Every Boat Ramp on Lake Billy Chinook

About Lake Billy Chinook

Lake Billy Chinook is a spectacular 3,997-acre three-arm canyon reservoir at the confluence of the Deschutes, Metolius, and Crooked Rivers in Jefferson and Deschutes counties. With 72 miles of shoreline carved into dramatic 500-foot basalt canyon walls and depths plunging to 415 feet, this is one of Oregon's most visually stunning fishing destinations. Cove Palisades State Park occupies a prime location at the junction of the three arms, providing outstanding recreation facilities and lake access near the towns of Madras and Culver.

Kokanee Salmon are the bread-and-butter fishery at Lake Billy Chinook, with trollers working the deep, cold waters of the Metolius and Deschutes arms for these hard-fighting landlocked salmon throughout the summer. Bull Trout, a protected native char, inhabit the lake's deepest waters and can reach impressive sizes feeding on the abundant Kokanee population, though they are strictly catch-and-release. Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout provide additional cold-water fishing opportunities, while Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass offer excellent warm-water action in the shallower Crooked River arm during summer months.

Cove Palisades State Park provides the primary boat launch facilities, with a full-service marina, boat ramp, and campgrounds in the Deschutes arm of the lake. Additional access is available at the Crooked River arm. The lake's canyon setting provides shelter from wind and creates a microclimate that allows fishing well into the fall season. Whether you are trolling the emerald-green waters of the Metolius arm for Kokanee, casting for Smallmouth Bass in the Crooked River arm, or simply marveling at the towering canyon walls from your boat, Lake Billy Chinook is a central Oregon treasure that delivers both world-class fishing and jaw-dropping scenery.

Nearest towns: Madras, Culver