Wanderlust is in our genetic code. Here at the end of the Oregon Trail, we are at the destination for the greatest road trip the world has ever known.

Midge, mayfly, caddis, stonefly, damsel and dragonfly hatches may occur throughout the season. Flying ants are another summer and fall food source.

Sam, 12, and Nolan King, 15 (right), try their luck at Harriet Lake on the Oak Grove Fork of the Clackamas during a weekend trout road trip. Photo by Gary Lewis.

In April, our thoughts turn to trout fishing, and the traditional road trip on opening day and beyond. To make 2009 a year for great trout action, Washington-Oregon Game & Fish has identified some of the best fishing you will find out on the road this spring and summer.

WILLAMETTE
The Willamette watershed is home to some of the best trout fishing in the state. Detroit Lake is at the top of the list because this reservoir is stocked with 100,000 to 120,000 legal rainbows each year. Upstream, the Breitenbush and the North Fork of the Santiam receive additional fish. Besides rainbows, this 3,580-acre reservoir is home to landlocked chinook salmon and kokanee as well as smaller populations of brook trout and cutthroats. The season opens April 25 this year, and angling success picks up in May as the water warms.

Bank access is good. From the shore, fish the North Fork Santiam River, Breitenbush River, Tumble Creek and French Creek arms. You could also fish beneath the Highway 22 bridge or at the dam.

Most fishermen bring a boat or rent one. Trolling is popular. Use flashers, 4 feet of leader and a spinner setup or small spoon tipped with bait.

The Clackamas River gathers water from several forks and dozens of tributary streams. Its proximity to Portland makes it a great bet for a springtime road trip. East of the town of Estacada is North Fork Reservoir where the fishing turns on with the late-May opener. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks close to 80,000 legal rainbows from May through September. The best fishing is found in the faster water at the upper end of the lake, near the marina and at the boat launches.

Popular trolling areas include the log boom in front of the dam, the north shore, near the lower launch and under the power lines.

Nearby, the one-acre Small Fry Pond is a great place to take the kids for a chance at a keeper. Fishing at Small Fry is limited to kids 14 and under.

Harriet Lake, a 23-acre reservoir on the Oak Grove Fork of the Clackamas, has become well known for trophy browns, rainbows, cutthroats and brook trout.

Bank-anglers prefer worms fished on a sliding sinker. Some use jar baits or salmon eggs to good effect. Try Rooster Tail spinners early and late in the day.

Flyfishermen do as well or better here than bait anglers. But the best fly-fishing is from a boat. The flooded timber makes this lake food-rich with plenty of structure and character. The head of the lake has a riffle, pools and islands like a river. Trout feed all day in the 3- to 5-foot water around the stumps and floating logs. Shadows concentrate the fish. A riffle on the water encourages them to elevate toward the surface. (Continued)