The NorthWest Bass Fishing Scene Gets No Love Till Now: PART 1: Portland, OR

So this list and info was collaborated with the point of pointing out the Bass areas near Portland, Oregon.  Fishing most of these waters is like no other.  In comparison to waters in Southern US these Bass are temperamental little brats.  So with the help of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and myself of course ;) here is your

50 Places to go Fishing within 60 Minutes of Portland and 1 through 15 Bass HotSpots in Bold!

Let’s go fishing on Saturday. Not enough time to go fishing? Think again—if you live in the greater Portland area, there are any number of places you can get to in less than an hour. Make sure you read the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations before you go. Mileage and generalized directions are from Pioneer Courthouse Square.

I will distribute PART 2 of this series next will give some Seattle, Washington based hotspots.  While PART 3 will finish it off in the beautiful country side of Boise, Idaho.  In a following series be sure to look out for how to fish these waters in relation to river Bass and the ever popular pond Bass.  So with out further ado here is the list. 

1. BARTON PARK, Clackamas—26 mi., 40 min.
Salmon, steelhead, fin-clipped trout

Clackamas River. Good bank access. Boat ramp. Picnic area. Weekend day-use fee for non-registered boats and cars. Take Exit 12, off I-205, Estacada/Mt. Hood. Go east on Hwy. 212/224. Turn right onto Hwy. 224. Go about 5 miles. Turn right at Barton Store. County park.

2. BENSON LAKE, Columbia River Gorge—30 mi., 34 min.
Trout, LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, sunfish, bullhead

Stocked lake in Benson Lake State Park. Good bank access, no boat ramp. Float tubes, rafts. Open yearround
for fishing, park closes after Labor Day. Picnic areas, restrooms. Fee. Take I-84 E to Exit 30 just before
Multnomah Falls. State park.

3. BETHANY POND, Bethany—12 mi., 16 min.
Trout, LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, bluegill, bullhead

Small stocked pond in suburban Washington County. Trout in early spring, warmwater year-round. From Hwy 26 W, take Exit 64. Right on 185th, left on W Union, left at Shoreline Way, right at Northshore Ct.

Find a fishing spot near Portland

4. BLUE LAKE PARK, Fairview—14 mi., 24 min.
Trout, LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, bluegill, catfish, sunfish

Stocked 62-acre lake in Blue Lake Park. Bank fishing. ADA accessible dock. Boat rentals in summer. Size-limited private boats allowed only in winter. Picnic areas, restrooms. Fee. From I-84, take Exit 13, left at NE 181st, right at NE Sandy, left at NE 185th, right at NE Marine Dr. Metro park.

5. CANBY POND, Canby—25 mi., 37 min.
Trout, LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, bluegill

Small stocked pond in Canby Community Park. Trout fall to spring. Year-round warmwater fishing. Pond is open only to youth 17 years old and under and persons who possess Disabled Hunting and Fishing Permits. Picnic area, restrooms. I-5 south to Canby. The park is on the east side of Hwy. 99E off Berg Pkwy.

6. CARVER PARK, Carver—21 mi., 31 min.
Salmon, steelhead, fin-clipped trout

Clackamas River. Bank fishing. Boat ramp. Restrooms. Picnic tables. Weekend day-use fees for non-registered boats and cars. Take Exit 12, off I-205, Estacada/Mt. Hood. Travel east on Hwy. 212/224. Right onto Hwy. 224. Right on Springwater Road. Turn left at the end of the bridge. County park.

7. CATHEDRAL PARK, Portland—8 mi., 17 min.
Salmon, crappie, bass, bluegill, catfish, sturgeon, walleye

Willamette River. Bank access. Boat dock, boat ramp, picnic areas. ADA restroom. Take Hwy. 30 to St. Helen’s, turn right onto St. John’s Bridge. Park is under the bridge. City park.

8. CEDAR OAK RAMP, West Linn—11 mi., 26 min.
Steelhead, salmon, shad, crappie, LARGEMOUTH BASS, bluegill, perch

Willamette River. Boat ramp. Good bank access to the river upstream from the ramp. Limited access below the ramp. Parking. OR-43 to West Linn. Left at Cedar Oak Drive, right to Elmran Dr. to park. City park.

