General Info:
If you find a more stunningly beautiful and serene glacial moraine lake, let us know. Wallowa Lake is a truly sacred local place. The lake is deep, cold, and impossibly clear. That means that it doesn't harbor the plant and insect life to be a true blue ribbon trout lake, but you could do worse then spending an even at the river in-let on the south end fo the lake swinging nymphs and fishing with Bald Eagles and Osprey. And, if warm enough for a swim, well, there isn't a better place on earth.
Fly-fish for stocked trout at the south end where the river comes in. Cast into the stream current, throw a few mends, then strip line off your reel and let the current carry it out, then strip it in. Try a green woolly bugger or damsel fly with a small orange soft hackle trailer. Or simply dead drift a prince nymph in the current.
ODFW is a reporting in a significant shift in the Kokanee fishery. Small kokanee under 10" have increased in recent years from 70,000 to 900,000. The daily catch limit was recently increased from 10/day to 25.
Some of our favorite Wallowa Lake Fly Patterns :
Dries: Griffiths Gnat sz. 12 -18 , Parachute Adams sz. 12- 18 , Purple Haze sz 10 -16, Renegade sz. 12-16 , Turks Power Ant sz. 12 -16
Nymphs: Princes sz. 10 - 14, Rubber Leg Squirrel sz. 10 - 14, Copper John sz. 12 - 18 , Lightning Bug sz. 14 - 18, Kaufman Stone Nymph sz. 6 -12, Green Damsel Nymph sz 10 - 14, Orange Soft Hackle sz. 14 - 20, Scud Patterns, Mysis Shrimp Patterns
Streamers: BH Olive or Black Rubber Legs Wooly Bugger sz. 8 - 12 , Matuka Spruce sz. 6 - 12 , Muddler Minnow , Leeches
Wallowa , Grande Ronde , Imnaha , Lostine, Other Local Waters , Wallowa Lake , Eagle Cap Wilderness
9/3/24: low and poor trout fishing.
8/31/24: Very low and inlet stream just a trickle. Some fish rising but difficult fly fishing. Kokanee spawning and inlet stream full of them - please keep off spawning “reds”. A nice young couple in a boat reported “hundreds” of trout near the inlet, and caught some nice ones on rooster tails. They also reported some “record size” spawning Kookanee on the botton, and some breaching the surface.
8/13/24: What a difference a night makes. Hard cool rain last night and cooler weather forecast could be a game changer. Will report asap.
8/12/24: What a difference a week makes. The inlet river on the south end is down to a trickle and the lake is also much lower. Fishing has sorta gone to pot. Cooler weather is forecast this week, so we will report any change. After all it is August - and the irrigators are particularly thirsty this summer.
8/5/24: Fishing has been great so far this summer for flyfishers on the southend!
6/24/24. The Lake is fishing very good this spring - both for trout and Kokanee. (Check-out the kokanee guide “tri state outfitters” Mark Moncrief site for big fish, big catch photos). Trout fishing on the south end of the lake at the river inlet has also been good - both stripped buggers and strike indicators
9/15/23: Oops - I have been slow to report the lake is no longer fly fishing well on the south inlet. It probably hasn’t been stocked for over a month, and the remaining trout have left for greener pastures. Also, no more reports of Kokanee being caught. Some of the Kokanee are now spawning in the river, and it is fun to watch these bright red fish in the river (do not target them). We do not know why some of the Kokanee are triggered to spawn (including some very small ones) while others wait until they a 5 lbs or more.
8/27/23: STILL (!) FLYFISHING WELL AT THE SOUTH END. ALSO - A FRIEND FILLED AN ICE CHEST WITH BRIGHT KOKANEE AFTER FISHING ONE EVENING AND ONE MORNING - I THINK
8/6/23: CONTINUES TO BE STOCKED AND CONTINUES TO FISH GREAT. LOTS OF FLIES WORKING INCLUDDING DRIES. ONE GROUP OF FISHERS SWORE THAT THEY OUTFISHED EVERYONE BY USING RENEGADES. OTHERS SAID ORANGE OR PURPLE CHERNOBLES (OR ANY BIG BRIGHT FLY) CAUGHT LOTS OF FISH. THE CLOUDY, RAINY WEATHER CAN’T HAVE HURT.
7/13/23: RECENTLY STOCKED AND FISHING WELL AT SOUTH END.
6/27/23: 6/27/23: HEAVY RAINS IN THE VALLEY LAST NIGHT AND TODAY WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT FISHING ON THE WALLOWA, GRAND RONDE, AND THE SOUTH END OF WALLOWA LAKE - FOR AT LEAST A FEW DAYS (HIGH WATER, COLORED WATER, COLD WATER, FEWER HATCHES). FORCAST CALLS FOR SUNNY SKIES AND WARM TEMPERATURES, STARTING THURSDAY, FORE AN EXTENDED PERIOD.
