.sf-oregon{–ink:#1B2226;–deep:#23343A;–teal:#8A3A22;–mist:#F1F3EE;–foam:#F8F9F5;–lure:#E9B055;–lure-ink:#1B2226;–line:#DCE1DA;–muted:#4A5550}.sf-oregon .sf-hero{background-color:#3B2620;background-image:radial-gradient(820px 480px at 94% 0%,rgba(233,176,85,.38),rgba(233,176,85,0) 62%),radial-gradient(760px 420px at 4% 100%,rgba(157,184,154,.30),rgba(157,184,154,0) 60%),linear-gradient(196deg,#8A3A22,#5A2E22 38%,#2C3437 74%,#1B2226);clip-path:polygon(0 0,100% 0,100% calc(100% – 6px),88.5% calc(100% – 6px),88% calc(100% – 27px),87.2% calc(100% – 35px),86.3% calc(100% – 31px),85.6% calc(100% – 15px),85.3% calc(100% – 6px),83.4% calc(100% – 6px),83% calc(100% – 31px),82.4% calc(100% – 46px),81.4% calc(100% – 52px),80.2% calc(100% – 51px),79% calc(100% – 44px),78.2% calc(100% – 29px),77.6% calc(100% – 6px),0 calc(100% – 6px));padding-bottom:76px}.sf-oregon .sf-hero::before{background:linear-gradient(95deg,rgba(27,34,38,.84) 0%,rgba(27,34,38,.50) 52%,rgba(27,34,38,.12) 100%)}.sf-oregon .sf-eyebrow{border-radius:14px 3px 14px 3px;background:#1B2226;color:#F6DDB0;border-right:4px solid #E9B055;padding:5px 12px 4px 14px;letter-spacing:.07em}.sf-oregon .sf-hero .sf-sub{color:#F4EFE8}.sf-oregon .sf-hero[style*=”background-image”]::before{background:linear-gradient(95deg,rgba(27,34,38,.90) 0%,rgba(27,34,38,.66) 46%,rgba(59,38,32,.32) 80%,rgba(59,38,32,.16) 100%),linear-gradient(0deg,rgba(16,20,22,.72),rgba(16,20,22,0) 50%)}.sf-oregon .sf-bar{background-color:#1B2226;background-image:radial-gradient(560px 230px at 95% 0,rgba(233,176,85,.26),rgba(233,176,85,0)),linear-gradient(100deg,#1B2226 40%,#5A2E22)}.sf-oregon .sf-bar p{color:#EEF0EC}.sf-oregon .sf-band–white,.sf-oregon .sf-band–white:nth-of-type(even){background-color:#fff;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 520px at 94% 6%,rgba(138,58,34,.10),rgba(138,58,34,0) 64%),radial-gradient(780px 470px at 4% 96%,rgba(157,184,154,.26),rgba(157,184,154,0) 62%),radial-gradient(640px 400px at 50% 50%,rgba(233,176,85,.12),rgba(233,176,85,0) 62%),linear-gradient(135deg,#FFFFFF,#F8F9F5,#ECEFE8)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–white:nth-of-type(even){background-image:radial-gradient(900px 520px at 6% 6%,rgba(138,58,34,.10),rgba(138,58,34,0) 64%),radial-gradient(780px 470px at 96% 96%,rgba(157,184,154,.26),rgba(157,184,154,0) 62%),linear-gradient(225deg,#FFFFFF,#F8F9F5,#ECEFE8)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–mist{background-color:#F1F3EE;background-image:radial-gradient(860px 520px at 10% 8%,rgba(233,176,85,.26),rgba(233,176,85,0) 64%),radial-gradient(720px 460px at 92% 94%,rgba(157,184,154,.30),rgba(157,184,154,0) 62%),linear-gradient(200deg,#F7F8F4,#F1F3EE,#E4E9E1)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink{color:#F1F3EF}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep{background-color:#23343A;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 540px at 92% 6%,rgba(233,176,85,.18),rgba(233,176,85,0) 62%),radial-gradient(800px 500px at 6% 94%,rgba(157,184,154,.16),rgba(157,184,154,0) 62%),linear-gradient(150deg,#2C4249,#23343A,#162227)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink{background-color:#1B2226;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 540px at 8% 6%,rgba(138,58,34,.55),rgba(138,58,34,0) 62%),radial-gradient(760px 480px at 94% 96%,rgba(233,176,85,.14),rgba(233,176,85,0) 62%),linear-gradient(150deg,#232C31,#1B2226,#111619)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-src,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-src{color:#D8DFDC}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-head p,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-head p,.sf-oregon .sf-cta p{color:#EAEFEC}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-card p,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-card p,.