Bear Creek Reservoir in Clatsop County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Oregon, Bear Creek Reservoir falls inside Clatsop County. It sits at 653 feet above sea level. Around 29 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Few waters listed in Clatsop County are bigger. For supplies, Astoria is 11 miles out. Then Warrenton, 14 miles, and Gearhart, 14 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Bear Creek Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. County-wide records name Chinook salmon, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and Coho salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Anyone new to Bear Creek Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 60°F for August and 40°F for January. Whether it freezes depends on the year. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan around that when you fish Bear Creek Reservoir. The hour either side of first light is rarely wasted.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Astoria Reservoir at 9.1 miles is the sensible second choice. What applies at Bear Creek Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.