Angling amid scenes of towering, multicolored cliffs in heavily
trout-stocked waters of deepest blue is an experience long to be
remembered. Trout bite readily in Crater Lake and are caught in goodly
numbers. These trout are not small nor do they submit easily after they
are hooked. Trout as long as 36 inches have been caught; the average is
around 2 pounds each and the length 16 inches.
The crystal-clear waters of the lake provide good fly fishing.
Experienced fly casters have reported success many times, using a wide
assortment of lures. During certain hours of the day fish jump lustily
along the shore line, and here flies are placed to effective use.
Trolling, however, is the popular method, with results satisfactory in
most sections of the lake. Spoons or spinners are principally used,
although plugs are occasionally a part of the tackle.
The limit of a day’s catch is 12 per person, extending during the summer
season. No fishing license is necessary.
Although today Crater Lake literally teems with rainbow and silverside
trout, in addition to a lesser number of steelhead, German brown, and
speckled trout, some 50 years ago the lake was devoid of piscatorial
life of any kind.
The first fish were planted September 1, 1888, by Judge William
Gladstone Steel, but with little success. A few years later a California
minister succeeded in planting 200 fingerlings, but after that plantings
were rare for many years. Since the park was established in 1902, fish
have been systematically planted, especially during the past decade. So
well has this work been done that the lake is now abundantly stocked and
care is being taken not to overstock this body of water.
The trout are largely dependent for food on an abundance of small
crustaceans in the lake. Research carried on in 1934-36 revealed that
while 53.7 percent of the food came from crustaceans, 47.1 percent of
this classification was confined to Daphnia pulex (water fleas). The
figures were determined after the examination of 224 trout stomachs. The
water fleas are most commonly found at a depth of 75 feet and are the
most abundant of several types of food found in the lake depths.