Fishing Ashland OR

Ashland Creek

Visitors to Ashland notice one of the highlights of their visit can be a stroll through the famous and historical Lithia Park which is bisected by the lovely, bubbling, Ashland Creek.

The water source for Ashland fed from springs and snowmelt off of Mt. Ashland, few know it holds a healthy population of small, wild Cutthroat trout. Sometimes a keen eye can spot a few in the deeper pools throughout the park or from bridges overlooking the creek, but within the park, angling is prohibited.

Above the park a network of trails follow the creek on National Forest land and the creek is open to catch and release angling with artificial flies and lures. Because of its size, fly angling is the preferred method. A short rod and light line are best and a basic selection of attractor dries and nymphs should suffice, but the creek sees a lot of traffic from swimmers, dogs and hikers in the summer so stealth and good presentation are a must.

Above Reeder Reservoir the creek offers a more solitary experience and both forks of the creek can be accessed through a network of trails above Ashland, but bring a rod more for the experience than a day of hard fishing. Be sure to stay away from the reservoir as it is the drinking supply for Ashland and is patrolled.

Directions – From the central plaza, walk or drive up Granite Street along the park for 1.4 miles. You will pass a small reservoir (lower reservoir). Park in one of two designated parking areas just beyond the lower reservoir.

South Fork, Big Butte Creek

Rarely fished and easily accessible, the south fork of Big Butte Creek is a numbers fishery in a forest setting and is a great place to take first timers on a hot summer day. Big Butte Creek is a tributary of the famous Rogue River; it flows northwest from near Mt. McLoughlin through the town of Butte Falls in Jackson County.

Averaging 8 inches and pushing 15 inches, this stream is chock full of native Rainbow and Cutthroat trout. Big Butte is best fished May through November or when the water levels have stabilized below 150 cubic feet per second. Water levels can be checked at here at www.dreamflows.com. Open to artificial flies and lures, fly-fishing is the best method. A basic selection of nymph and dry flies are all that is needed, with nymphing the most consistently successful choice.

All you need for Big Butte Creek is a light line. Access is easy and from the town of Butte Falls the creek parallels the road on the left. Park at a pull out and scramble down to the creek to enjoy some fine fishing.

Directions: From Ashland, head north on I-5 and take exit 30 in Medford, turning onto Oregon highway 62/Crater Lake Highway. Follow this for 14 miles and turn right on Butte Falls Highway and following signs for Butte Falls. Continue through Butte Falls until the stream comes into sight on the left. From here, the next several miles are good for fishing and easy accessibility.

Outdoor Recreation Safety Note: Please be sure to read our safety note on our Outdoor Recreation home page.