Crane Prairie Reservoir

A manageable 45-minute drive southwest of Bend, Crane Prairie was the very first of the manmade reservoirs
created on the Deschutes River. At an elevation of 4,452 feet above sea level, construction of a dam in the 1920’s,
backed water up to create a 3,400+ acre impoundment. Spectacular mountain views abound and the Sandhill
Cranes, for which the reservoir is named, still nest here. Many of the trees that lined the original riverbanks, were
left standing and are still visible today. The rather eerie looking ghostly forest of skeletal timber that remains,
seems an appropriate waterscape for the big rainbow trout that can still be found here. Crane Prairie is a very
shallow reservoir, only averaging 8 feet deep. Criss-crossed by ancient river channels, these deeper parts of Crane
contain underwater springs and are excellent places to locate fish seeking cooler more oxygenated water during
warmer mid-summer months.

Those channels are important, but fish can be found throughout the reservoir, drawn into the well-lit shallows and
timber to feed on the abundance and variety of insects nurtured by the nutrient-rich bottom. The Rainbow Trout
for which Crane is famous, grow large foraging on the populations of Lake Midges, Damselflies, Callibaetis
Mayflies, Stillwater Caddisfly species, and the very important Lake Leeches found there. In recent years, incredibly
innovative fly pattern designs have revolutionized how we imitate these various food sources. Properly presenting
your fly is the other key ingredient to success, and unfortunately it is impossible to accomplish without some sort
of watercraft. Completely unfishable by foot, single person inflatables or drift boats are the best watercraft
solutions for this reservoir.

It’s likely that over the last 50 years, Crane Prairie has consistently produced more big trout than any other body of
water in Central Oregon. Spectacular Rainbow Trout, self-sustaining populations of Brook Trout, and even
Largemouth Bass are all targets that await the angler visiting this premier Oregon fishery. Critical to one’s success,
however, is being able to pivot between the varied strategies required to consistently produce fish and
understanding trout behavior during Crane’s seasonally changing water conditions. Enlist the help of one of our
guides with a half or full day guided fly fishing trip and let us show you why Crane Prairie continues to be respected
as one of Central Oregon’s most fantastic places to cast a fly.