Oregon Coast - Devils Lake

[RRSmith]

I fished for a few hours this past week on Devils Lake (near Lincoln City). While my main objective was to run the outboard before I started estuary fishing, I also did a little stripping for planters. Fishing was quite good as I again lucked into a coastal cutthroat along with a bunch of rainbow triploids. I rarely fish Devils Lake but have caught handful of cutts since we purchased our place in 2019. I am thinking that Rock Creek (the major tributary feeding the lake) supports a decent cutthroat population and at least a portion of these fish drop into the lake post spawn to live their best lacustrine life. Some may even access the ocean via D River which flows from the lake into the ocean through Lincoln City.

 

[Jeff Dodd]

Nice to have lakes like this as a back-up fishery, when the weather does not cooperate on the estuary.
Does this lake see coho ?

 

[RRSmith]

Nice to have lakes like this as a back-up fishery, when the weather does not cooperate on the estuary.
Does this lake see coho ?

Yes - coho move into Devils Lake and stage a bit before heading up Rock Creek to spawn. Like other Oregon lake run coho populations, they show up much later in the fall.

Rock Creek used to commonly flood East Devils Lake Road near where it enters Devils Lake. Folks from the local watershed group would volunteer to help shepherd coho across the road during these high water events. In 2022, the problem was (for the most part) addressed by raising portions of the road and improving fish passage where the road crosses the creek. This is not my image but was taken prior to the road improvements.

 

[SurfnFish]

I fished for a few hours this past week on Devils Lake (near Lincoln City). While my main objective was to run the outboard before I started estuary fishing, I also did a little stripping for planters. Fishing was quite good as I again lucked into a coastal cutthroat along with a bunch of rainbow triploids. I rarely fish Devils Lake but have caught handful of cutts since we purchased our place in 2019. I am thinking that Rock Creek (the major tributary feeding the lake) supports a decent cutthroat population and at least a portion of these fish drop into the lake post spawn to live their best lacustrine life. Some may even access the ocean via D River which flows from the lake into the ocean through Lincoln City.

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RRsmith lives in our former home that we sold to him when we relo'd to the mountains. Caught and released a lotta fish in that lake...rainbows, bass, coupla silvers by the D river outlet (world's shortest river)...biggest surprise was when a 3' grass carp, which abound in the lake, took a grasshopper pattern on the surface...try turning that with a four weight

 

[Jeff Dodd]

I remember reading about the Siltcoos Lake Coho fishery, it sounds like a lot of late fall fun!

Yes - coho move into Devils Lake and stage a bit before heading up Rock Creek to spawn. Like other Oregon lake run coho populations, they show up much later in the fall.

Rock Creek used to commonly flood East Devils Lake Road near where it enters Devils Lake. Folks from the local watershed group would volunteer to help shepherd coho across the road during these high water events. In 2022, the problem was (for the most part) addressed by raising portions of the road and improving fish passage where the road crosses the creek. This is not my image but was taken prior to the road improvements.

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