Getting There: Foster Reservoir is located 3 miles east of Sweet Home on Hwy 20. Take the Hwy 34 (Corvallis) exit off I-5 and head east about 20 miles toward Lebanon and Sweet Home. Green Peter Reservoir is north of Foster Reservoir on Quartzville Road.

Fishing on the Green Peter Reservour -Photo by Kathy Munsel-

Fisheries: Foster Reservoir is stocked with over 40,000 rainbow trout from April to June each year. A small lake at Sunnyside Park is stocked with trout, and also has bass, bullhead and bluegill. The lake at Sunnyside Park is a good place for young anglers. Green Peter offers an excellent kokanee and landlocked chinook salmon fishery, with a 25 kokanee limit. There are also largemouth and smallmouth bass. Green Peter and Quartzville Creek, a tributary to the reservoir, are stocked with rainbow trout in the spring and early summer.

Useful Information: Boat angling is best April 1 to mid June. At Foster Reservoir, bank angling is popular near the dam at the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) park and at flat areas along the south side of the reservoir. At Green Peter, bank angling is available at the south end of the dam, at Thistle Creek boat ramp, off the Whitcomb bridge and other sites.

Tackle & Techniques: At Foster Reservoir, bank fishing is good using standard trout fishing techniques such as bobber and worms, casting spinners, or PowerBait. At both reservoirs, boat anglers can troll with spinners, such as rooster tails, and use their boats to gain access to more isolated areas of the reservoir. In Green Peter, fish for kokanee by jigging with Buzz Bombs or by trolling with the traditional flasher-wedding ring-white corn set-up. Kokanee are shallow in the spring and go deeper as the water warms.

A string of trout caught at the Green Peter Reservoir - Photo by Kathy Munsl -

Facilities: There are several Linn County and Army Corps of Engineers parks along Foster Reservoir. Boat ramps are available at Gedney Creek, Sunnyside Park and Calkins Park. Lewis Park, on the north side of the reservoir, offers swimming and picnicking. Sunnyside Park offers camping and picnicking. Numerous other private and public campgrounds are located in the general area. There are motels and resorts in the area around Sweet Home. There are Linn County Parks boat ramps at Green Peter Reservoir at Thistle Creek and Whitcomb Creek. There are also several campgrounds near the reservoir and on Quartzville Creek.

Fees: Yes, for parking at Lewis Park from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and camping at Sunnyside Park. The ACOE parks do not charge day use fees.

Additional Activities: Foster and Green Peter Reservoirs are at the gateway to South Santiam River recreational opportunities. There are numerous US Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, and Linn County campgrounds to the east on Hwy 20. Both reservoirs are popular for water skiing in the summer months, though Green Peter often becomes quite windy by late morning. Nearby state park: Cascadia State Park.

For More Information:
ODFW South Willamette Watershed District Office — (541) 757-4186 Linn County Parks — (541) 967-3917