Fishing Averill Lake in Marion County, Oregon

• Overview

  Oregon holds Averill Lake, in Marion County. The ground round it is farm and woodlot. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. The town to know is Warm Springs, 29 miles out. The big place round here is Gresham, 55 miles distant. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it. Nothing about the approach is difficult in dry weather.

• Where to Fish on Averill Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name bluegill, largemouth bass and largescale sucker. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Averill Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 58°F at the top of summer and 30°F at the bottom of winter. The season stretches long at both ends here. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Averill Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Red Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Treat access at Averill Lake as something to verify.