Barnes Butte Reservoir Fishing in Crook County, Oregon

• Overview

  You will find Barnes Butte Reservoir in Crook County, Oregon. The setting is dry open country on every side. At about 32 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. 2.1 miles away sits Prineville, the nearest town. Gresham sits 112 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Barnes Butte Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Crook County records list rainbow trout, bridgelip sucker and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Barnes Butte Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 65°F, with December the cold end at about 31°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. That is the shape of the year on Barnes Butte Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Crawford Reservoir at 2.8 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Barnes Butte Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.