Tumble Lake Fishing Guide, Marion County, Oregon

• Overview

  Set in Marion County, Oregon, this is Tumble Lake. Elevation runs to 3,596 feet. The water measures roughly 22 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Size puts it in the front rank of our Marion County list. Nearest place of any size is Mill City, 12 miles away. Lyons is 19 miles away, with Stayton at 28 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Tumble Lake

  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. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. County-wide records name bluegill, largemouth bass, largescale sucker, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The near bank of Tumble Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year August sits at 62°F and January at 35°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Tumble Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Big Cliff Reservoir at 2.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Tumble Lake before loading the car.