Cullaby Lake

Located just off Hwy 101 on the northern Oregon coast between Astoria and Seaside, Cullaby is a long and narrow 220 acre lake that offers a good warmwater fishing opportunity for local and vacationing anglers. It supports a variety of fish including crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, brown bullhead catfish, and an abundance of nice-sized largemouth bass that attracts tournament anglers in the spring. It is also a great location for young anglers and families as there are two county parks, picnic shelters, play areas, beaches, docks, and opportunities for swimming. During the summer, anglers share the lake with water and jet skiers, but the shoreline, all coves, and the northern end of the lake near Carnahan County Park and the southern end near the mouth of Cullaby Creek are off-limit to high-speed boat use and offer good fishing. Aquatic weeds can get to be a problem in some areas so a boat will make access easier later in the summer. Ramps are located at Carnahan and Cullaby Lake County Parks.

Cullaby is fairly shallow with an average depth of less than 12 feet, but the brush along the banks and submerged wood debris and vegetation provide excellent fish habitat. Warmwater fish have done well in Cullaby after they were introduced, particularly the yellow perch and crappie, and there has been no need for stocking. Rainbow trout are stocked annually to provide a seasonal fishery, but this ends in the summer as water temperatures warm.

Local anglers know that warmwater fish prefer areas with cover so they target shoreline structure including submerged logs, drop-offs, and aquatic vegetation such as lily pads.

In areas the vegetation is thick, bluegill are easily caught from either boat or bank

Lily pads, abundant vegetation.

Submerged logs, drop-offs,brush along the banks and submerged wood debris.