Wild Rose Reservoir in Malheur County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Malheur County entry here is Wild Rose Reservoir, in Oregon. It stands 4,554 feet above sea level. Head to Homedale, 36 miles away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Boise, 66 miles distant. In the same area: Glover Reservoir out at 1.2 miles, Holdout Reservoir about 1.4 miles, Blue Canyon Reservoir out at 1.7 miles, Claude Reservoir about 1.9 miles and McCain Reservoir Number One out at 2.8 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Wild Rose Reservoir

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Survey and observation records for Malheur County include rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and common carp. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Wild Rose Reservoir the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 68°F at the top of summer and 27°F at the bottom of winter. Some winters cap it and some do not. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. That is the shape of the year on Wild Rose Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Glover Reservoir is 1.2 miles off. What applies at Wild Rose Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.