VOL . 41 • ISS . 10 |
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June 24 , 2022 |
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Lake Don Pedro Facts
History : Construction of the New Don Pedro Project began in 1967 and was completed four years later at a cost of $ 105 million . Built primarily to store irrigation water , the reservoir has a capacity of 2,030,000 acre-feet and has many additional benefits including power generation , flood control , and recreation . The old dam is still in place , 250 feet below the surface of the full reservoir . The Don Pedro Recreation Agency , which is responsible for the recreation element of the Don Pedro Project , is sponsored by the Turlock Irrigation District , the Modesto Irrigation District and the City and County of San Francisco .
General information : With 160 miles of shoreline and nearly 13,000 surface acres ( at maximum lake level ), visitors can enjoy boating , fishing , water sports , swimming and camping . Fishing is open year round at Don Pedro for king salmon , rainbow trout , kokanee salmon , brown trout , brook trout , largemouth , spotted and smallmouth bass , bluegill , crappie and sunfish . Don Pedro Recreation Agency offers campsites at three campgrounds : Fleming Meadows and Blue Oaks located on the west shore , and Moccasin Point located on the east shore .
Blue Oaks : Nestled in the rolling foothills adjacent to Don Pedro Lake is Blue Oaks Recreation Area . Campers awake to scenic views of the central valley or the sunrise over the water of Don Pedro Lake . The campground offers campsites with either partial hookups ( water and power ) or without hookups - perfect for either RV ’ s and / or tents . The facility also has a boat launching ramp , fish cleaning station , sewage dump station , a group camping area ( for up to 200 people ) complete with covered dining area and electric hookups for RV ’ s , restrooms with hot showers ( no additional charge ) and a hiking trail . Number of Camp Sites : 34 partial hookup campsites , 161 tent campsites
Fleming Meadows : Fleming Meadows Recreation Area offers different camping loops for full hook-up campsites , tent campsites and walk-in campsites . Featuring a 2-acre swimming lagoon , complete with sand bottom / beach area , large grass lawn area , snack shack and picnic area . Fleming Meadows also offers a group picnic area , horseshoe pits , ball field , volley ball court , boat launch ramp , fish cleaning station , hot showers ( no additional charge ), sewage dump station , camp store , and full service marina . Number of Camp Sites : 90 full hookup , 176 non-hookup and walk-in tent campsites
Moccasin Point : Set in the scenic canyon along the Tuolumne River arm and Moccasin Bay arm of Don Pedro Lake , Moccasin Point Recreation Area offers RV ( full hookup ) and tent camping , restrooms with hot showers ( at no extra charge ), RV sewage dump station , walking trails , picnic area , boat launch ramp , fish cleaning station and full service marina . The confluence of Moccasin Creek and Don Pedro Lake is located adjacent to the campground making this facility a great base for both flat water and stream fishing opportunities . Number of Camp Sites : 18 full hookup campsites , 78 non hookup campsites
Information : Visitor Center / Headquarters , 10201 Bonds Flat Road , La Grange , CA 95329 , Phone : 209-852-2396 , Fax : 209-852-2780 , http :// www . donpedrolake . com
Guide Service : Monte Smith , Gold Country Sport Fishing , phone : 209-581-4734 , web : https :// goldcountryfishingguide . wordpress . com
To Sonora and Angels Camp
To Oakdale & Modesto
Spring
Salt
Gallup Cr .
La Grange Rec Park
Cr .
Old La Grange Rd
La Grange Rd
Woods Cr
Chinese Camp
El 1261
Taylor Hill El 1680
W . Fk Big Cr
Yosemite Highway
Don Pedro Rd
Blue Oaks
Rec . Area
Gasburg Cr .
Big Cr
Egan Rd
Don Pedro Rd .
Stent
El1401
Vista Point
Hungry Hill El 1527
New Don Pedro
Dam Fleming Meadows Rec . Area
La Grange Res .
La Grange Dam
Tuolumne R .
Sullivan Cr
Jacksonville Rd .
Woods Cr
New Don Pedro Marina
Page Mtn El 2136
Bonds Flat Rd
La Grange Dam Road Hwy 132 Continues
La Grange to Modesto
Don Pedro Reservoir Tuolumne County
Hetch Hetchy
Don Pedro Res .
Algerine Cr .
Kanaka Cr .
Middle Bay
Jenkins Hill El 1200
Blank Pk El 1053
Twist Rd
Algerive Wards Ferry Rd .