9. CHINOOK LANDING BOAT LAUNCH, Fairview—16 mi., 25 min.
Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, shad, walleye, LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, catfish

Six public boat launching lanes on the Columbia River give you access to some of the most popular fisheries on the river. ADA accessible docks, restrooms, parking. Off I- 84 east of Portland. Metro boat launch.

10. CLACKAMETTE PARK, Oregon City—12 mi., 25 min.
Salmon, steelhead, shad, sturgeon, SMALLMOUTH BASS

Confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers. Boat ramp. Extensive bank angling. Picnic area. Located off Hwy. 99E at the north end of Oregon City. Easy access from I-205 and 99E. City park.

11. COMMONWEALTH LAKE, Beaverton—8 mi., 15 min.
Trout, LARGEMOUTH BASS, bluegill, crappie

Stocked lake, in neighborhood park great for kids. Fishing platform ADA accessible. Picnic areas. Take exit 68 off Hwy. 26 W, turn left at Cedar Hills Blvd., right at SW Foothill Dr.

12. COOK PARK, Tigard—12 mi., 21 min.
Largemouth LARGEMOUTH BASS, crappie, bluegill

Tualatin River. Boat ramp and dock. Great place to launch a pontoon boat, fl oat tube or kayak and fish for bass. Picnic areas, restrooms. Park is located south of Durham Rd. at the end of 92nd Ave. From I-5, take exit 291. City park.

13. CROSS MEMORIAL PARK, Gladstone— 12 mi., 25 min.
Salmon, steelhead, fin-clipped trout

Clackamas River. Good bank angling at Cross Park and nearby High Rocks. Other good bank angling spots on the Clackamas include Carver near the mouth of Clear Creek, along Clackamas River Road, at Bonnie Lure Park. Exit 11 off I-205, merge onto 82nd, right on E. Arlington, left on Portland Ave.

14. DORMAN POND, Forest Grove—31 mi., 40 min.
Trout, crappie, LARGEMOUTH BASS, catfish

Stocked 8-acre pond west of Forest Grove at the junction of Hwy. 8 and Hwy. 6.

15. EAST BANK ESPLANADE, Portland—1 mi., 15 min.
Salmon, steelhead, crappie, LARGEMOUTH BASS, perch

Willamette River. Fish from the 1.5-mile walkway along the east bank from the Hawthorne Bridge to the Steel Bridge in downtown Portland. City park.

Estacada Lake -Photo by Rick Swart, ODFW

16. ESTACADA LAKE, Estacada—33 mi., 50 min.
Trout, steelhead, chinook, coho

Estacada Lake is a 150-acre reservoir on the Clackamas River behind River Mill Dam. Fishing dock and ADA-accessible fishing platform provide the only non-boating access. Boat ramp in Milo McIver State Park at lower end of reservoir, picnic areas, restrooms. Fee. Located about 4 miles southwest of Estacada.

17. FARADAY LAKE, Estacada—36 mi., 55 min.
Trout, recycled steelhead

Stocked 25-acre reservoir provides year-round fishing. Only bank fishing is allowed—no boats, rafts, tubes. Located one mile southeast of Estacada at the Faraday Hydroelectric Project. From the parking lot, a footbridge leads across the river to the park. PGE park.

18. GEORGE ROGERS PARK, Lake Oswego—9 mi., 20 min.
Steelhead, salmon, bass, crappie

Willamette River at its confluence with Oswego Creek. City park provides excellent bank access. Picnic area with barbecue stands, restrooms and ramp for launching hand-carried canoes. OR-43 to 611 State St.

19. GILBERT RIVER, Sauvie Island—25 mi., 53 min.
catfish, sturgeon, bass, walleye

Gilbert River boat ramp provides access to the river, Sturgeon Lake and Multnomah Channel. Good bank fishing spots at many sites along the river. Park in designated areas. A parking permit is required. Get one at an ODFW license vendors or online. Take Hwy. 30 to the Sauvie Island Bridge. Cross bridge. Stay on NW Sauvie Island Road for about two miles. Stay right at the Y intersection onto Reeder Road. Turn left off Reeder Road to ramp.

