McGill Reservoir Fishing Guide, Multnomah County, Oregon

• Overview

  Oregon holds McGill Reservoir, in Multnomah County. The surface lies 230 feet up. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. It is a small entry by Multnomah County standards. The town to know is Wood Village, 0.7 miles out. Further out sit Fairview (0.8 miles) and Gresham (2 miles). The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on McGill Reservoir

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Multnomah County include Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, rainbow trout and common carp. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Read McGill Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 68°F and January at 40°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect McGill Reservoir to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. Fairview Woods Wetlands Park covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Fairview Lake is 1.8 miles off. Rules at McGill Reservoir are worth checking on the day.