Fishing at Sugarloaf Reservoir, Baker County, Oregon

• Overview

  Look for Sugarloaf Reservoir in Baker County, Oregon. Height above sea level is 7,175 feet. At roughly 19 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is high ground by Oregon standards. Joseph lies 20 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Boise, 110 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Sugarloaf Reservoir

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Baker County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and bluegill among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Sugarloaf Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 21°F in December up to 55°F in August. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early May. Averages place the thaw at early May and the freeze at mid November. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. At Sugarloaf Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Mehlhorn Reservoir, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Sugarloaf Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.