Croft Reservoir Fishing Guide, Polk County, Oregon

• Overview

  In Oregon, Croft Reservoir belongs to Polk County. The bank gives way to pine and hardwood. At 10 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The town to know is Salem, 4.2 miles out. Keizer follows at 4.8 miles, then Hayesville at 6.7 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Croft Reservoir

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records held for Polk County cover bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, largescale sucker and cutthroat trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Croft Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August to average close to 66°F, with December the cold end at about 40°F. Winter is a mild inconvenience here, nothing more. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Croft Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. 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. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Staats Reservoir at 0.3 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Croft Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.