Emigrant Lake Fishing
A 807-acre Oregon reservoir in Jackson County.
Pick for crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Emigrant Lake summed up before you drive
Roughly 807 acres of reservoir water carry the name Emigrant Lake in Jackson County. Jackson County manage the launch sites OSMB maps here. Ashland sits roughly 6 miles from the lake point.
There are 2 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 6 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 Emigrant Lake
The ODFW habitat layers place these species in Emigrant Lake; they say nothing about how well they bite.
Mapped use of Emigrant Lake by fish
| Fish | Use ODFW records | Origin | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black crappie | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Channel catfish | resident multiple uses | non native | 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 |
| Summer steelhead | rearing | native non local | DocObsFish |
| Winter steelhead | rearing | native local | DocObsFish |
| Yellow perch | resident multiple uses | non native | 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 Emigrant Lake
- Patrick Dunn boat ramp on Emigrant Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Jackson County
- Songer Wayside on Emigrant Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Jackson County
OSMB shows Emigrant Lake West boat ramp and Emigrant Lake North boat ramp closed right now.
When the launch at Emigrant Lake is busy
- Cascade Boat Ramp on Hyatt ReservoirHyatt Reservoir, 7 miles east
- Willow Point Ramp on Howard Prairie LakeHoward Prairie Lake, 11 miles east
- Howard Prairie Resort boat rampHoward Prairie Lake, 11 miles northeast
- Grizzly Park Ramp on Howard Prairie LakeHoward Prairie Lake, 11 miles northeast
- Klum Landing Ramp on Howard Prairie LakeHoward Prairie Lake, 12 miles east
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.
How full Emigrant Lake is
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.
A dated forebay elevation stands in for a live Emigrant Lake gauge.
Planned trout plants at Emigrant Lake
| Week as printed | ODFW office | Planned trout by size class |
|---|---|---|
| May. 03, 2027 – May. 07, 2027 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
| Apr. 05, 2027 – Apr. 09, 2027 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
| Mar. 15, 2027 – Mar. 19, 2027 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
| May. 04, 2026 – May. 08, 2026 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
| Apr. 06, 2026 – Apr. 10, 2026 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
| Mar. 16, 2026 – Mar. 20, 2026 | Central Point | 1,000 legal-size trout |
The Emigrant 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 Emigrant Lake
ODFW files Emigrant 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 Emigrant Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emigrant 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.
Emigrant Lake compared with nearby lakes
The biggest neighbour in this table is Howard Prairie Lake, near 1,981 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Stocking weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emigrant Lake | 807 | reservoir | 2 | 6 | |
| Bounds Reservoir | 1 mile northwest | 12 | reservoir | 0 | 0 |
| Little Hyatt Reservoir | 6 miles east | 10 | reservoir | 0 | 0 |
| Keene Creek Reservoir | 6 miles east | 12 | reservoir | 0 | 0 |
| Hyatt Reservoir | 8 miles east | 844 | reservoir | 1 | 4 |
| Howard Prairie Lake | 12 miles northeast | 1,981 | reservoir | 4 | 3 |
BLM outlines, the OSMB launch layer and the ODFW stocking schedule; read November 2, 2026.
Neighbours of Emigrant Lake worth a look
Lakes in the same part of Oregon as Emigrant Lake
- Bounds Reservoir1 mile northwest
- Little Hyatt Reservoir6 miles east
- Keene Creek Reservoir6 miles east
- Hyatt Reservoir8 miles east
- Howard Prairie Lake12 miles northeast
Where to buy bait on the way to Emigrant Lake
- Bi-Mart (Ashland)sporting goods store, Ashland, 4 miles
- Ashland Fly Shopfly shop, Ashland, 6 miles
- Arne Mason Fishing Tacklebait and tackle shop, Ashland, 7 miles
- RB Meiser Fly Rodsbait and tackle shop, Medford, 16 miles
- Beulah Fly Rodsbait and tackle shop, Medford, 18 miles
- Rogue Valley Anglersfly shop, Medford, 18 miles
Hiring a guide for Emigrant Lake
- Southern Oregon Fishingfishing guide, Gold Hill, (541) 326-8780
Base towns for a trip to Emigrant Lake
- Ashland6 miles
- Talent11 miles
- Phoenix14 miles
Which Oregon counties Emigrant Lake reaches
- Jackson Countyseat: Medford
Piscifun reels and line chosen with Emigrant Lake in mind
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Shorelines and riffles near Emigrant Lake, photographed
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Chris Yunker, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Questions Oregon anglers bring to Emigrant Lake
Which counties touch Emigrant Lake?
Search Jackson County, about 6 miles from Ashland on the map.
What acreage does BLM map for Emigrant Lake?
The BLM outline measures about 807 acres.
Which launch is a good start on Emigrant Lake?
Use Patrick Dunn boat ramp on Emigrant Lake or another of 2 launch sites.
Is there trout in Emigrant Lake?
The list starts with black crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, steelhead and yellow perch.
What are the ODFW bag limits at Emigrant 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 Emigrant 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 Emigrant Lake?
The shore inventory has no site here.
Which Oregon shop is handy for Emigrant Lake?
Bi-Mart (Ashland), roughly 4 miles away, heads our shop list.
Who reports the level at Emigrant Lake?
The level band names the gauge.
How often is Emigrant Lake stocked?
ODFW plans 6 stocking weeks for it.
Put Emigrant Lake on the spring list
Fees, tags and zone limits sit together on one page.