Fishing at Joe Fisher Reservoir, Jefferson County, Oregon

• Overview

  Joe Fisher Reservoir sits within Jefferson County in Oregon. It lies 3,241 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 22 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Prineville is 8.5 miles out. Terrebonne lies 14 miles off, Redmond another 17 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Joe Fisher Reservoir

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Jefferson County records list rainbow trout, bull trout and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Joe Fisher Reservoir gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 64°F; by December the average is down near 32°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Joe Fisher Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Barnes Butte Reservoir, 6.8 miles out. Rules at Joe Fisher Reservoir are worth checking on the day.