Tips for Barney Reservoir

Trout Slayer_7
Trout Slayer_7
Member
Have you guys ever fished Barney reservoir? Been scouting it out and was just wondering any tips am planning to take my float tube out there sometime soon so any advice would be very helpful
 
Fished it once several years ago. I did catch a few decent (but slightly skinny) cutthroat maybe 12 -14 inches or so. I was hoping for faster action and more consistent fishing, but the fish seemed pretty widely scattered. I was mostly stripping a pair of small nymphs. This was in May or June if I recall correctly. Kind of a fun spot that's fairly remote, but given the drive time and other fisheries I enjoy more I haven't been back.
 
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What other fishing holes do you enjoy more? Just wondering any other reservoirs or good places to take a float tube.
 
I'm more of a moving water guy. I can be to the Deschutes in just a few minutes more than it would take me to get to Barney, and on the Tilly area streams even faster.

I've had fast action from the float tube at Dorman (after stocking) and also at Lost Lake near spruce run. I think both will be stocked this spring. In the summer most of the hike in lakes on Mt. Hood provide pretty good action for (mostly) small brookies and cutts.
 
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Thank you much appreciated!
 
Isn't Barney OFF limits? (closed to angling)
 
screenshot

Barney Reservoir
 
Nice. I might have to check it out. Thank you Troutslayer.
 
I’d be more than willing to head out there with you if you want to? The logging rod Ada can be super hard to navigate got lost like 4 time my first time out there
 
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Thank you. I'll let you know, when I'm able to make it up there. :)
 
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I would recommend Hult Reservoir over Barney. Much easier access, and it’s smaller. It’s a wild cutthroat lake in the cold weather months, then they move up into the tributaries during summer and it’s a trophy largemouth fishery. Not a place I’d ever bother with during open trout season, or when the Hood lakes are accessible. But as a winter option it’s perfect. Average fish size is small but there are some big ones in there if you work, and the odd steelhead makes its way up, too.
 
Hult can be unpleasant for sure. It attracts the worst sort of campers, those who don’t want to walk more than ten yards from their vehicle and don’t want to pay for a spot. Pretty rowdy folks at times.

There are some fish though.
 
In winter it’s essentially empty, so I haven’t run into any of that. Sounds to me like all of Oregon in summer.
 
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I fished Barney last winter in a float tube. I can’t remember the exact time of year but it was raining/snowing and very cold. I was marking plenty of fish with my Deeper Sonar all on the bottom. I could only find one place to put in right near the sign. It is pretty deep right there…25’-35’ if memory serves me correctly. I tried various streamers with full sink line and didn’t get a bite.
 
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Anyone been out to Hult recently? What is the water looking like color wise?
 

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