Summer Bites: Where To Catch Fish In Albany Oregon

Fish on!

Coffee burbling, tackle boxes closing, boat trailers hitching...

The sounds of summer abound, like children running wild in the park, and fish are running too. In Albany, at the epicenter of the fertile Willamette Valley, opportunities for catching fish are everywhere. From the eastern gateway at Waverly Lake, to the western boundary, the Calapooia River, fishing in Albany can be productive, fun, and altogether satisfying.

Waverly Lake:

On Pacific Boulevard as you enter Albany from Interstate 5, Waverly Lake offers fishing for bass, bluegill, carp, catfish, and the occasional trout. Access is for everyone, with multiple parking lots and trails with benches all around the lake. All methods produce fish, with lures taking bass and bait enticing the hatchery trout. The lake is open year-round.

As of June 27, the bite at Waverly has been slow. Early in the month, trout fishing was very good, and as the weather gets warmer, the bass will turn on. This is a pressured lake, and the bass can be finicky. Best lures are weedless plastic worms and grubs.


Swan Lake:

Just to the south of Waverly, Swan Lake has limited access on Bain Street, off Airport Road. The lake has good fishing for bass and trout, but access is limited. The bite here has been slow. Fish plastic worms for big bass. Fish the lure a bit slower here, for better results.


Timber-Linn Memorial Park:

East of Interstate-5, this park has great fishing for bass, bluegill, and trout. Access is easy, with plenty of shoreline to let the kids roam and fish. The bite at Timber-Linn has been good, with plenty of trout in the mix. Warm, summer weather, will get the bass fishing going at a good pace. Plastic grubs, spinnerbaits, and top-water poppers work best. Fish the shorelines and structure such as points and over-hanging trees.


Freeway Lakes:

Just outside east Albany, off of Grand Prairie Road, Freeway Lakes offers very good trout and bass fishing. Access is easy, with much shoreline available. Early season trout and summer bass are the ticket here, with lures working best. Rooster Tails will take trout and bass, and Powerbait entices the trout into early summer. Bass tactics include weedless plastic grubs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits, and the always reliable popper. The spring bite at Freeway was very good, so expect summer fishing to be at least decent.


Truax Island:

Part of the Willamette Greenway, Truax offers exceptional bass and bluegill fishing. West of Albany, off of Riverside Drive, these ponds fish well through the summer, with catches of bass into the five pound range. Best methods are plastic lures and topwater plugs. Bait is not encouraged.

Thornton Lake:

A private lake in north Albany, with limited access. Holds huge bass. Ask permission to fish. The bite here has been very good for bass.


Grand Prairie Lake:

Off of Geary Street in south Albany, Grand Prairie offers decent fishing for bass, bluegill, and catfish. All methods produce. The spring bite was slow. Fish the dock at night for small catfish. Bring a lantern and a sweater.


Calapooia River:

From Tangent, and down through west Albany, the Calapooia offers excellent fishing for bass, trout, carp, and catfish. Access is limited, but available. Queen Avenue and Montieth Park offer the best access. Many people float or walk the stream, with fish plentiful in all respects. The spring bite has been very good, with summer usually red hot. All methods take fish, with earthworms taking smallmouth bass consistently.


Willamette River:

The Willamette runs through Albany, from its western boundary, all the way east, down the Dave Clark Bikepath. Access at Bryant Park, Montieth Park, and Bowman Park, with additional riverfront along Water Street. Fishing for carp, bass, trout, salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon, can be very good. Weedless jigs and spinners work best. The spring bite was slow, but expect summer to increase success rates.


The rules of fishing are simple. Treat fish with respect, and handle accordingly, by releasing fish efficiently. Treat the earth with respect, by packing out your trash.

THANK-YOU FOR NOT LITTERING!