Lake Bonneville fishing: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike
Target species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Black Crappie, White Crappie
Boat: 20 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Port of Cascade Locks Ramp, 2 lanes.
The reservoir
Lake Bonneville covers 19,619 acres in Oregon, across 3 counties: Wasco, Hood River and Multnomah. It is a reservoir: the deepest point measured is 255 feet (77.7 m). Our records hold 18 species for this water. 45% of the water lies in Washington.
Depth: down to 255 ft at the deepest measured point
Deepest measured point: 255 ft (77.7 m). We hold 919 depth contours for this water, drawn from 8,803 soundings.
7 target fish, led by Largemouth Bass
- Largemouth Bass — Feeding water: 65–85°F.
- Smallmouth Bass — Feeding water: 60–75°F.
- Northern Pike — Feeding water: 50–75°F.
- Rainbow Trout — Feeding water: 50–65°F.
- Walleye — Feeding water: 50–75°F.
- Black Crappie — Feeding water: 65–75°F.
- White Crappie — Feeding water: 65–75°F.
Also recorded here: Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed, Channel Catfish, American Shad, Northern Pikeminnow, Black Bullhead, Green Sunfish, Brown Bullhead, Grass Carp, Common Carp.
20 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 9 trailer ramps, 10 boat ramps and 1 hand launch.
- Port of Cascade Locks Ramp — 2 lanes, restrooms. On Columbia River (Bonneville Reservoir), Port of Cascade Locks. phone 541-374-2404 · website portofcascadelocks.org
- Port of Hood River Ramp — 2 lanes, restrooms. On Columbia River (Bonneville Reservoir), Port of Hood River. phone 541-386-1645 · website portofhoodriver.com
- Port of The Dalles Marina — 2 lanes, restrooms. Port of The Dalles. phone 541-298-4148 · website portofthedalles.com
- Port of The Dalles Ramp — 2 lanes, restrooms. Port of The Dalles. phone 541-298-4148 · website portofthedalles.com
- Drano Lake — 1 lane, restrooms. On Drano Lake, Skamania County.
- Mayer State Park — 1 lane, restrooms. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. phone 800-551-6949 · website oregon.gov/oprd/pages/index.aspx
- Nichols Basin Blackwater Beach — 1 lane, restrooms. On Columbia River (Bonneville Reservoir), Port of Hood River. phone 541-386-1645 · website portofhoodriver.com/waterfront-recreation
- Riverfront Park (The Dalles) — 1 lane, restrooms. Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation. phone 541-296-9533 · website nwprd.org/riverfront-park
- The Spit — 1 lane, restrooms. On Hood River, Port of Hood River. phone 541-386-1645 · website portofhoodriver.com/waterfront-recreation
- Blackberry Beach — on Columbia River (Bonneville Reservoir), Port of Cascade Locks. phone 541-374-2404 · website portofcascadelocks.org
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Port of Cascade Locks Marina — restrooms. On Columbia River (Bonneville Reservoir), Port of Cascade Locks. phone 541-374-2404 · website portofcascadelocks.org
Fee and opening hours are blank for all 11 places in this list: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Water and conditions
Our water temperature readings average 50°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. The coldest single reading we hold is 34°F and the warmest is 69°F; the warmest monthly average is 63°F. pH averages 7.8. These readings span 2016–2026.
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 19,619 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Winter water drops to 40°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do.
Where this data comes from
- NOAA NOS Hydro — NOAA NOS hydrographic survey archive: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: soundings: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- NOAA ENC — NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
