Marx Reservoir

Marx Reservoir is a reservoir in Polk County, Oregon.

Use the shape you can see at Marx Reservoir: check the best cover, the first drop, and one open-water line before moving.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Marx Reservoir include Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, and Largemouth Bass.

During the final pass near an open-water edge where two features meet, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets for bluegill.

During a return to the best bank near a protected point near visible bait, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover for largemouth bass.

During a steady fall day near a small drop before changing depth, use a worm on the bottom in a warm, quiet pocket during low light for brown bullhead.

How to Read the Water

During a check of nearby water near a clean gravel patch with stable weather, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.

Season by Season

During a warm summer afternoon near a windblown shore away from empty shoreline, spring fishing starts with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.

A Simple Tackle Plan

During a low-light period near a shaded bank where two features meet, a medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle.

During a warm summer afternoon near a quiet corner near firm bottom, record the wind, water color, depth of the first bite, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.