Sparks Lake

A good brook trout fishery, clear, shallow Sparks Lake, with its wary fish population, makes for a challenging outing for any fly fisher. Nestled in the Deschutes National Forest against a spectacular mountain backdrop, Sparks Lake is a mere 12 feet at its deepest and it averages only a foot. This shallowness, combined with glass-clear water, makes trout hard to approach. Trout here average in the 12-inch range. Although the lake is open year-round for fly fishing with barbless hooks only, its 5,400-foot elevation means that it is usually not accessible to anglers until well into May. Key Species: brook trout, cutthroat trout.