Klamath & Agency Lakes
Klamath Lake & Agency Lakes
Year Round
This unique wild redband rainbow trout fishery is a very fickle and challenging fishery. Even though the lake is 30 miles long its average depth is only 12 feet deep. This causes it to warm up greatly in the summer months forcing the fish to cooler lake inlets. Some of the more popular and well known areas are the mouths of the Williamson and Wood Rivers. Both of which are spring creeks which provide cooler temperatures that are needed for these fish to thrive.
Agency Lake is often referred to separately from Klamath Lake. Both bodies of water are connected by a wide deep channel. Fish easily pass between both bodies of water. The fishery is really one and the same for type and size of fish available, techniques and recommended patterns.
Most trips on Klamath Lake begin early in the day as the lake is often very windy in the afternoon. Because of the wind and because the lake is so large, eight miles wide in spots and about 30 miles long, we don’t recommend float tubes and highly recommend at least an electric motor to get you back to shore. We typically fish from drift boats or jetboats and don’t even think of fishing with anything smaller than a five weight!
Year Round
This unique wild redband rainbow trout fishery is a very fickle and challenging fishery. Even though the lake is 30 miles long its average depth is only 12 feet deep. This causes it to warm up greatly in the summer months forcing the fish to cooler lake inlets. Some of the more popular and well known areas are the mouths of the Williamson and Wood Rivers. Both of which are spring creeks which provide cooler temperatures that are needed for these fish to thrive.
As soon as Klamath Lake unthaws in spring, fish will be concentrated on the southern end of the lake. They will be feeding on bait fish, leeches and chironomids up against the shallow rocks. AS water temperatures rise fish will make their way towards the springs at the north end of the lake. Fish migration is dependent on weather and water temperature.
The further you can cast a uniform sink line, the more water you will cover and the more fish you present your fly to the more hook ups you will have. Practice your distance casting before approaching this fishery.
Leeches, minnows and chironomids are the primary diet of Klamath and Agency Lake fish.
Agency Lake is often referred to separately from Klamath Lake. Both bodies of water are connected by a wide deep channel. Fish easily pass between both bodies of water. The fishery is really one and the same for type and size of fish available, techniques and recommended patterns. The native Redband Rainbow Trout found in Klamath and Agency Lakes are legendary but certainly not myth. Their average weight is 4 1/2 pounds, and 6- and 7-pounders are frequent, while 10-pounders are not uncommon. The largest fish a guest has landed was 38 and a half inches long and about 20 pounds. Of course that is an estimate because any Rainbow that big deserves to be released. We encourage catch and release on all Redband Rainbows in this system.
Most trips on Klamath Lake begin early in the day as the lake is often very windy in the afternoon. Because of the wind and because the lake is so large, eight miles wide in spots and about 30 miles long, we don’t recommend float tubes and highly recommend at least an electric motor to get you back to shore. We typically fish from drift boats or jetboats and don’t even think of fishing with anything smaller than a five weight! Klamath Lake Quick Facts
Species Wild Redband Rainbows
Season Year Round
Peak Season April- October
Live Water Levels Click here
Rates $495 per boat/day (2 people per boat)
Method chironomids under indicators, stripping streamers and nymphs on cleas sinking lines, trolling
Hatches chironomids, damsels, dragon flies, PMD, caddis, calibaetis, tui chubs, and fathead minnows.