6/25/23: GOOD TROUT FISHING AT SOUTH END OF LAKE. TRY BLACK WOOLLY BUGGERS.
6/17/23: RAN OUT OF TIME TODAY, so will copy and paste a “general” area report: 6/17/23: BREAKING NEWS - fish are on the bite - all over. guides floating downstream from Minam (wallowa and grande ronde rivers) had two good days of dry fly (salmon fly) action (had pictures of some large , beautiful/bright silver trout) caught on big foam chubby chernobles. the flies were not on the bank bushes, but were caught along the bank in “pockets.”
And the “all over” bite includes good evening dry fly action at Kinney Lake, and even trout hitting purple chernobles and some other large large dries at the south end of Wallowa Lake at the river inlet.
Stay tuned for Wallowa River Salmon fly reports - any day
4/18/23: OUR BEST FISHING OPPORTUNITIES AT THIS TIME (AND WHILE THE RIVERS ARE TOO HIGH TO FISH) ARE KINNEY LAKE AND WALLOWA LAKE - BOTH OF WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN STOCKED WITH SOME NICE BOWS.
AS ALWAYS, HARD TO BEAT PRINCE NYMPHS OR GREEN OR BLACK WOOLLY BUGGERS. HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE A REPORT OF SOME FISH SURFACING FOR DRIES, AND ALSO FEEDING ON BEETLES AND ANTS. WE WILL TRY TO POST NEW REPORTS, BUT MOST LAKE FISHERS ARE TROLLING FOR KOKANEE AND TROUT. TRY THE SOUTH END OF THE LAKE AT RIVER INLETS.
9/1/22: The lake dropped about a foot and a half this past week - so fishing the south end has slowed. However, fish are still rising in the morning and evening, near the river inlet closest to the highway. They are being more selective, so consider smaller dry flies. The lake is warm on the surface and cool down deeper, so consider a float tube and sinking line to fish streamers off the “ledge” for the larger fish.
7/22/22; good report of a family of four fishing a dry Goddard caddis near the river inlets on the south end. They said leave it - even if it sinks a bit ( I said leave it rather than strip it). Also, some stone flies - big stimulator).
7/20/22; Mid day fishing on the south end has slowed from the last month. But lots of trout. Nymphing in the early morning or evening at the river inlets can be very productive. Try a prince nymph or some of our special buggers - perhaps with droppers.
7/7/22: Heavily stocked with some nice bows on both ends of the lake. Mostly nymphing.
6/1/22: Fishing great for stocked bows, including some nice size ones (some carried over from the heavy stocking last summer). As always fish the south end where the river inlets come in. For flies use the usual suspects: green/black bead buggers with small trailers, and small dries.
Note: As a good alternative consider fishing 20 acre Kinney Lake 15 min. from Joseph (google map it or swing by the shop for directions. It is beautiful and kid friendly. May be easily fished from the shore or from smaller non-motorized floatation devices.
3/28/22: Sorta keep it quiet, but this past week has offered some stellar fishing for BIG trout on dry flies near the river inlet on the south end! The one, or occasionally two people, fishing brought in some photos of monster trout to twenty inches. They look like spawning or “false spawning” bows. I am told they want small dry mayflies, like a 14 black knat with red in the tail, and reject lures, bait and wet flies. Best fishing on sunny days is late afternoon. Go figure. The lake will not be stocked until May, or so.
9/6/21 Still fishing well with small dry flies on the south end
8/21/21: Some of the best stocked trout flyfishing in the state - south end of lake.
8/4/21: NO ONLINE REPORTS FOR A WHILE (Rob will be out of the shop until Aug. 20th). PLEASE CALL THE SHOP AT: 541-432-4343. THANKS
7/28/21: tons of stocked fish at the south end of the lake, because it is the only cool enough water to put them. The lake continues to lower and the long shallow ledge on the south end makes it more difficult to wade out to cast a fly. Still, fish are slamming dries and nymphs - but better from a flotation device.
7/12/21: Miles, one of the clerks in our shop, fished the south end of the lake from 10:00 - 2:30 and estimated he caught 30 fish, including quite a few 16 - 17” - MANY ON DRY FLIES (Joseph Crystal Stimulators with droppers). Also fishers fishing the SE channel were killing them with black woolly buggers with a copper john trailer.
7/11/21: Still fishing good for stocked trout at the south end near the river inlets - black, green, white woolly buggers and prince nymphs.
7/2/21: Recently stocked and fishing great in the evening at the river inlets at the south end (black woolly bugger on intermediate sink, - or etc).
6/09/21: Stocked and fly fishing fair near the river mouth on the south end. Mostly streamer and nymph fishing. Trolling with gear has been fair to good for Kokanee.
4/15/21: Say a beautiful stringer of large (15”+) Kokanee on facebook this week. No reports on trout fishing. Lake not scheduled to be stocked with trout until May 16. Will try to report as info comes in.