20. HALDEMAN POND, Sauvie Island – 17 mi., 36 min.
Trout, crappie, bass, catfish

Stocked 2-acre pond offers good bank access. Ideal for kids. A parking permit is required when on the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area. Get one at an ODFW license vendors or online. Take Hwy 30 west. Cross the Sauvie Island Bridge, stay on Sauvie Island Road, go about 2 miles and turn right on Reeder Road. Turn left on Oak Island Road and go about 4 miles.

21. HARTMAN POND—29 mi., 33 min.
Trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie, perch

Stocked pond is a year-round warmwater and spring trout fishing pond in the Columbia River Gorge. Excellent for non-boating anglers. From I-84, take the Benson Lake exit. The pond is adjacent to the Columbia River adjoining Benson State Park. I-84 E to Exit 30.

22. HENRY HAGG LAKE, Gaston—34 mi., 59 min.
Trout, bass, crappie, perch

Stocked. Good bank fishing. Fish for trout in spring and fall and warmwater species in summer. Good bank access. The lake generally opens in early March and closes in mid-November. Picnic areas, restrooms, boat ramp. Fee. Seven miles southwest of Forest Grove, off Hwy. 47. Follow Scoggins Valley Rd. about 3 miles to the lake. ADA-accessible fishing dock. County park.

23. KELLEY POINT PARK, Portland—12 mi., 23 min.
Steelhead, salmon, sturgeon

Confluence of Willamette and Columbia rivers. Bank fish. N. Marine Drive and Lombard. Take Exit 307 off I-5 N for Marine Dr. Portland park.

24. LEWIS AND CLARK STATE PARK—17 mi., 22 min.
Steelhead, salmon

Sandy River near its confluence with the Columbia. Very good access between the park and the mouth of the river. Public boat launch. The Sandy River can also be accessed from many parks including Dabney and Dodge. Exit 18 off I-84 E.

Mary S. Young Park, West Linn

25. MARY S. YOUNG PARK, West Linn—12 mi., 25 min.
Salmon, steelhead, shad, sturgeon, crappie, bass, bluegill, perch

Lots of bank fishing from this park on the Willamette River. Picnic areas, restrooms. Access to Cedar Island via floating bridge after April 15. Take OR-43 to West Linn. State park.

26. MCNARY LAKES, Sauvie Island—23 mi., 50 min.
Bass, crappie, bluegill, bullhead

Two lakes. Bank and boat fishing, 5 m.p.h. speed limit. Ramp. A parking permit is required. Get one at an ODFW license vendors or online. One day passes are $3.50. Annual passes are $11. After crossing the Sauvie Island Bridge, turn left and follow Sauvie Island Rd. approx. 2 miles to Reeder Rd. Take a right on Reeder Rd. and go approx. 9 miles to Rentenaar Rd., follow to the end, over the dike.

27. MELDRUM BAR PARK, Gladstone—12 mi., 25 min.
Steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, shad, crappie, bass

Willamette River near mouth of Clackamas. Extensive bank fishing. Park and boat launch off River Road. Picnic area. Fee. From McLoughlin Blvd., turn west onto W. Gloucester St., right on River Rd. and left onto Meldrum Bar Park Rd. to the park entrance.

28. MILO MCIVER PARK, ESTACADA—31 mi., 53 min.
Steelhead, chinook, coho, fin-clipped trout

Clackamas River. Bank fishing. Boat ramp that is popular launch site for drift fishing. Restrooms, picnic areas. Fee. Take Exit 12A off I-205 to merge onto OR-212/224. Turn right onto OR- 224. Right at Market Rd., left at S Clackamas River Dr, which becomes Springwater Road. Go about 10 miles to the park. State park.

29. MIRROR POND—24 mi., 28 min.
Crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, bullhead, perch

Warmwater pond across from Rooster Rock State Park, south of I-84 approx. 8 miles east of Troutdale.

