6 Great Fishing Spots Near Beaverton, Hillsboro & Forest Grove

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Washington County is heavily populated in its suburban cities on the east end, closest to Portland, and is known for its Nike headquarters and its “Silicon Forest” full of high-tech companies including Intel.

But in those ‘burbs, and also in the more open farm and forest lands surrounding the population center, there are some pretty nice gems of fishing holes, especially at Henry Hagg Lake, one of the best overall Portland area fisheries.

These destinations are primarily trout and bass fishing waters, since the county’s Tualatin River has only small runs of salmon and steelhead that don’t warrant a lot of fishing attention.

In this article, you’ll find brief introductions of the some places you might want to get to know better because at times they offer very good fishing close to the metro area.

Also on this page, you will find links to more detailed information about local and regional fisheries. Check the links in the article itself and at the bottom (including links to fishing in neighboring counties).

The waters listed below are regulated under the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Willamette Zone.

Washington County’s incorporated cities are Banks, Beaverton, Cornelius, Durham, Forest Grove (Pacific University), Gaston, Hillsboro (county seat), King City, North Plains, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin and small parts of Lake Oswego, Portland, Rivergrove and Wilsonville.

Unincorporated communities here include Aloha, Bethany, Bonny Slope, Bull Mountain, Buxton, Cedar Hills, Cedar Mill, Cherry Grove, Dilley, Farmington, Gales Creek, Garden Home, Helvetia, Laurelwood, Manning, Metzger, Mountaindale, Oak Hills, Progress, Raleigh Hills, Reedville, Rock Creek, Roy, Scholls, Tanasbourne, Timber, Verboort, West Slope and West Union.

Listed alphabetically, here are some of the best fishing spots in Washington County:

Bethany Pond

An angler fishing at the bay at bethany lake.
Photo by Eric Apalategui

The busiest fishing days here are during the spring, when this 10-acre pond in the Rock Creek neighborhood on the north side of the Beaverton – Hillsboro area is well-stocked with hatchery rainbow trout.

The pond also has a fair fishery for resident warmwater fish, including some decent largemouth bass.

Take the kids fishing and they may also have fun catching bluegill, bullhead catfish and the occasional crappie.

For more specific information, read Bethany Lake Fishing.

Commonwealth Lake

People fishing from the docks at Commonwealth Lake.
Photo by Eric Apalategui

This is another suburban park pond, tucked into a Cedar Hills neighborhood just south of Highway 26 (Sunset Highway) near Beaverton.

The park is popular for its playgrounds, soccer fields and walking path, and the long, narrow pond gets popular with anglers after the trout-stocking truck makes its spring deliveries, often in March, April and May.

There is a modest fishery for warmwater species including largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie. There are bullhead catfish here, and the occasional channel catfish as well.

Note that ODFW has some special limits for several of the warmwater species, so check the latest regulations before fishing.

There also can be large carp, and if you’re into fish stories, a large sturgeon or two may have inhabited the lake at one time or another, but we’re not suggesting this is a sturgeon fishing spot.

Read our full article: Commonwealth Lake Fishing.

Dorman Pond

This 8-acre pond near Gales Creek is fished for both stocked rainbow trout and a variety of warmwater fish.

Trout are typically stocked several times in the spring and provide a high-success fishery, but they are quickly caught out.

When the water warms, attention shifts to plentiful bluegill, crappie and bullhead catfish, along with a modest number of largemouth bass.

The pond is located on the south side of the road at the intersection of Highway 6 (Wilson River Highway) and Highway 8 (Gales Creek Road), a short drive from Banks or Forest Grove.

Read: Dorman Pond Fishing.

Henry Hagg Lake

A rainbow over at henry hagg lake oregon.
Photo courtesy of the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club

This good-size reservoir (over 1,100 acres) has the best fishing for stocked trout on the Portland area’s west side and also is a very good bass fishery.

Hagg Lake is well-stocked with rainbow trout every spring and often gets a large planting again in early fall, when the lake is less crowded. Sometimes big brood trout are planted.

A few native cuttroat trout move into the reservoir from tributary streams.

