This season’s trout stocking is wrapping up this week Detroit Lake, where the last of 31,000 trophy-sized trout were scheduled to be planted at one of Oregon’s top fishing destinations.
At somewhere around 1.5 pounds per trophy trout, the reservoir east of Salem was the recipient of somewhere around 22 tons of large hatchery rainbow trout. That’s about the size of a big, fully loaded school bus … but all feisty trout.
That rough estimate doesn’t even include an additional 2,000 legal-sized trout stocked there last month.
This year’s stocking regimen at Detroit began in the second half of May and is set to wrap up the week of June 23-27.
While the trout fishing here has been nothing short of fantastic since late May, there are a contingent of anglers who might be frustrated. Kokanee anglers are currently finding it tough to get their lures down through the ravenous rainbows to reach the landlocked sockeye salmon, which often roam waters just a bit deeper than their trout kin.
Other Oregon waters are stocked with higher numbers of trout. Lost Creek Reservoir on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon and the McKenzie River near Eugene and Springfield quickly come to mind as locations planted with more hatchery trout in the spring and summer.
However, no other lake or river in Oregon is stocked with more trophy-sized trout, which stretch the tape at 15 inches or more. I’ve caught a good number in the 16- to 17-inch range that were shaped like footballs.
Also known as Detroit Reservoir, this impoundment on the North Santiam River is one of Oregon’s favorite spots for both fishing and camping. It’s within about two hours from the places where most Oregonians live, including iPortland, Eugene and Bend. It also is home to on of the has one of largest state parks in Oregon.
Boaters often troll flashy lures or baits to catch trout here. Bank anglers more often rely on still-fishing with bait, but other techniques also will get the job done.
Trout fishing here is simple, with trolling lures or bait common among boaters. You’ll find public launches to put in your own watercraft as well as private marinas where you can rent a boat or rent a slip.
Boat fishing is also by far the best way to catch kokanee, often by trolling small lures tipped with corn in deep water. Some anglers also use brightly colored metal jigs.
Bank fishing isn’t usually great for kokanee but it’s a productive way to catch trout here. Fishing with bait is by far the most common approach for shorebound anglers, but casting lures or flies is an option.
Some favorite spots for bank fishing are near the mouths of both the North Santiam and Breitenbush rivers, the reservoir’s two major tributaries. Both are near the small city of Detroit, Oregon.
Another popular bank spot is actually fishing right off the dam, where fishing is allowed.
Here are some of our best resources for fishing at Detroit Lake: