VACATIONING

Prineville Reservoir

Open year-round, the reservoir is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and waterskiing. Stay at the State Park, the local resort, or at primitive secluded campsites only accessible by boat. Situated in the high desert, the reservoir is an important local resource as well as a relaxing tourist destination. The cold, clear waters that flow out of the Ochoco Mountain Range to join the Crooked River and Bear Creek feed it. The surrounding steep canyons, rolling hills, and flat plateaus of sagebrush and juniper trees contribute to the tranquil setting. Enjoy the silent hush of dark nights lighted by an impressive canopy of stars. The reservoir was authorized by Congress in 1956 for flood control, irrigation, and to provide municipal and industrial water. Bowman Dam was constructed and the reservoir was filled in the winter of 1960-61.

Overview

Access - 17 miles from the Crook County Courthouse. The lake is a popular boating and fishing destination. To visit take Hwy. 26 East, turn right on Combs Flat Rd., turn right on Juniper Canyon Rd. This road becomes SE Parkland Drive.
Lodging & Dining - Jasper Point and Prineville Reservoir State Parks are located here, as well as Prineville Reservoir Resort and Motel. Cabins, tent sites, RV hookups, and boat slips are available. The deluxe cabins have amenities such as microwave ovens, gas barbeques, and refrigerators. The rooms at the resort come with one or two beds, bath facilities, and a kitchen. A store and restaurant at the resort can help replenish fishing supplies and groceries, or provide you with a hot meal. Primitive camp sites can be found at Jasper Point, Juniper Canyon, Owl Creek, and Roberts Bay East and West. Most of these sites can only be reached by boat. Numerous small beaches are present throughout the reservoir. They provide more secluded camping, but are only accessible by boat.
Facilities - The State Park campground is open from April 15 to December 15, though the lake itself is open year-round. The State Park has running water, a fish cleaning house, bathrooms and showers. The State Park has a long paved boat ramp making it available at any water level. Crook County maintains two county boat ramps at the lake.
Fishing - Prineville Reservoir is open to fishing year-round. Fish this body of water from a boat for rainbow trout, brown bullhead catfish, black crappie, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass. Approximately 100,000 rainbow trout between three and five inches are stocked in the reservoir each May. These fish reach 8 to 9 inches by August and twelve to fourteen inches the following spring. The best fishing is usually from January through June, with shore anglers as well as boat anglers being successful. Brown bullhead and black crappie are very abundant in the reservoir, but are usually small. Brown bullhead fishing is best in the east end of the reservoir near the Crooked River in May and June. Anglers fishing at night with worms, cheese, and eggs are the most successful. Crappie are abundant throughout the reservoir, but are most often found in the more shallow coves where they are easily caught with worms or small jigs. Crappie average 7 to 9 inches with the occasional larger fish taken. Smallmouth bass are abundant, but most are less than the minimum twelve inches. Largemouth bass are not as numerous as smallmouth, but can reach three to four pounds. Bass fishing is generally best during the spring or late fall. Trolling with flashers, spinners, or plugs is very effective. If using flies, try poppers or wooly buggers.
Recreation - Aside from fishing, picnicking, hiking, wildlife watching, and bird watching, waterskiing and boating are the two major recreational activities on the lake. Small motor boats can be rented from the marina at the resort. Pedal boats are available for rental for a few hours of fun as well. There is a day-use area with picnic tables, and a closed-off swimming area located at the State Park. The day-use area has bathrooms and showers for public use. For visitors with boats, there are beaches all over the lake for day or overnight use.

Recreation Site Regulations

Keep all vehicles on designated roads
Park in areas that do not obstruct traffic
Off-road vehicles are prohibited
Hunting is allowed only during the appropriate season
Loaded firearms are not allowed in the State Park
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Firewood cutting and plant collecting are prohibited

Fishing Facts

Rainbow Trout - Rainbow trout are actually a land-locked form of the anadromous steelhead. They can grow up to 5 lbs. eating minnows, crayfish, insects, and other small aquatic life. Rainbow trout are very fast and agile; once they are on the hook, they'll put up a good fight! Rainbows actually prefer cold, clear, swift-moving water to live in, but they can survive in fairly warm water as well if they can get enough oxygen. To spawn, rainbows return to the stream where they were born (they can find it by SMELLING it!!). Here, the female makes a nest called a "redd" by scooping out the gravel with her tail (she doesn't actually use her tail as a shovel in the gravel, but she pumps it so hard that the water forces the gravel to move so that a hole is soon made). Then she lays her eggs in her redd and a male fish fertilizes them.
Black Crappie - The black crappie is a silvery speckled, deep-bodied, slab-sided sunfish with a large mouth. The crappie can range from 7 to 10 inches in length. These fish are rare in public waters. The black crappie spawns in late spring to early summer when the female lays an average of 37,796 eggs and leaves the male to guard the nest and fan the eggs until they hatch. The maximum age is 8-10 years. This species feeds on fish, insects and larvae. It is an abundant species, which is both a commercial and a sport fish. The flesh is flaky, white and very tasty.
Brown Bullhead Catfish - Brown bullhead catfish spawn in the spring when the water temperature reaches 70° F. They spawn in mud or sand in depths from 6 inches to several feet. The eggs are cared for by one or both parents and hatch in 6-9 days. Growth is slow; they may only reach 10 inches at age 5. Sexual maturity is reached at age 3. Brown bullhead catfish feed on or near the bottom, mainly at night. Adult catfish are omnivorous, eating waste, mollusks, immature insects, leeches, crustaceans, worms, plants, algae, fish and fish eggs. Juveniles feed primarily on chironomid larvae, cladocerans, ostracods, amphipods, bugs, and mayflies. Juvenile catfish are eaten by many fish species.
Largemouth Bass - Largemouth bass spawn on sand and mud beaches when the water temperature approaches 62° F. Most spawning is associated with shallow littoral areas (<10 feet) which have aquatic vegetation. Juvenile largemouth bass remain near the nest for 5-7 days with the male guarding the young and the nest. Adult largemouth bass generally inhabit water less than 20 feet deep. They tend to reside in the protection of structure such as aquatic and shoreline vegetation, woody material, or rocky areas. Juvenile largemouth bass eat plankton, immature aquatic insects, and crayfish. Adult bass eat mostly fish and crayfish. Bass have been illegally introduced into many of our fine trout waters.

Source for Fish Info:

Upper Deschutes River Subbasin Fish Management Plan, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Upper Deschutes Fish District, October 1996.

Catch and Release

When you catch and release fish, you are preserving a valuable resource for other anglers to enjoy in the future. Here are some tips on Catch and Release:

Use barbless hooks or pinch barbs with pliers.
Bring your catch in gently but quickly.
Avoid overly large hooks, which injure eyes.
Avoid removing the fish from the water.
Avoid using a net; it damages fish skin.
Don't touch the eyes or gills.
Use long-nose pliers to remove hooks.
If a fish is hooked deeply, cut the line near the hook and leave the hook in the fish.
Revive your catch by pointing the fish into a slow current and moving it back and forth until it attempts to swim away. Then let go!

Keeping Your Catch

Do not keep your fish on a stringer. Stressed fish produce chemicals that alter the taste of the fish.
A sharp blow to the head will kill the fish quickly. Break or cut through the gills and allow the blood to be pumped from the body.
Clean and ice your fish in the field, removing the kidneys and blood from the backbone and rib cage.
Store fish on ice so they are not touching each other.
Don't store fish in a plastic bag. The slime produced will ruin your fish.

Please Don't Litter

It spoils the scenery and hurts wildlife. Dispose of fishing tackle (monofilament line, fluorocarbon leaders, lines, lead weights and lures) in a safe manner.

Alcohol

Don't let alcohol spoil anyone's holiday. In Oregon, nearly half of boating accidents involve alcohol. Leave the alcohol in camp and bring your lucky fishing hat instead.