See this article for more about trout fishing.

An angler holding a smallmouth bass caught at hagg lake.
Photo courtesy of the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club

Smallmouth bass are fairly plentiful and can grow large, as evidenced by the fact that five straight state records have come out of here.

There are fewer largemouth, but some good ones often run larger than the smallmouth. See our full article about Hagg Lake’s bass fishing.

There are plenty of other warmwater fishing options here, including very good numbers of yellow perch and bluegill, both of which can be fun for kids to catch though not often large.

There also are a decent number of some very nice bullhead catfish. The state record bullhead also hails from Hagg.

There are ongoing efforts by the Oregon Bass & Panfish Club and others to build a crappie fishery, which at times offers fair to good fishing for those who can locate holding structure.

Note that Hagg Lake has limits on bass and crappie. Check the annual regulation booklet or ODFW link below for details.

Hagg Lake is located about nine miles southwest of Forest Grove. Take Highway 47 south. Before you reach Gaston, follow the signs west to the park entrance. There is a day-use fee.

Progress Lake

Two anglers showcasing caught fish at progress lake.
Photo by Eric Apalategui

This Beaverton pond offers a rare chance to catch trout in the suburbs all year.

Progress Lake is located in an old rock quarry, and depths of over 50 feet keep the water unusually cool in this suburban pond of about 10 acres.

Fishing definitely will be best right after hatchery fish are planted, usually a few times from March to May.

There also are bullhead catfish here, and reportedly some goldfish.

The lake is along Barrows Road in southwestern Beaverton, near the boundary with Tigard. It’s immediately west of Progress Ridge TownSquare shopping center.

Read: Progress Lake Fishing

Tualatin River System

This is Washington County’s primary river system, with several tributaries draining the west side of the Coast Range mountains and its foothills before coming together as a slow valley river.

The upper sections of this system, including the mainstem and tributaries such as Gales, Dairy and McKay creeks have healthy populations of native cutthroat trout, which may be retained seasonally in modest numbers (currently two per day).

Note that most of the upper mainstem (above Highway 47) and all tributaries have a no-bait rule, and access is spotty at best, especially where these streams meander through farm country (but there are some big trout in there).

The mainstem and tributaries also are hard to fish in the low country, due to extremely brushy banks.

Try bridge crossings or locate parks and other public property for access.

There is more access in the upper tributaries, where these are mountain streams with lots of fish but not as many large ones.

Fair warnings aside, there is plenty of territory to explore and get away from it all without driving too far.

In the lower mainstem, and in the lowest section of some tributaries, there is a modest warmwater fishery that includes some bass, panfish and catfish.

The river does hold the state record for white catfish, but it’s smaller bullhead you’re likely to catch.

Coho fishing is allowed seasonally below Highway 47 (south of Forest Grove) on the mainstem, but there’s almost no reported catch most years.

Access to the lower river is best by boat, including canoes and kayaks, from a handful of public ramps.

There are a few public parks with bank access, including in the Hillsboro, Tigard and Tualatin areas.

Read: Complete Guide to Tualatin River Fishing

Fishing in Neighboring Counties

Columbia County: To the north, excellent access to the lower Columbia River’s rich populations of salmon, steelhead and warmwater fish.

Multnomah County: To the northeast, Oregon’s most urban county still has plenty of places to catch salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, trout and bass.

Clackamas County: To the southeast, very good opportunities to catch salmon, steelhead and trout, plus bass, shad, sturgeon and more.

Yamhill County: To the south, another valley county with some good trout fishing and opportunities for bass and panfish.

Tillamook County: To the west, loaded with coastal salmon and steelhead fisheries, excellent crabbing and clamming and many other angling opportunities.

Clatsop County: To the northwest, includes the fish-filled mouth of the mighty Columbia River, small-stream steelhead and lots of coastal lakes loaded with trout and bass.

Return to the Best Fishing in Oregon page

Oregon Resources

ODFW Weekly Fishing Report
ODFW Trout Stocking Schedule
Oregon Fishing Regulations
National Weather Service