30. MOLALLA RIVER STATE PARK, Canby—27 mi., 42 min.
Trout, Steelhead, salmon, crappie, bass

Molalla River at the confluence of the Willamette, Molalla and Pudding rivers. Boat ramp. Bank access is limited to a short reach of the river. Picnic areas. Restrooms. I-5 S to Canby. State park.

31. MT. HOOD POND, Gresham—17 mi., 27 min.
Trout

Kids only. A 5-acre trout pond on the campus of Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. Angling is restricted to youths age 17 and under from April 1 - Aug 31. Take I-84 E, Exit 16 for 238th Dr. toward Wood Village. Proceed to Mt. Hood Community College. Go to the South end of the main parking lot off SE 257th.

32. MUD LAKE, Sauvie Island— 21 mi., 46 min.
Bass, crappie, bluegill, bullhead

An 80-acre lake on the west side of island. Bank fishing. After crossing the Sauvie Island Bridge, turn left onto Sauvie Island Rd. Go approx. 8 miles. A parking permit is required. Get one at an ODFW license vendors or online.

33. MULTNOMAH CHANNEL, Portland—20 mi., 42 min.
Salmon, steelhead, shad, sturgeon, smallmouth bass, walleye, catfish, perch

A channel of the Willamette River that forms the western side of Sauvie Island and flows into the Columbia at St. Helens. Fish from the bank on Sauvie Island or fish the channel from a boat. A parking permit is required on Sauvie Island. Get one at an ODFW license vendors or online. There are several boat launches on Hwy. 30 between Portland and St. Helens.

North Fork Reservoir -Photo by Rick Swart, ODFW

34. NORTH FORK RESERVOIR—40 mi., 60 min.
Trout, salmon, steelhead

Stocked 350-acre reservoir on the Clackamas River in Promotory Park. Good trout angling for boat and bank anglers. ADA accessible fishing platform, boat ramp, boat rentals, picnic areas. Take Exit 12A off I-205 S to Hwy. 224. Follow SE Hwy. 224 to Faraday Road. There is an entrance to Promontory Park and the reservoir on the right. PGE park.

35. OXBOW PARK, Troutdale—27 mi., 48 min.
Steelhead, salmon

Sandy River. Plenty of good bank fishing. Boat ramp. Fee. From I-84, take Exit 17. Go to the light and turn right on 257th. Go 3 miles to Division Street, turn left. Continue east for 5 miles, turn left to the park. Metro regional park.

36. RIVERSIDE PARK, Clackamas—18 mi., 27 min.
Steelhead, chinook, coho, fin-clipped trout

Clackamas River. Fish off the bank or launch a boat. Boat ramp. Restrooms, picnic tables. From I-205, take exit 12A onto OR- 212/224 toward Clackamas. Right on Evelyn Street. Follow Evelyn St. approx. 1 mile past Safeway distribution center. County park.

37. ROEHR WATERFRONT PARK, Lake Oswego— 8 mi., 20 min.
Crappie, bass, bluegill, perch Willamette River.

This 7.5-acre park located at 350 Oswego Pointe Drive, Lake Oswego is a developed riverfront area.

38. ROOSTER ROCK SLOUGH, Columbia Gorge— 25 mi., 30 min.
Brown bullhead, white crappie, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch

Columbia River backwater located in Rooster Rock State Park. Float tube or boat. Bank fishing is available but be prepared to Riverside Park, Clackamas. work your way through dense underbrush to access casting areas. Fee. Off I-84, just north of the day-use area.

39. SALISH PONDS, FAIRVIEW—14 mi., 20 min.
Trout, crappie, bass, catfish

Two ponds. Bank fish. West pond is stocked with trout, east pond is a warmwater fishery. Located off NE Glisan between 201st and 207th. East and West Salish Ponds are located at the Salish Ponds Wetlands Park on 207th Ave. and Glisan in Fairview, east of Portland. From I-84 take Exit 16 to Fairview and travel south on Fairview Pkwy. 40. Sandy Hatchery, Sandy—29 mi., 47 min. Steelhead, salmon Sandy River. From the fish hatchery, take the trail along Cedar Creek to its confluence with the Sandy. The hike to the river takes about 30 minutes. Take Hwy. 26 east to Sandy. Go through the town of Sandy to the last traffic light. Turn left onto Ten Eyck Road. Approximately 1/2 mile down the hill is a very sharp left hand turn. Turn left onto SE Fish Hatchery Road and proceed one mile to the hatchery.

