Lake · Klamath, Oregon
Crater Lake near Crater Lake
Current Lake Rating
Point-in-time lake rating — separate from the trip recommendation below.
Fair
This condition rating is estimated because current on-water monitoring is not available.
Estimated Conditions
Estimated from available current readings, weather, seasonal patterns, destination characteristics, and historical conditions. Some important on-water measurements may be unavailable.
Rating confidence: Low
Should I Go?
Consider
Fishing guidance for this destination based on available lake conditions, weather, and seasonal context. It is not a boating, swimming, ice, or access-safety rating.
Recommendation confidence: Low
Why
- Current water-level and water-temperature observations are not available.
- StrikeTracks is showing a provisional Estimated Conditions rating from accepted secondary evidence.
Current Readings
- Water level
- 6,166.36 ft
- Change over 24 hours
- -0.01 ft
- Trend
- Stable
- Last updated
- 56 min ago
Source: USGS · CRATER LAKE NEAR CRATER LAKE, OR · 11492200 · Elevation, lake/res, NGVD29
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Weather Near Lake
Current Weather
Clear
Temperature
36°F
Feels like
30°F
Wind
6 mph SW
Wind gust
9 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 5, 2026, 12:45 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this lake
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.07 in
Last 48 hours
0.15 in
Little recent rainfall near this lake.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 2 AM
Clear
Temp 36°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 3 mph
Sat 6 AM
Clear
Temp 36°F
Chance 2%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Sat 10 AM
Mostly clear
Temp 44°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 10 mph
Sat 2 PM
Partly cloudy
Temp 49°F
Chance 7%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 8 mph
Sat 6 PM
Clear
Temp 48°F
Chance 3%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 9 mph
Sat 10 PM
Overcast
Temp 40°F
Chance 11%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Sat, Sep 5
Overcast
High 50°F / Low 35°F
Chance 12%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 14 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Rain
High 44°F / Low 36°F
Chance 70%
Precip 0.57 in
Max gust 17 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Overcast
High 62°F / Low 35°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 9 mph
Tue, Sep 8
Overcast
High 68°F / Low 44°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 6 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this lake's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence lake level and access, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, and reservoir operations where applicable.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Lake Elevation History
Elevation is reported relative to the datum used by this USGS monitoring site. Elevations from different lakes or datums should not be directly compared.
Loading historical elevation…
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Crater Lake.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Crater Lake is a National Park caldera stillwater with introduced rainbow trout and kokanee. StrikeTracks keeps this existing public ID as an elevation-only PATH B lake: USGS 11492200 reports lake elevation, not water temperature, so it is not Monitoring-Backed lake thermal. Fishing access is limited (Cleetwood Cove). This is an honest park fishery, not a high-volume destination hatchery lake. Flow is not applicable. Hatch Match publishes general fly suggestions only.
Target species
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- Medium confidence
NPS Crater Lake introduced rainbow trout. USGS 11492200 is elevation-only. Kokanee are an ODFW-managed salmonid in some Oregon stillwaters and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Natural flow
Deep caldera lake in Crater Lake National Park, Klamath County. Extreme depth and limited shoreline access.
Best seasons
- Summer
Common techniques
- Fly fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
Access and Public Fishing Rights
NPS Cleetwood Cove trail is the primary legal descent to the water. Catalog coordinates are the USGS elevation gage, not a boat ramp. Park fishing is subject to NPS rules.
Stocking information
NPS / historical introductions of rainbow trout and kokanee; Crater Lake is not an ODFW regularly stocked urban lake. Confirm current NPS fishing rules. Kokanee is not a selector ID.
Official sources
Crater Lake National Park fishing rules apply inside the park and may differ from ODFW statewide inland rules, including license treatment. Kokanee are an ODFW-managed salmonid in some Oregon stillwaters and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID. Elevation-only USGS is not live temperature. Confirm NPS and ODFW rules.
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Midge larvaGeneral stillwater midge-style family — not a live Chironomidae Hatch claim.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral stillwater streamer family. Not a baitfish or kokanee Hatch event.
- Ant or beetleGeneral shoreline terrestrial family — not a local Hatch calendar.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Klamath, Oregon
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Klamath
Management Category
National Park stillwater
Regulation Scope
Crater Lake National Park
Regulation Summary
Crater Lake: National Park Service fishing rules plus ODFW where applicable. Confirm current NPS and ODFW pages.
Target Species
rainbow-trout
Public Access
Public
Description
Crater Lake near Crater Lake, Oregon. Existing public elevation-only USGS 11492200 PATH B lake. Gage height / lake elevation is not lake-water-temperature authority.
