About 1,129 acres of open water make up Cougar Reservoir on the BLM map of Lane County. OSMB lists McKenzie River Ranger District and U.S. Forest Service as the manager of its launches. Expect about 27 miles of driving to reach Oakridge.
Below: its launches, rules and neighbours.
1,129acres (BLM outline)
0OSMB launches
1fish mapped
1county
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.
These are the species an ODFW source ties to Cougar Reservoir.
Where the Cougar Reservoir fish list comes from
Fish
Use ODFW records
Origin
Basis
Rainbow trout
resident multiple uses
native local
UndocObsFish
ODFW Fish Habitat Distribution layers (ODFW ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; a mapped species is habitat use ODFW records, not a catch report.
Access
Launch sites that serve Cougar Reservoir
No OSMB launch is mapped here; carry-in boats or a nearby site are the options.
The OSMB status for Cougar Crossing Day Use boat ramp, Echo Ramp on Cougar Reservoir and Slide Creek Campground boat ramp on Cougar Reservoir is closed.
Next-closest launches to Cougar Reservoir
Brukart Landing on McKenzie RiverMcKenzie River (Upper), 4 miles north
Hamlin Park on McKenzie RiverMcKenzie River (Upper), 5 miles northwest
Hidden Lake launchHidden Lake, 6 miles south
Forest Glen Landing on McKenzie RiverMcKenzie River (Upper), 6 miles northwest
Lookout Boat Ramp on Blue River LakeBlue River Lake, 7 miles north
Finn Rock Landing on McKenzie RiverMcKenzie River (Upper), 8 miles west
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 4, 2026 6:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
1,521.46 ftCougar Dam forebay elevation, November 2, 2026 PST
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.
Live USGS data for Cougar Reservoir; expect small revisions later.
Cougar Reservoir has no line of its own in the booklet; most listed waters of Lane County fall under the Willamette Zone, the table shown here, but zone lines follow drainages.
Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions. Streams: No limit.
Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except mainstem Willamette River and sloughs and tidewater areas of Columbia.
Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Stri.
No limit, unless noted under Exceptions.
Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except mainstem Willamette River and sloughs and tidewater areas of Columbia.
Pacific Lamprey
Refer to General (Statewide) Regulations for regulations covering the harvest of Pacific lamprey.
Refer to General (Statewide) Regulations for regulations covering the harvest of Pacific lamprey.
Smelt
Closed.
Closed.
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) (Willamette Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
Answers on Cougar Reservoir from the Oregon sources
Which Oregon town is closest to Cougar Reservoir?
Point the car toward Lane County, about 27 miles from Oakridge.
What size is Cougar Reservoir on the map?
Some 1,129 acres of outline.
Which OSMB launch serves Cougar Reservoir?
Try Brukart Landing on McKenzie River, roughly 4 miles away.
Which fish does ODFW place in Cougar Reservoir?
Mapped fish include rainbow trout.
How many trout does ODFW let me keep at Cougar Reservoir?
Trout: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: catch-and-release only, unless noted under Exceptions; 8-inch minimum.
What should I buy before fishing Cougar Reservoir?
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).
Is there bank access at Cougar Reservoir?
No listed shore site here; ask at a launch.
Is there an Oregon bait shop on the drive to Cougar Reservoir?
Dick's Sporting Goods Eugene in the same county, is where our list starts.
Which gauge reads Cougar Reservoir?
Check the level band above.
Choose a still Oregon morning for Cougar Reservoir
Check the in-season updates before a fish goes in the cooler.
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