Thief Valley Reservoir. Located on the Powder River north of Baker City and a few miles east of I-84, sprawling Thief Valley Reservoir offers good action for 14- to 20-inch rainbows. Its proximity to Baker City and La Grande assure moderate to heavy fishing pressure, but this reservoir never really seems crowded because boaters tend to disperse to the far corners. Ice-off usually occurs by early April and during years of good water supply the action lasts through early July. Fly anglers who wait until October often enjoy the best action of the year.

Chironomid hatches occur during the spring and early summer, although you can't count on a good hatch every day. Callibaetis mayflies appear in limited numbers by late April and water beetles become increasingly active and evident as spring progresses.

Eastern Oregon's Thief Valley Reservoir rests hidden amidst rolling sage hills with the Elkhorn Mountains looming to the west.

Most of the time, searching patterns and leech imitations produce plenty of fish. Among the most productive tactics is to employ a two-fly rig with a black leech or bugger as the lead fly, trailed by a No. 10 or 12 Zugbug or Prince Nymph. A mid-day wind often turns Thief Valley into a white-capped froth, but float tubers can still enjoy fast action on trolled flies.

Typical Thief Valley rainbows run 14- to 20 inches and grow quickly on a diet rich in all the usual still-water trout foods.

To reach Thief Valley Reservoir, take Exit 285 off I-84 (the North Powder Exit). Turn east off the freeway and follow the main road through the little town of North Powder. About five miles from the freeway, turn right on Government Gulch Lane, then drive about two miles to a right turn across the railroad tracks. Cross the tracks and continue another three miles to the top of a high summit from which the reservoir is visible to the west. Follow the road down to the county park on Thief Valley's east bank, where you will find ample float tube launches, lots of camping space and precious little shade.

Mulheur Reservoir. At full pool, Malheur Reservoir covers 1,400 acres. Yet it averages less than 20 feet in depth. During years of good water supply, planted rainbows reach 20 inches by their third season, feasting on a rich supply of all the typical still-water trout foods, including abundant Chironomids, scuds, snails and damsels. Malheur fishes best during April and May and again from late September through October.

Malheur abounds in perfect float tube water, offering lots of near-shore shallows where trout cruise morning and evening. During mid-day, trout feed in slightly deeper water, where extensive weed beds harbor abundant insects, scuds, leeches and snails. An improved boat ramp is located near the dam, but no other amenities are available. Unimproved campsites lie scattered about near the dam and the access roads.

Sunset, Malheur County, southeastern Oregon.

Relatively remote, Malheur Reservoir lies north of Highway 26, about halfway between the communities of Brogan and Ironside. Willow Creek Road (gravel) reaches the reservoir from either town. Other routes lead in from the north and east from Interstate-84. Use caution during wet weather and early in the spring as the gravel/dirt roads near the reservoir often get sticky and slippery.

Oregon's Malheur Reservoir produces super-fat rainbows from 14- to 20-plus inches in length.

Mann Lake. Located below the awesome east face of the Steens Mountains, Mann Lake attracts anglers as much for its remote, rugged splendor as for its abundant 14- to 24-inch Lahontan Cutthroat. This hardy strain of cutthroat originates in Lake Lahontan, Nevada, which eons ago covered a huge chunk of what is now interior basin desert. They are supremely adapted to survive alkaline desert waters and without them, fisheries like Mann Lake or Washington's Lake Lenore could not exist.

Anglers converge on Mann Lake as early as March and the spring fishing holds up through May. By October, the crowds have long since departed and the fishing often proves even better. Shallow throughout its 200-odd acres, Mann Lake features extensive weed-beds and easily wadeable shoreline margins. Most anglers forgo the float tube and instead simply wade the lake, casting blind or searching out visible targets along the banks. Sight-fishing opportunities abound during the early morning hours, before the ever-present wind kicks up.

A Lahontan Cutthroat trout.

Woolly buggers and leech patterns take lots of fish here, but Mann Lake's trout often prefer smaller flies.See the specialty flies. The lake is thick with Chironomids, that hatch all spring, especially on calm mornings. Likewise, water beetles, scuds and damsels abound in impressive densities.

Be prepared for anything: Snow in May at Oregon's Mann Lake.

To reach Mann Lake, follow Hwy. 78 south from Burns, past the tiny villages of Crane and New Princeton. Eventually the highway ascends a winding pass through the south extent of the Steens Mountains.

After you descend the south end of the pass, watch for a signed right turn pointing the way to Fields and Denio. This wide, "gravel highway" leads some 25 miles to Mann Lake, on the right side of the road. Along the way you will pass several turbid lakes, but don't mistake these for Mann, which is easily identified by the typical congregation of vehicles on any given spring weekend.

Save a pit toilet and boat ramp, Mann Lake offers no amenities. Bring your own shade, shelter and water and tie everything down. A stiff wind often howls through the basin and many a tent has ended its days airborne and rapidly disappearing down the valley. The nearest town is Fields, an hour to the south.

Flyshops and Info   Denio Junction   Denio, NV   (775)941-0371)   Four Seasons Fly Shop   10210 Wallowa Lake Highway   La Grande, OR   (541) 963-8420   Idaho Angler   1682 S. Vista   Boise, Idaho   (208) 389-9957   Kiger Creek Fly Shop   120 NW Circle Drive   Hines, OR   (541) 573-1329   Nevada Division of Wildlife   Elko office   (775)738-5332   Nevada Division of Wildlife   Fallon Office   (775)423-3171