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-fact span,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-fact span{color:#E3E9E6}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-list li span,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-list li span{color:#EAEFEC}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–mist .sf-list a:not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–white .sf-list a:not(.sf-btn){color:#8A3A22}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–mist .sf-list li>span,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–white .sf-list li>span{color:#3F4844}.sf-oregon .sf-barrow .t{background:linear-gradient(90deg,#8A3A22,#D08A5C)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-barrow .t,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-barrow .t{background:linear-gradient(90deg,#E9B055,#F4D59C)}.sf-oregon .sf-pill{background:#E8ECE4;color:#1F2629}.sf-oregon .sf-btn:hover{background:#F4D59C;border-color:#F4D59C}.sf-oregon .sf-card-img,.sf-oregon .sf-tile{background-color:#3B2620}.sf-oregon .sf-q p{color:#2F3834}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-kicker,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-kicker,.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-fact b,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-fact b{color:#F4D59C}.sf-oregon .sf-kicker{color:#8A3A22}.sf-oregon .sf-pf-card h3{color:#141A1D!important}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-btn–ghost,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-btn–ghost{border-color:rgba(255,255,255,.48);background:rgba(16,20,22,.38)}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn){color:#F4D59C}.sf-oregon .sf-tablewrap{color:#1B2226;border-color:#DCE1DA}.sf-oregon .sf-table td{color:#1B2226}.sf-oregon .sf-table th{background:#2C4249;color:#fff}.sf-oregon .sf-table tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#F2F4EF}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-tablewrap a,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-tablewrap a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-tablewrap a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn){color:#8A3A22}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-q,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-q{background:rgba(255,255,255,.07);border-color:rgba(255,255,255,.18)}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-q p,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-q p{color:#EEF2EF}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-faq .sf-q p,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-faq .sf-q p,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-q h3,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-q h3{color:#FFFFFF}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-pill a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-pill a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-pill a{color:#8A3A22}.sf-oregon .sf-band–deep .sf-card .sf-more,.sf-oregon .sf-band–ink .sf-card .sf-more{color:#F4D59C}.sf-oregon .sf-bar .sf-crumbs,.sf-oregon .sf-bar .sf-crumbs span,body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-bar .sf-crumbs a{color:#FFFFFF}.sf-oregon .sf-note{color:#1B2226}body.sfs .sf-oregon .sf-note a{color:#8A3A22}@media (max-width:760px){.sf-oregon .sf-hero{clip-path:polygon(0 0,100% 0,100% calc(100% – 3px),88.5% calc(100% – 3px),88% calc(100% – 15px),87.2% calc(100% – 19px),86.3% calc(100% – 17px),85.6% calc(100% – 8px),85.3% calc(100% – 3px),83.4% calc(100% – 3px),83% calc(100% – 17px),82.4% calc(100% – 25px),81.4% calc(100% – 29px),80.2% calc(100% – 28px),79% calc(100% – 24px),78.2% calc(100% – 16px),77.6% calc(100% – 3px),0 calc(100% – 3px));padding-bottom:52px}}

