Haines Reservoir in Polk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Haines Reservoir in the Polk County part of Oregon. The setting is open plain. For supplies, Keizer is 4.3 miles out. Salem lies 4.4 miles off, Hayesville another 6.4 miles. More in the same country: Staats Reservoir lies 0.8 miles on, 0.9 miles away is Croft Reservoir, Oak Crest Farm Reservoir lies 2.4 miles on, 2.4 miles away is Stevens Reservoir and Four H Reservoir lies 2.4 miles on. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Haines Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Fish documented in Polk County include bluegill, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, largescale sucker and cutthroat trout. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Haines Reservoir a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 40°F in December and 66°F in August. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. Anyone fishing Haines Reservoir regularly works to that calendar. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Staats Reservoir, 0.8 miles away. Signs at Haines Reservoir carry more weight than any list.