Fishing Horning Reservoir in Clackamas County, Oregon

• Overview

  The Clackamas County end of Oregon holds Horning Reservoir. It stands 1,102 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Some 5.5 miles away sits Estacada, the nearest settlement. Beavercreek lies 8 miles off, Mulino another 9 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Horning Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Across Clackamas County, recorded fish include Coho salmon, rainbow trout and Chinook salmon. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Horning Reservoir a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in August and bottoms out near 39°F in January. Fish stay active all year, but they move with the heat. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Plan any trip to Horning Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. 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. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Faraday Lake is 4.9 miles off. Signs at Horning Reservoir carry more weight than any list.