Oregon lakes and reservoirs

Cow Lakes Fishing

A 2,041-acre Oregon reservoir in Malheur County.

Get driving directions

Pick for bullheadPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 ~~$219.99~~

Photo of Lake Owyhee: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain

Malheur County

Cow Lakes for a first-time Oregon visit

Cow Lakes is a reservoir of Malheur County whose NHD outline measures near 2,041 acres. Launches on it are run by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Nyssa, around 58 miles away, is the closest town on the Census list.

OSMB maps 1 open launch site on it.

2,041acres (BLM outline)

1OSMB launches

4fish 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.

Directions to Cow Lakes

Species

What lives in Cow Lakes

Brown bullhead Largemouth bass Northern pikeminnow White crappie

Treat the Cow Lakes list as where ODFW records fish, not as a survey of numbers.

Origin notes for fish in Cow Lakes

Fish	Use ODFW records	Origin	Basis
Brown bullhead	resident multiple uses	non native	UndocObsFish
Largemouth bass	resident multiple uses	non native	UndocObsFish
Northern pikeminnow	unknown	native local	DocObsFish
White crappie	resident multiple uses	non native	UndocObsFish

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 bullhead herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 ~~$89.99~~

Access

Putting a boat on Cow Lakes

Upper Cow Lake boat ramp1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Launches a brief haul from Cow Lakes

Historic Birch Creek Ranch Campground launch on Owyhee RiverOwyhee River (Lower – Rome to Leslie Gulch), 13 miles northwest
Antelope Reservoir Campground boat rampAntelope Reservoir, 13 miles southeast

Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.

Oregon boat ramps

Limits

Taking fish home from Cow Lakes

The booklet does not name Cow Lakes itself; the Southeast Zone table shown is the one for most listed waters in Malheur County, so confirm the zone on the ODFW map.

Species	Daily limit as printed	Season
Trout	Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum	Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open all year, unless noted under Exceptions.
Kokanee	10 per day unless noted under Exceptions.	Open all year.
Salmon and Steelhead	see the ODFW booklet	Closed to angling for salmon and steelhead.
Bass	Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions. No limit in the southwest corner of the Southeast Zone. Streams: No limit.	Lakes and Reservoirs: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout season.
Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, and Yellow Perch	No limit.	Lakes and Reservoirs: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout season.
Whitefish, Sucker, Northern Pikeminnow, Carp, Chub, Sculpin, and other.	No limit.	Lakes and Reservoirs: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout season.
Sturgeon	Catch-and-release only.	Lakes and Reservoirs: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout season.

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) (Southeast Zone page), read November 2, 2026.

Oregon licenses and limits

Compare

Nearby lakes alongside Cow Lakes

By outline area, Lake Owyhee tops the nearby lakes at about 11,112 acres.

Lake	Distance	Acres	Kind	OSMB launches
Cow Lakes		2,041	reservoir	1
Antelope Reservoir	15 miles southeast	3,619	reservoir	1
Parsnip Creek Diversion Reservoir	23 miles southeast	32	reservoir	0
Deary Reservoir	24 miles south	33	reservoir	0
Lake Owyhee	37 miles north	11,112	reservoir	5
Juniper Lake	52 miles west	256	lake	0

BLM outlines, the OSMB launch layer and the ODFW stocking schedule; read November 2, 2026.

Nearby

Within an easy drive of Cow Lakes

Lakes for a second day near Cow Lakes

Antelope Reservoir15 miles southeast
Parsnip Creek Diversion Reservoir23 miles southeast
Deary Reservoir24 miles south
Lake Owyhee37 miles north
Juniper Lake52 miles west

Picking up tackle for Cow Lakes

The Outdoorsmanbait and tackle shop, Ontario
Bi-Mart (Ontario)sporting goods store, Ontario

The counties around Cow Lakes

Malheur Countyseat: Vale

Piscifun

Rods, reels and braid from Piscifun for Cow Lakes

Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.

Fish photos

What the Cow Lakes species look like

Largemouth Bass, Oregon — Largemouth Bass
Photo: robposse, CC BY 2.0

Rainbow Trout, Oregon — Rainbow Trout
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain

Kokanee, Oregon — Kokanee
Photo: Jonathan Cook-Fisher, CC BY 2.0

Chinook Salmon, Oregon — Chinook Salmon
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0

Answers

What gets asked about Cow Lakes first

What corner of Oregon holds Cow Lakes?

Its county is Malheur County, about 58 miles from Nyssa.

How big is Cow Lakes on the PMEP map?

About 2,041 acres mapped.

Where does OSMB map a launch on Cow Lakes?

Use Upper Cow Lake boat ramp, the one site OSMB maps.

What does ODFW record in Cow Lakes?

The habitat layers and booklet list brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pikeminnow and white crappie.

Does the booklet set special rules for Cow Lakes?

Trout: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum.

What are the 2026 fees for fishing Cow Lakes?