Odell Lake is located adjacent to State Highway 58 in the state of Oregon, which leads southeast from Eugene to intersect U.S. 97 at Chemult. It's about 65 miles from Eugene to the lake and about the same distance via U.S. 97 south from Bend and then west on 58. Click HERE for a full image of the lake, and the Hot Spots for fish!

With over 3,300 acres of water available, this large, natural lake can be troublesome for the first-time angler, or those who have made only occasional trips. As pointed out on the map, there are specific areas which consistently produce fish and deserve your attention.

The following is a rundown on the various fish species and techniques proved effective for catching them at Odell.

KOKANEE
The Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeGame plants nearly 200,000 of these land-locked sockeye salmon each spring as fingerlings. However, these plants make up only five percent of the total kokanee catch at Odell Lake. All other kokes caught are native, with most being spawned in Trapper Creek. The average Odell kokanee runs in the 10- to 16-in. range, with some up to 20 inches.

Kokanee fishing begins with opening day, the last Saturday in April, and continues until the lake closes Oct. 31. Early season finds the kokes in large schools ranging from near the surface, down as deep as 60 feet. Later in the season, after the water temperature has risen, you'll find them near the surface early in the morning and late in the evening. During warm summer days, they often are found from 25 foot depths down to the bottom (usually near 100 feet).

Trolling techniques work well, with most anglers using lead core line, a lake troll and a small spoon such as a Needlefish, Super Duper or Kokanee King. A size 4/0, 3/0 or 2/0 Jensen Dodger is an excellent attractor. Jigging in the early season has also become very effective in recent years. The fish are aggressive and sometimes found in massive schools.

Odell has very clear water, so we recommend a 24- to 48-inch, 4- to 8-lb. test leader between troll and lure. During warm weather, when kokes can be found near the bottom, a size 025 Nordic jig in Mother-Of-Pearl, Chartreuse/Green Stripe or Nickel/Blue Stripe/Silver Prism-Lite or Crippled Herring in Mother-of-Pearl, Pearl White, Nickel/Neon Blue Stripe or Fire Tiger can be very effective.

One of the biggest mistakes made by anglers is working a lure too fast. Most will not perform correctly at fast speeds and kokanee generally will not hit a rapidly-moving lure . . . they need to be tantalized by it. The best advice we can give you is to troll S-L-O-W-L-Y . . . the slower the better.

NOTE: Kokanee have very delicate and tender mouths. Care must be taken to ensure that the shock of the initial strike is absorbed by using a rubber snubber or having a flexible rod tip. They must be carefully played and landed with the aid of a net to prevent the hooks from tearing out.

RAINBOW & DOLLY VARDEN
The same trolling setups and lures suggested and diagrammed for kokanee also can successfully be used for catching Odell's Dolly Varden and rainbows.

Some of the hottest rainbow action comes while trolling near shore with a lake troll followed by a small spoon or a troll followed by a small Hot Shot plug. Popular trolls include the Willow Leaf, Ford Fender, Beer Can and Main Train.

Rainbows can be found most anywhere along the shoreline, particularly where a dropoff exists. Dolly Varden can be caught using the same gear as for rainbows and can be found throughout the lake with some concentrations off the mouth of Trapper Creek at the west end.

MACKINAW
Odell Lake is famous for its mackinaw (lake trout) with fish over 30 pounds available. Most macks run 4 to 10 pounds and can be taken with lake trolls followed by large plugs such as a J-Plug or a Kwikfish.

One technique perfected by the Luhr Jensen fishing Team which has produced consistent mackinaw results (after a concentration of fish has been located using a depth sounder) is jigging with a Nordic or Crippled Herring. Some of the team's favorite jigging areas are out from Princess Creek, View Point and the Railroad Slide. Glo-Fluorescent Green Stripe and Nickel/Neon Green Stripe have been the top colors. See the diagram for jigging instructions.

NOTE: Strikes which come when working a jig almost always occur as the lure is falling. Hesitation in the descent of the jig, a twitch of the line, a "tap" or anything else unusual as the lure is falling is immediate reason for setting the hook. Many times you will not be able to detect a "strike" but will feel resistance as you begin to raise the rod. This too signals "set the hook".

The use of a premium quality, high-visibility line such as Trilene XT (which also has high knot strength and thin diameter in relation to pound test) is one thing that will aid you in detecting strikes as the jig is falling.

Because of Odell's size, there is just no substitute for a good quality depth sounder, such as one made by Lowrance, in indicating concentrations of fish and especially for pinpointing kokanee and mackinaw schools when you wish to try jigging.

Luhr Jensen hopes you enjoy your trip to Odell Lake and that this information aids in your fishing success while there. Camping facilities, boat rentals, fishing tackle and food are available at both Odell Lake Lodge and Shelter Cove Resort. HAPPY FISHING!