Warm Springs Reservoir in Malheur County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Warm Springs Reservoir is set in Malheur County, Oregon. The ground around here is open dry country. Surface area runs to some 6.5 sq miles, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. You have roughly 20 miles of edge to choose from, which rewards a scouting trip. Few waters listed in Malheur County are bigger. Burns sits 41 miles from the bank. After that come Hines at 42 miles and Vale at 56 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Warm Springs Reservoir

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Reported across Malheur County: rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, common carp, flathead catfish and channel catfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Warm Springs Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 68°F in August and bottom out at 28°F in January. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. 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. Plan any trip to Warm Springs Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Ha-ng isa Reservoir, 21 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Warm Springs Reservoir for certain.