East Lake Fishing
A 969-acre Oregon lake in Deschutes County.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting your bearings on East Lake
Summed by GNIS name, the outline pieces of East Lake come to around 969 acres in Deschutes County. Its boat access is managed by Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District and Private. The nearest Census place is La Pine, about 14 miles off.
Boaters can pick from 3 open launch sites on the OSMB map. The 2026 booklet prints 1 water-specific rule for it. It sits in the Central Zone tables. Look for 4 stocking weeks on the stocking schedule.
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.
Fish to chase at East Lake
ODFW maps these fish as using East Lake; a mapped species is habitat use, not a catch report.
Habitat records behind East Lake
| Fish | Use ODFW records | Origin | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brook trout | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Brown trout | resident multiple uses | non native | DocObsFish |
| Rainbow trout | resident multiple uses | native non local | DocObsFish |
| Tui chub | resident multiple uses | native non 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.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Boat access at East Lake
- East Lake Campground boat ramp1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, use fee; Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District
- East Lake Resort Marina1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, use fee; Private
- Hot Springs Ramp on East Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, use fee; Bend/Fort Rock Ranger District
Cinder Hill Campground – South boat ramp on East Lake and Cinder Hill Campground – North boat ramp on East Lake: closed per OSMB.
More launches close to East Lake
- Little Crater Campground boat ramp on Paulina LakePaulina Lake, 2 miles southwest
- Little Crater Day Use boat ramp on Paulina LakePaulina Lake, 2 miles southwest
- Paulina Lake Campground boat rampPaulina Lake, 3 miles west
- Paulina Lake Lodge boat rampPaulina Lake, 3 miles west
- Paulina Lake Day Use boat rampPaulina Lake, 3 miles west
- Timber Lane Loop Access on Little Deschutes RiverLittle Deschutes River, 14 miles west
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.
When ODFW stocks East Lake
| Week as printed | ODFW office | Planned trout by size class |
|---|---|---|
| Jul. 05, 2027 – Jul. 09, 2027 | Bend | 2,500 legal-size trout |
| Jun. 21, 2027 – Jun. 25, 2027 | Bend | 2,500 legal-size trout |
| Jul. 06, 2026 – Jul. 10, 2026 | Bend | 2,500 legal-size trout |
| Jun. 22, 2026 – Jun. 26, 2026 | Bend | 2,500 legal-size trout |
Releases at East Lake follow the schedule shown; ODFW posts changes there.
ODFW weekly trout stocking schedule (planned releases; ODFW prints size classes, not species), myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Bag limits that apply at East Lake
East Lake appears in the Central Zone section of the 2026 booklet.
| 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 May 22 – Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions. |
| Kokanee | 10 per day unless noted under Exceptions. | Open all year. |
| 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, with the exception that one additional hatchery steelhead may be retained per day for a total. | Closed in all waters unless noted by species under Exceptions. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: 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: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by Bonneville and The. |
| Bluegill, Catfish, Crappie, Other Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Whit. | No limit. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons only, except portions of Columbia River tributaries flooded by Bonneville and The. |
How the rules at East Lake differ from the zone
| Water as printed | Species | Rule | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Lake | trout | Catch-and-release for tiger trout. | p. 53 |
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) (Central Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
Where East Lake ranks among close lakes
Of the five closest Oregon lakes with pages, Wickiup Reservoir is the largest at about 10,170 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Stocking weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lake | 969 | lake | 3 | 4 | |
| Paulina Lake | 2 miles west | 1,371 | lake | 5 | 4 |
| Wickiup Reservoir | 26 miles west | 10,170 | reservoir | 4 | 0 |
| North Twin Lake | 28 miles west | 107 | lake | 0 | 0 |
| South Twin Lake | 28 miles west | 103 | lake | 1 | 0 |
| Crane Prairie Reservoir | 30 miles west | 4,380 | reservoir | 7 | 0 |
BLM outlines, the OSMB launch layer and the ODFW stocking schedule; read November 2, 2026.
What surrounds East Lake for anglers
Other still water within reach of East Lake
- Paulina Lake2 miles west
- Wickiup Reservoir26 miles west
- North Twin Lake28 miles west
- South Twin Lake28 miles west
- Crane Prairie Reservoir30 miles west
Shops for roe, worms and spinners near East Lake
- Central Oregon Fishingbait and tackle shop, Bend, 15 miles
- Central Oregon Stillwater Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Bend, 15 miles
- Sunriver Fly Shopfly shop, Bend, 15 miles
- Bi-Mart (LaPine)sporting goods store, LaPine, 15 miles
- RodWrap fishing grips by Better Ways Productsbait and tackle shop, Bend, 22 miles
- Patient Angler Fly Shop Incfly shop, Bend, 22 miles
Towns within striking range of East Lake
- La Pine14 miles
- Three Rivers15 miles
- Deschutes River Woods19 miles
County pages that include East Lake
- Deschutes Countyseat: Bend
What Piscifun sells for a day spent on East Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Picture key to the fish of East Lake
Photo: USDAgov, Public domain
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Photo: Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0
East Lake: what Oregon anglers want to know
How do I locate East Lake on an Oregon map?
You will find it in Deschutes County, about 14 miles from La Pine.
Is East Lake large water?
Close to 969 acres on the NHD outline.
How many OSMB launches reach East Lake?
East Lake Campground boat ramp is among 3 launch sites OSMB maps.
What species does ODFW map in East Lake?
Named species: brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and tui chub.
What may an Oregon angler keep from East Lake?
Trout: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum. Read the exception table as well.
Does a visitor from out of state need an Oregon license at East 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).
Is shore fishing possible at East Lake?
No mapped shore site sits on it; launch areas and parks may allow bank fishing.
Where do Oregon anglers buy gear for East Lake?
Stop at Central Oregon Fishing, roughly 15 miles away.
What does the schedule show for East Lake?
Yes; the ODFW schedule plans 4 stocking weeks, by size class.
Plan a morning on East Lake
Licenses, endorsements and water exceptions are on the regulations page.