41. SCAPPOOSE BAY, Scappoose—26 mi., 39 min.
Bullhead, crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, carp

Shallow bay providing boat access to the Multnomah Channel. Marina, boat ramp, kayak rentals. Follow Hwy. 30 west of Portland. About 7 miles north of Scappoose, turn onto Old Portland Rd. Scappoose Bay Marina is on the right.

Small Fry Lake, Estacada

42. SMALL FRY LAKE, Estacada—40 mi., 60 min.
Trout

Kids only. Small Fry Lake, a one-acre lake within Promontory Park, was developed for the exclusive use of anglers 12 and under. Seven miles east of Estacada on Hwy. 224. PGE park.

43. SMITH AND BYBEE LAKES, Portland—9 mi., 16 min.
Crappie, bullhead, largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch

A 200-acre warmwater lake in large wetland in north Portland near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Fish from bank or canoe. Access by canoe or on foot. Trailheads on Marine Drive west of Heron Lakes Golf Course near the
Multnomah county Expo Center, and on the north side of the bridge that crosses Columbia Slough near Kelley Point Park. See Metro Web site for Smith and Bybee Wetlands.

44. ST. LOUIS PONDS, GERVAIS—36 mi., 48 min.
Trout, crappie, bass, bluegill, perch

Seven ponds offer seven miles of shoreline designed for bank angling. Boats and flotation devices are not allowed. ADA accessible angling docks are located on Ponds 1 and 3. A parking area, trails, restrooms are available but usually locked during winter. West of I-5 about 15 miles north of Salem and 2 miles west of Gervais.. From Gervais, take St. Louis Road west to Tesch Lane, turn left and follow the road to the ponds.

45. SWIFTSHORE PARK, West Linn—18 mi., 27 min.
Trout, bass, crappie

Tualatin River. Four-acre riverfront park at the end of Swiftshore Drive offers bank fishing for warmwater fish. Access is by a short trail through a residential area. 25461 Swiftshore Drive, West Linn. Picnic areas. City park.

46. TOM MCCALL WATERFRONT PARK, Portland—1 mi., 6 min.
Crappie, bass, perch, salmon, steelhead

Willamette River. Bank fish the Portland Waterfront in the park and along the sea walls for all species. Downtown Portland.

47. WILLAMETTE PARK, Portland—4 mi., 12 min.
Steelhead, salmon, sturgeon, crappie, bass, walleye, shad

Willamette River. Boat ramp. Bank fishing, go early to avoid crowd. Boat dock, picnic area, ADA-access restroom. Parking fee. Located at SW Macadam Ave. and Nebraska St. City park.

48. WILLAMETTE PARK, West Linn—20 mi., 27 min.
Crappie, bass, perch

confluence of the Tualatin and Willamette rivers. Bank fishing. A 22.5-acre park, boat ramp, day-use dock, picnic tables, restrooms. 1100 12th St., West Linn.

49. WILSONVILLE POND, WILSONVILLE—21 mi., 28 min.
Largemouth bass, bluegill, bullhead

Six-acre pond located on the west side of I-5, one mile south of the Wilsonville Rest Area. There is a trail around the lake, with several clearings that provide good places to cast. Take Exit 282 from I-5, west on Butteville road to Boones Ferry Road, south on Boones Ferry Road 1.7 miles.

50. WOODBURN POND, Woodburn—32 mi., 37 min.
Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish

AS ALWAYS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME OR HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT ME TO REVIEW SOME PRODUCTS EMAIL ME AT BassGeekFishing@gmail.com

Special Thanks to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for the listings!