Tanner Lakes

Tanner Lakes is a lake in Josephine County, Oregon.

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

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Tanner Lakes include Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Cutthroat Trout, and Largemouth Bass.

During the start of a weather change near a channel bend after warm rain, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets for bluegill.

During the first hour near the outside weed line away from empty shoreline, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover for largemouth bass.

During the start of a weather change near the downwind side near visible bait, use a worm on the bottom in a warm, quiet pocket during low light for brown bullhead.

How to Read the Water

During a return to the best bank near the edge of deeper water after warm rain, 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 short evening pass near a windblown shore where food is present, spring runoff can add color and pull fish toward fresh water; green weeds and the first drop become stronger summer targets; in fall, follow bait toward points and shallow flats, while winter rewards a slower search.

A Simple Tackle Plan

During a careful second pass near a soft-to-hard bottom change where food is present, a light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control.

During a cold winter outing near a windblown shore beside useful cover, 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.