Paulina Lake Fishing Report – 5-12-2026
Absolutely incredible day on the water at Paulina Lake today! The kokanee fishing was about as good as it gets, and it felt like everything came together perfectly — beautiful Central Oregon weather, calm water, aggressive fish, and an awesome group of clients on the boat. Days like this are exactly why Paulina Lake is becoming one of the top kokanee fisheries in the state, and today was another reminder of just how special this lake can be during the spring bite.
It was also great running into Joe Moritz out on the water today. Always nice seeing familiar faces enjoying the lake and getting in on the action.
The fishing started early and stayed consistent throughout the day. We found kokanee scattered in several areas, and once we got dialed in, the rods were staying busy. The fish were aggressive, hard-fighting, and in excellent condition. Several fish absolutely hammered the gear, burying rods and making long runs behind the boat before finally sliding into the net. It was one of those days where every pass felt like it could produce another fish.
Today’s top-producing setup was a mix of LURED Tackle and Poulsen Cascade Tackle Arrow Flash Dodgers paired with Twirlee-Gigs. Orange and pink were definitely the dominant colors for us today. Those bright colors really seemed to trigger bites consistently throughout the morning and into the afternoon. The fish didn’t seem overly picky either, which is always fun to see. Most of our fish came running gear about 30–60 feet behind the boat, but honestly, the bite was so good today it felt like you probably could have tied just about anything on and still caught kokanee.
One thing that stood out today was how active the fish were. We had multiple doubles, several quick hook-ups right after resetting rods, and plenty of exciting moments that kept everybody engaged all day long. The kokanee at Paulina are known for fighting hard, and today’s fish definitely lived up to that reputation. Even the smaller fish were putting a serious bend in the rods and keeping anglers smiling.
The weather was absolutely perfect as well. Light winds, comfortable temperatures, and a beautiful backdrop made for an incredible day to be on the water. Paulina Lake, this time of year, is hard to beat. Between the clear water, surrounding mountains, and active kokanee schools, it’s one of the most scenic fisheries anywhere in Central Oregon.
The spring kokanee bite is definitely heating up right now, and if conditions continue like this, the fishing should only continue getting better over the next several weeks. This is the time of year when anglers can experience fast-paced action, quality fish, and comfortable weather before the heavy summer boat traffic starts showing up.
A huge thank you again to my clients today for making the trip so much fun. Great attitudes, lots of laughs, and nonstop action made for one heck of a memorable day on Paulina Lake.
If you’d like to experience the Paulina Lake kokanee bite for yourself this season, now is the time to book your trip. I’m currently guiding Paulina Lake, along with several other Central Oregon fisheries, through Day One Outdoors. To reserve your date, go to Dayoneoutdoors.com and ask for James as your guide. Come get in on the action while the bite is hot!
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