Von Reservoir near Carlton: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Von Reservoir in the Yamhill County part of Oregon. The sea is 30 miles distant. It covers about 2 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Yamhill County list. Carlton lies 7.3 miles from the water. After that come Yamhill at 7.4 miles and McMinnville at 8.6 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Von Reservoir

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Yamhill County names largemouth bass, bluegill and white crappie. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Von Reservoir a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between December at about 39°F and August at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Von Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Carlton Reservoir sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Von Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.