Upper Klamath Lake Fishing
A 62,057-acre Oregon lake in Klamath County.
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Upper Klamath Lake summed up before you drive
Roughly 62,057 acres of lake water carry the name Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County. City of Klamath Falls, Klamath County and Private manage the launch sites OSMB maps here. Klamath Falls sits roughly 14 miles from the lake point.
There are 7 open launch sites in the OSMB layer for this water.
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 Upper Klamath Lake
The ODFW habitat layers place these species in Upper Klamath Lake; they say nothing about how well they bite.
Mapped use of Upper Klamath Lake by fish
| Fish | Use ODFW records | Origin | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue chub | resident multiple uses | native local | DocObsFish |
| Bluegill | resident multiple uses | non native | DocObsFish |
| Brown bullhead | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Brown trout | forage migrate overwinter | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Fathead minnow | resident multiple uses | non native | DocObsFish |
| Klamath lake sculpin | resident multiple uses | native local | UndocObsFish |
| Klamath largescale sucker | unknown | native local | DocObsFish |
| Klamath smallscale sucker | unknown | native local | DocObsFish |
| Largemouth bass | resident multiple uses | non native | UndocObsFish |
| Lost river sucker | rearing | native local | DocObsFish |
| Marbled sculpin | resident multiple uses | native local | DocObsFish |
| Pumpkinseed | resident multiple uses | non native | DocObsFish |
| Redband trout | resident multiple uses | native local | DocObsFish |
| Shortnose sucker | rearing | native local | DocObsFish |
| Slender sculpin | resident multiple uses | native local | DocObsFish |
| Tui chub | resident multiple uses | 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 bluegill herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Getting afloat on Upper Klamath Lake
- Eagle Ridge boat ramp on Upper Klamath Lake2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Klamath County
- Hagelstein Park on Upper Klamath Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Klamath County
- Moore Park Marina #1 on Upper Klamath Lake2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, short-term tie-up, marina; City of Klamath Falls
- Moore Park Marina #2 on Upper Klamath Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, short-term tie-up, marina; City of Klamath Falls
- Pelican Marina on Upper Klamath Lakelaunch; fuel, pumpout, marina, Clean Marina certified; Private
- Rocky Point Ramp on Upper Klamath Lake1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; U.S. Forest Service
- Wocus Bay Ramp on Upper Klamath Lake2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Klamath County
When the launch at Upper Klamath Lake is busy
- Odessa Campground boat ramp on Odessa CreekOdessa Creek, 7 miles west
- Waterwheel Campground boat ramp on Williamson RiverWilliamson River, 9 miles north
- Rocky Point Resort launch on Recreation CreekRecreation Creek, 10 miles northwest
- Williamson River RampWilliamson River, 12 miles north
- Malone Springs Day Use boat ramp on Crystal CreekCrystal Creek, 12 miles northwest
- Wood River Wetland launch on Agency LakeWood River, 13 miles north
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it.
How full Upper Klamath Lake is
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Klamath Lake Nr K.falls(weight/mean Elev) Or | 4,140.67 ft lake elevation | Nov 4 12:30 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 4, 2026 1:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS posts the Upper Klamath Lake numbers as provisional.
Keepers allowed out of Upper Klamath Lake
ODFW prints no exception for Upper Klamath Lake; the rows below are the Southeast Zone ones that apply to most listed waters in Klamath County, so verify the drainage.
| 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.
Upper Klamath Lake compared with nearby lakes
The biggest neighbour in this table is Agency Lake, near 10,312 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Kind | OSMB launches | Stocking weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Klamath Lake | 62,057 | lake | 7 | 0 | |
| Agency Lake | 10 miles north | 10,312 | lake | 1 | 0 |
| Lake Ewauna | 15 miles southeast | 371 | lake | 1 | 0 |
| Lake of the Woods | 15 miles west | 1,227 | lake | 4 | 16 |
| Fourmile Lake | 18 miles west | 625 | lake | 1 | 12 |
| John C Boyle Reservoir | 19 miles south | 184 | reservoir | 3 | 0 |
BLM outlines, the OSMB launch layer and the ODFW stocking schedule; read November 2, 2026.
Neighbours of Upper Klamath Lake worth a look
Lakes in the same part of Oregon as Upper Klamath Lake
- Agency Lake10 miles north
- Lake Ewauna15 miles southeast
- Lake of the Woods15 miles west
- Fourmile Lake18 miles west
- John C Boyle Reservoir19 miles south
Where to buy bait on the way to Upper Klamath Lake
- Lakeshore Landingbait and tackle shop, Klamath Falls, 13 miles
- Bi-Mart (Klamath Falls)sporting goods store, Klamath Falls, 15 miles
- Sportsman's Warehouse Klamath Fallssporting goods store, Klamath Falls, 16 miles
- Cascade Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Klamath Falls, 18 miles
- Parker's Rod & Gunbait and tackle shop, Klamath Falls, 18 miles
Base towns for a trip to Upper Klamath Lake
- Klamath Falls14 miles
- Altamont17 miles
Which Oregon counties Upper Klamath Lake reaches
- Klamath Countyseat: Klamath Falls
Piscifun reels and line chosen with Upper Klamath Lake in mind
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Shorelines and riffles near Upper Klamath Lake, photographed
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Sheila Sund, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bonnie Moreland, Public domain
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Questions Oregon anglers bring to Upper Klamath Lake
Which counties touch Upper Klamath Lake?
Search Klamath County, about 14 miles from Klamath Falls on the map.
What acreage does BLM map for Upper Klamath Lake?
The BLM outline measures about 62,057 acres.
Which launch is a good start on Upper Klamath Lake?
Use Eagle Ridge boat ramp on Upper Klamath Lake or another of 7 launch sites.
Is there trout in Upper Klamath Lake?
The list starts with blue chub, bluegill, brown bullhead, brown trout, fathead minnow, klamath lake sculpin and klamath largescale sucker.
What are the ODFW bag limits at Upper Klamath Lake?
Trout: Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession; 8-inch minimum.
Which Oregon license do I need for Upper Klamath 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 Upper Klamath Lake?
The shore inventory has no site here.
Which Oregon shop is handy for Upper Klamath Lake?
Lakeshore Landing, roughly 13 miles away, heads our shop list.
Who reports the level at Upper Klamath Lake?
The level band names the gauge.
Put Upper Klamath Lake on the spring list
Fees, tags and zone limits sit together on one page.