Applegate Lake Fishing
A 949-acre Oregon reservoir in Jackson County.
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Applegate Lake summed up before you drive
Roughly 949 acres of reservoir water carry the name Applegate Lake in Jackson County. Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest manage the launch sites OSMB maps here. Jacksonville sits roughly 21 miles from the lake point.
There are 4 open launch sites in the OSMB layer for this water. It carries 1 water-specific rule in the 2026 booklet. ODFW lists it under the Southwest Zone. Stocking is planned in 5 stocking weeks.
BLM Oregon hydrography lake outlines (NHD), summed by GNIS name (layer), read November 2, 2026.; launch managers from the Oregon State Marine Board launch layer; Census 2023 places.
The species list for Applegate Lake
The ODFW habitat layers place these species in Applegate Lake; they say nothing about how well they bite.
Mapped use of Applegate Lake by fish
| Fish | Use ODFW records | Origin | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black crappie | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Bluegill | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Brown bullhead | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Klamath smallscale sucker | unknown | native local | DocObsFish |
| Largemouth bass | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Rainbow trout | resident multiple uses | native local | DocObsFish |
| Smallmouth bass | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Spring chinook | rearing | native local | DocObsFish |
| Winter steelhead | rearing | native local | DocObsFish |
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report.
For the crappie herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Getting afloat on Applegate Lake
- Copper Boat Launch on Applegate Lake1 lane, trailered launch, OSMB status: restricted; parking; Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest; OSMB note: Copper boat ramp is open; the water is at the bottom of the ramp. Paddlecraft can …
- French Gulch boat ramp on Applegate Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
- Seattle Bar Day Use Area launch on Applegate Lakehand carry launch; parking, restrooms, use fee, hand launch; Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
- Tipsu Tyee Boat-in Campground launch on Applegate Lakehand carry launch; restrooms, hand launch; Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
OSMB shows Hart-Tish Park Ramp on Applegate Lake closed right now.
When the launch at Applegate Lake is busy
- Applegate River AccessApplegate River, 2 miles northeast
- Acorn Woman Lakes Campground launchAcorn Woman Lakes, 6 miles east
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.
How full Applegate Lake is
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Applegate Lake Near Copper, Or. | 1,880.31 ft lake elevation | Nov 5 4:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 5, 2026 4:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division water management data (NWD dataquery), reading as of the date shown, read November 2, 2026; datum as the Corps publishes it.
USGS posts the Applegate Lake numbers as provisional.
Planned trout plants at Applegate Lake
| Week as printed | ODFW office | Planned trout by size class |
|---|---|---|
| May. 17, 2027 – May. 21, 2027 | Central Point | 15,000 legal-size, 500 trophy trout |
| May. 03, 2027 – May. 07, 2027 | Central Point | 800 trophy trout |
| Apr. 12, 2027 – Apr. 16, 2027 | Central Point | 10,000 legal-size trout |
| May. 18, 2026 – May. 22, 2026 | Central Point | 15,000 legal-size, 500 trophy trout |
| Apr. 13, 2026 – Apr. 17, 2026 | Central Point | 10,000 legal-size, 800 trophy trout |
The Applegate Lake weeks are ODFW plans by size class, not species.
ODFW weekly trout stocking schedule (planned releases; ODFW prints size classes, not species), myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Keepers allowed out of Applegate Lake
ODFW files Applegate Lake with the Southwest Zone, whose statewide rows are shown here.
| Species | Daily limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays); 2 per day, 3 daily catch limits in possession; 8-inch minimum | Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 – Oct 31 unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Salmon and Steelhead | In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day, 20 per year. 5 jack salmon per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession. Wild salmon bag limits are determined annually. | Closed unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Bass | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions. Streams: No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Stri. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Smelt | Unless specifically authorized under emergency rules, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take Eulachon smelt in inland waters, including bays, rivers, estuaries, and streams. | Unless specifically authorized under emergency rules, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take Eulachon smelt in inland waters, including bays, rivers, estuari. |
| Marine Fish and Marine Shellfish | See Marine Zone. | See Marine Zone. |
Water-specific rules for Applegate Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applegate Reservoir | salmon, trout | All landlocked salmon are considered trout. | p. 36 |
Water exceptions as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (booklet PDF; printed page shown), read November 2, 2026. In-season changes from ODFW override them.
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut go on a Combined Angling Tag ($69 resident).
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Southwest Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
Applegate Lake compared with nearby lakes
The biggest neighbour in this table is Emigrant Lake, near 807 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Stocking weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applegate Lake | 949 | reservoir | 4 | 5 | |
| Acorn Woman Lakes | 6 miles east | 55 | lake | 1 | 0 |
| Bolan Lake | 17 miles west | 13 | lake | 1 | 0 |
| Lake Selmac | 28 miles northwest | 138 | reservoir | 2 | 10 |
| Bounds Reservoir | 28 miles east | 12 | reservoir | 0 | 0 |
| Emigrant Lake | 28 miles east | 807 | reservoir | 2 | 6 |
BLM outlines, the OSMB launch layer and the ODFW stocking schedule; read November 2, 2026.
Neighbours of Applegate Lake worth a look
Lakes in the same part of Oregon as Applegate Lake
- Acorn Woman Lakes6 miles east
- Bolan Lake17 miles west
- Lake Selmac28 miles northwest
- Bounds Reservoir28 miles east
- Emigrant Lake28 miles east
Where to buy bait on the way to Applegate Lake
- Bi-Mart (Medford/W. Main St.)sporting goods store, Medford, 23 miles
- Arne Mason Fishing Tacklebait and tackle shop, Ashland, 24 miles
- RB Meiser Fly Rodsbait and tackle shop, Medford, 24 miles
- Rogue Valley Anglersfly shop, Medford, 24 miles
- Ashland Fly Shopfly shop, Ashland, 24 miles
- Beulah Fly Rodsbait and tackle shop, Medford, 25 miles
Hiring a guide for Applegate Lake
- Southern Oregon Fishingfishing guide, Gold Hill, (541) 326-8780
Base towns for a trip to Applegate Lake
- Jacksonville21 miles
- Talent23 miles
- Phoenix23 miles
Which Oregon counties Applegate Lake reaches
- Jackson Countyseat: Medford
Piscifun reels and line chosen with Applegate Lake in mind
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Shorelines and riffles near Applegate Lake, photographed
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Chris Yunker, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Transportation, CC BY 2.0
Questions Oregon anglers bring to Applegate Lake
Which counties touch Applegate Lake?
Search Jackson County, about 21 miles from Jacksonville on the map.
What acreage does BLM map for Applegate Lake?
The BLM outline measures about 949 acres.
Which launch is a good start on Applegate Lake?
Use Copper Boat Launch on Applegate Lake or another of 4 launch sites.
Is there trout in Applegate Lake?
The list starts with black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, klamath smallscale sucker, largemouth bass, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass.
What are the ODFW bag limits at Applegate Lake?
Trout: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays); 2 per day, 3 daily catch limits in possession; 8-inch minimum. An exception for this water applies on top.
Which Oregon license do I need for Applegate Lake?
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut go on a Combined Angling Tag ($69 resident).
Where do Oregon bank anglers set up on Applegate Lake?
The shore inventory has no site here.
Which Oregon shop is handy for Applegate Lake?
Bi-Mart (Medford/W. Main St.), roughly 23 miles away, heads our shop list.
Who reports the level at Applegate Lake?
The level band names the gauge.
How often is Applegate Lake stocked?
ODFW plans 5 stocking weeks for it.
Put Applegate Lake on the spring list
Fees, tags and zone limits sit together on one page.