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Don Pedro Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Don Pedro Lake: a Tuolumne River reservoir east of Modesto with about 13,000 surface acres, three launch ramps, stocked Florida bass and CDFW trout.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~62 F est.
Air / High
59 / 68 F
Wind
NW 7 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Don Pedro Reservoir is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. Today brings cloud cover, wind NW around 7 mph, falling pressure near 1018 hPa and a high of 68. Water sits around 62 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:41 AM-11:41 AM and 10:10 PM-12:10 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Rainbow troutExcellent

This band overlaps Vermont's 54-66Β°F stream preference: fish feed across riffles, runs and pocket water, and in lakes WDFW says spring and fall bring them near the surface.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Brown troutExcellent

Close to Vermont's 53-66Β°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

CrappieGood

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Chinook salmonFair

Runs enter the rivers: drift roe or sand shrimp through travel lanes, plunk a wrapped plug, or float eggs in eddies and tidewater.

Tomorrow: Similar at 70 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

California requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $64.54 for residents. What a California licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing smallmouth bass here? Check the size and bag limits with CDFW before you keep anything. The season dates for California, read off the agency, are on the California seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~62 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp59 F
High / Low68 / 52 F
WindNW 7-10 mph
Pressure1018.1 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain88% cloud, 20%
Sunrise / Sunset07:17 / 18:13
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~62 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Don Pedro Reservoir this week

Today is the pick of the week on Don Pedro Reservoir, at 4 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Oct 23 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Good

Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Solunar majors
9:41 AM-11:41 AM and 10:10 PM-12:10 AM
Minor period
4:05 AM-5:05 AM
Sun
07:17 to 18:13
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 13 mph
Rain chance
20%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Don Pedro Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: spring and fall, when bigger fish come shallow

A bronze-brown black bass of clear, cool streams and rocky lakes, with dark vertical bars instead of a side stripe. Michigan DNR says its southeastern coast, from Port Huron to Lake Erie, is known nationally for both the size and the number of its smallmouth. Spring pre-spawn and fall: Iowa DNR notes the larger bass come up to shallow structure, where a shallow-running minnow bait or a spinnerbait just under the surface works.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. This band overlaps Vermont's 54-66Β°F stream preference: fish feed across riffles, runs and pocket water, and in lakes WDFW says spring and fall bring them near the surface.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Spring along Great Lakes shorelines; low light and overcast days in rivers; fall spawning runs

A European trout first stocked in the US in 1883 and now fished in rivers and lakes nationwide; it tolerates warmer water than other trout, and mature stream fish feed mostly at night. Close to Vermont's 53-66Β°F optimum, browns feed more freely; in fall, pre-spawn fish move toward tributaries and gravel, so fish streamers and keep off the redds.

Chinook salmon illustration

Chinook salmon

Seasons follow the runs: spring, summer and fall runs on the West Coast, and late summer into fall in Great Lakes rivers

The largest Pacific salmon, caught by trolling and mooching at sea and by drifting and plunking in rivers as adults return to spawn; also stocked in the Great Lakes. Runs enter the rivers: drift roe or sand shrimp through travel lanes, plunk a wrapped plug, or float eggs in eddies and tidewater.

When to come: the Don Pedro Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Rainbow trout
Crappie
Catfish (blue, channel)
Brown trout
Chinook salmon
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 62 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~62 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Don Pedro Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 68 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 69 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 73 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

California requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

California fishing license. The lake is open all year; tributary creeks east of Highway 49 are closed November through April (CDFW rule cited by the Don Pedro Recreation Agency). For trout, salmon and bass limits see the current CDFW inland regulations.

Access

Launch ramps at Fleming Meadows, Blue Oaks and Moccasin Point; full-service marinas at Fleming Meadows (Lake Don Pedro Marina) and Moccasin Point; boat-in dispersed camping by permit. Mussel self-certification required.

About this water

A reservoir on the Tuolumne River in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Modesto, California, run for recreation by the Don Pedro Recreation Agency of the Turlock Irrigation District.

Fishing Don Pedro Reservoir: the full guide

A foothill reservoir east of Modesto

The Don Pedro Recreation Agency describes nearly 160 miles of shoreline and 13,000 surface acres when the lake is full. Its water mainly irrigates Turlock and Modesto irrigation district land; it also generates power, adds to Modesto's drinking water and provides flood control. The lake is full at 830 feet above sea level, and the old Don Pedro Dam of 1923 lies about 220 feet under a full lake, 1.5 miles upstream of the current dam.

The agency's species list

The agency has stocked Florida-strain black bass every year since the early 1980s, and smallmouth and spotted bass are present in smaller numbers. Kokanee and Chinook salmon are established; CDFW stocks rainbow trout, and sometimes brook and brown trout, between fall and spring. Catfish, crappie, sunfish, bluegill and carp complete the list.

Seasons and the tributary closure

Fishing is allowed year-round on the lake. Tributary creeks east of Highway 49 that flow into it are closed from November through April under CDFW regulations, the agency notes. For current trolling depths, bank spots and baits, the agency suggests calling the marinas at Moccasin Point or Fleming Meadows.

Launching and mussel certification

Three ramps serve the lake: Fleming Meadows and Blue Oaks off Bonds Flat Road near the dam, and Moccasin Point off Highway 120/49. Ramps can close as the lake rises or falls; the agency closed the Blue Oaks ramp in May 2025, for example. Boaters must certify that their boats are cleaned, drained and dry and free of quagga and zebra mussels, and can print the certification form before arriving.

Common questions

Is Don Pedro open to fishing all year?

The lake is. Tributary creeks east of Highway 49 close from November through April under CDFW rules.

What do I need before launching?

A signed certification that your boat is cleaned, drained and dry (free of quagga and zebra mussels). The agency lets you print the form ahead of time.

Which fish are stocked?

The Don Pedro Recreation Agency stocks Florida-strain bass each year, and CDFW stocks rainbow trout, sometimes with brook and brown trout, between fall and spring.

Is fishing good at Don Pedro Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake McClure11 miNew Melones Lake18 miNew Hogan Lake38 miMokelumne River45 miLake Camanche48 miLake Amador55 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 37.7027, -120.3970 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 7, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 7, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.