McKay Reservoir

McKay Reservoir in Umatilla County is a reservoir in Oregon.

Without a dependable size figure for McKay Reservoir, weeds, rock, water color, and nearby depth are the best starting clues.

What Makes McKay Reservoir Different

McKay Reservoir is a shallow irrigation and refuge lake known for bass, crappie, perch, catfish, bullheads, and carp rather than a cold-water trout pattern.

Use plastics around rock or plants for bass, small jigs for crappie and perch, and worms or cut bait along the old creek path for catfish and bullheads.

How McKay Reservoir Fishes

The reservoir can drop hard during irrigation season, exposing broad flats and pushing fish toward McKay Creek's channel. Shallow wind can muddy one bank quickly.

Fishing becomes easier when the trip starts with one goal: follow McKay Creek during drawdown for bass, crappie, perch, catfish, and bullheads. On McKay Reservoir, that separates a real pattern from random casting.

A second pass should follow the same main idea, which is to follow McKay Creek during drawdown for bass, crappie, perch, catfish, and bullheads, while holding the lure near the depth of the first two bites, changing speed once, and checking one nearby piece of matching water before leaving the area so the next move is based on a repeatable fish location instead of a guess or an old report from another part of the lake.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for McKay Reservoir include Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Channel Catfish, Brown Bullhead, and Common Carp.

During the start of a weather change near a creek-side turn beside useful cover, keep a small jig tipped with a worm or minnow close to bottom on a shelf for yellow perch.

During the start of a weather change near a protected point where two features meet, fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops for black crappie.

During the start of a weather change near a soft-to-hard bottom change under flat light, drag a tube or Ned rig across rock and the hard edge of a point for smallmouth bass.

During a short evening pass near a firm-bottom flat close to shade, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover for largemouth bass.

During a warm summer afternoon near the downwind side before changing depth, Other targets listed here include Channel Catfish, Brown Bullhead, and Common Carp; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig.

How to Read the Water

Later in the trip, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.

Season by Season

During a cold winter outing near scattered wood after warm rain, 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 the first hour near a clean gravel patch while the water is rising, 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 calm morning near a creek-side turn away from empty shoreline, record the wind, water color, depth where the lure was hit, 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.

During a steady fall day near a creek-side turn after warm rain, keep the first hour simple: use one moving bait to find active fish, slow down with a jig or natural bait on the best edge, and repeat the same setup when two bites come from matching depth and bottom during that part of the trip.

McKay Reservoir FAQs

What makes McKay Reservoir different from other Oregon waters?

The main difference is easy to see: McKay Reservoir is a shallow irrigation and refuge lake known for bass, crappie, perch, catfish, bullheads, and carp rather than a cold-water trout pattern.

What is a useful first fishing plan for McKay Reservoir?

Start simply: Use plastics around rock or plants for bass, small jigs for crappie and perch, and worms or cut bait along the old creek path for catfish and bullheads.

Which local detail matters most when fishing McKay Reservoir?

Watch this closely: The reservoir can drop hard during irrigation season, exposing broad flats and pushing fish toward McKay Creek's channel.