9/28/20: Pretty tough kids.
9/7/20: Hold the presses. They are no longer stocking the lake and it appears many of the “stockers” have been fished-out. However, I am talking to a friend, as I write this (!), who says right before dark large rainbows are sipping mayfly emergers. He caught several of these thick boys.
9/1/20: Wallowa Lake has been a great fishery all summer and is still producing. Stay out of the river to avoid stepping on Kokanee reds - but consider using egg patterns and orange/pink scuds for trout hanging in the mouth.
7/29/20: Still fishing great for med and large trout near the river mouth on the south end.
7/14/20: Still fishing well - per 6/27 report below.
6/27/20: Stocked and flyfishing well wading near river mouth or from a boat/tube/kayak/paddle board/(one guy just used a life vest lol).
6/12/20: Stocked and fishing great (except for frontal systems or wind) - for trout near the river inlet. One fisher with a tenkara rod said he could not keep them off.
Also, trolling for Kokanee has been good - I guess if you know what you are doing. A good friend (who does know …..) posted a picture of his 8 lb fish, not far off from the world record from the same lake.
9/7/19: Rain yesterday in the mountains, so a little more water in the river for the kokanee to spawn. Rainbows follow the kokanee.
8/30/19: The hatch of some kind of small bug is happening again all around the lake. Fish are rolling and dry fly fishing is good morning and evening. Kokanee are starting their fall spawn up into the river. Beautiful big red fish this year. No wading in the river due to spoiling the spawning beds (redds).
8/19/19: Fishing has been poor this last week, from shore and boats. The last stocking was almost two months ago, and no stockings are scheduled for this fall.
8/16/19: Has slowed-down as the lake has dropped from irrigation use. Still producing trout at south end, or from boats.
8/2/19: Remains “crazy good” for stocked trout on dry flies at the south end of the Lake where the river comes. We will see if this continues as the lake drops.
7/29/19: Wallowa lake has been fly fishing as well I can remember. The lake remains relatively high - the upper delta remains covered. Perhaps because of this many fish are actually being caught on dry flies where the river runs into the lake (unusual for Wallowa Lake). Or, fish nymphs (under a strike indicator, or simply cast into the river current where it enters the lake, then strip out line allowing the current to carry the line into the lake. After waiting for the fly to sink a bit, put the line under your finger on the cork and strip it back in.
7/10/19: good to very good flyfishing where the river flows into the lake on the south end. Try fishing a black or green woolly bugger cast into the river - stripping out line so the fly carries out into the lake. Or Euro Nymph in the river, or use dry flies (caddis or parachute adams) on the seam between the river and the lake,
6/19/19: Stocked and fishing great.
10/05/18: Here’s a weird one. Fishing was pretty fair most of the fall, and, of course, the river was full of spawning Kokanee. However, this morning I ran into a friend at the local coffee shop. Yesterday he was fishing the lake (no other boats) when he spotted some large fish on his fish finder at 40’. He assumed they were Mackinaw. So he put on some bait and targeted the fish. He had the darnest set of pictures of large trout with little pointed heads and football size bodies. Go figure
8/8/18: Still fishing great.
7/26/18: Heavily stocked - AND they will stock again tomorrow Friday the 27th). Fish either end where they are stocked - or stop at the road pull-out near the south end and watch them swim around. Also consider fishing the little river coming into the lake - stocked trout run up it looking for food.
7/12/14: Heavily stocked. Go catch dinner.
7/4/18: Stocked and fishing well. Flyfish near the river inlet inlet on the south end. If possible, cast into the river current and let it carry your nymph out into the lake before letting it sink. Then strip it back in. Sometimes stocked lake trout will swim up the river looking for food.
10/10/17: River into the lake is down to a trickle, ODFW haven't stocked the lake for several months, thus fising on the south end is slow.
7/16/17: The south end of the lake, where the river enters the lake, continues to be a great fishery - the best in Wallowa County this summer. Cast your weighted woolly bugger, with a small (sz 14/16/18) trailing fly, into the river current and let it be be carried into the lake, then sink, before stripping it back in. Stocked trout, some 16" to 20" - good eating.
7/25/17: Fishing better than ever on the south end where the river flows into the lake. Some big heavy 16" fished were stocked this last go-around. Fish are even taking dry flies in the morning and evening - purple haze or caddis.
7/13/17: Fishing remains good at the river inlets near the State Parks. Try a GB flash a bugger with an ant pattern 18" back. Allow the stream current to carry your flies out into the lake, allow them to sink near the bottom, them strip them in.
6/25/2017: Trout fishing with bait or flies has been fair to good. Fish bait off the bottom rather than from a bobber. fish streamers near the river mouth.
6/15/2017: The lake has been well stocked this spring. Fishing can be spotty on any given day, but some flyfishers are having 20 fish outings fishing near the river mouth. Trolling for kokanee has also been good for small to medium size fish.