Fishing at Lester James Reservoir Number 3, Jackson County, Oregon

• Overview

  Lester James Reservoir Number 3 falls in Jackson County, part of Oregon. Country round the bank runs to open plain. It covers about 9 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Gold Hill is the closest town at 6.6 miles. It is 108 miles to Eugene, the nearest city. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lester James Reservoir Number 3

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. County-wide records name rainbow trout, black crappie, largemouth bass, brown bullhead and bluegill. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of this water rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 39°F at the bottom of winter. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Lester James Reservoir, 0.3 miles away. Where this water is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.