier, Frasier, and Prospect are three more small lakes high in the mountains. Again, brook trout provide the sport for angles tough enough to get to them.

Frances Lake is only four miles from the Lostine Road, but it is a steep trail, gaining three thousand feet in the first three miles. It is 30 acres in size and not deep, making it subject to winterkill. Here, brook trout are sometimes stocked to supplement the fishing.

This is the wilderness, and camping is primitive. Many of the lakes have established campsites that have been used for many years, but there are no improvements. Everything you pack in you must pack out.

Warm clothes are a must at this elevation. Toward the end of September, sudden snows may catch you by surprise. Mosquito repellent and sunscreen are also be essential components of your camping kit. Bears are a concern in some areas, so food should be properly stored for night.

Consider booking a trip with a guide for your first time into the Wallowas. A two or three-day "drop-camp" trip is standard. A drop-camp is where an outfitter packs you and your gear via horseback, then leaves you on your own until it's time to return; then he packs you out.

There are several good outfitters that offer horseback fishing trips into the Wallowa Wilderness. You can find their names and phone numbers in the fishing and hunting synopses. Sporting goods dealers in Enterprise and Joseph may also be able to recommend a guide.

Ask the outfitter what you should expect of him and assure him what he can expect of you and your partners. Does the outfitter know anything about the lake you want to fish? Ask them also about the previous year. A prospective client has the right to know if a drought or a hard winter took a toll on fish.

Do not book your trip until you have contacted references. Ask for the names of several recent clients, then ask those clients if they would book a trip with that outfitter again.

A trip into the Wallowa Wilderness will provide you with memories that will last a lifetime. The fishing can be extremely good and the scenery is breathtaking. What better way to spend a few summer days?

Gary Lewis is a professional outdoor writer. He lives in the Bend area. You can learn more about him at his website.

Uploaded 07/06/2000.

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Most of the Wallowas is designated as wilderness, so the only way in is by foot or by horse.

Fish often cruise the shallows and along the edges of drop-offs.

Typical Wallowa brook trout.