Hog Mtn El 2481
Yosemite Highway
Penole Pk El 1020
River Rd .
Moccasin Pt . Rec Area
Moccasin Pk . El 2948
Aqueduct
Cr
Rough & Ready
Domingo Pk . El 2846
Blanket Cr .
Grizzly Rd
Marshes Flat Rd
Moccasin Res .
Granite Springs
Yosemite
Piney Cr
Corcoran Gray Rd
Tip Top Pk . El 3361 Big Oak Flat El 2803
Moccasin
Rd
Piney Cr Rd
Turnback Cr .
El936 Priest Res .
Priest
El 2457
Horseshoe Bend Hwy
Rec Area Cr .
Lake McClure
Willow
Deer Cr
N . Fk Tuolumne
Harper Rd .
Big Cr
Pine Mountain Lake
Groveland El 2846
Merril Rd .
Big
Little Jackass Cr
Maxwell Cr .
Humbug Cr .
El 2661
Tuolumne R .
Horseshoe Bend Mtn
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To Yosemite
Fishing Notes
• Kokanee Salmon - Troll with spoons , bugs and other lures tipped with white corn , from late April through August in the Middle Bay Area . Adjust depth to the level fish are holding .
• Rainbow Trout – Fishing is best in spring , fall and winter . Troll crawlers and minnow imitation lures in Moccasin Point , near the dam and other areas .
• King Salmon - Troll anchovies , shad or lures near the dam and in Woods Creek .
• Black Bass - Spring and Fall yield best fishing , toss worms , jigs and spinnerbaits for largemouth and smallmouth . Night fishing for largemouth is productive during the summer .
• Crappie - Work small jigs and minnows around brush and submerged structure .
Beautiful holdover rainbows like this one are the reward for trolliers fishing at Don Pedro Lake .
Photo courtesy of Gold Country Sportfishing
Kokanee were planted in the lake in 1981 but it wasn ’ t until 1992 that a self-sustaining population of huge kokanee was documented at Don Pedro by the founder of Kokanee Power , the late Phil Johnson of Merced . That spring and summer , Johnson landed 7 kokanee over 4 pounds while trolling a variety of lures , tipped with white corn , at the lake . He showed the kokanee he caught to the local fishery biologist at the time , who claimed the fish were king salmon , not kokanee . Johnson then drove all of the way from Don Pedro one day to the home office of then CDFW Tahoe region fisheries biologist Russ Wickwire to show him two big kokanee that had put
Stockton anglers Christian Valencia and Henry Sanchez show off this great catch of kokanee salmon , king salmon and rainbow trout that they and Captain Monte Smith landed while trolling at Don Pedro Lake on June 4 .
Photo courtesy of Gold Country Sportfishing in an ice chest in his truck . “ Where did you get these huge kokanee ?” asked Wickwire . “ I caught them at Don Pedro ,” Johnson told an amazed Wickwire . Wickwire made sure that the biologist who misidentified the fish as kings was made aware that these were indeed kokanee salmon . A wild spawning population of king salmon , the progeny of plants at the lake , also exists in Don Pedro . James Pagani , the owner of Sparklefish Lures , and I first documented the presence of naturally spawned fish when we caught some beautiful king salmon at the lake in the mid to late 1990s during a period when salmon and trout plants were suspended , due to a copepod infestation . The CDFW now plants king salmon in the reservoir every year when the fish are available . The Department planted 89,634 kings in Don Pedro in 2021 and 98,967 kings in 2022 . Kings grow big in this forage-rich reservoir . I landed a king over 8-1 / 2 pounds while trolling with shad in the spring of 2008 with Bruce Hamby , then a guide at the reservoir . I also landed one over 5 pounds while fishing with Monte Smith several years ago . Trolling with shad or plugs is the top method for catching kings throughout the year at the reservoir . In general , you will find these salmon deeper in the water column below the kokanee and rainbows .
Don Barkley landed this 4-1 / 4 lb . king salmon at Don Pedro Lake while trolling a Sting King lure with Captain Monte Smith on April 22 .
Photo courtesy of Gold Country Sportfishing
During the fall and winter when the water is still cold , anglers can hook both trout and salmon from the bank at Don Pedro , but shore fishing is much less popular here than it is as nearby New Melones . Other species found in Don Pedro include largemouth , spotted and smallmouth bass , crappie , bluegill and channel catfish . Anglers often pick up bass while trolling for trout and salmon , as Smith has found out . For more information , contact Monte Smith , Gold Country Sport Fishing , phone : 209-581-4734 , web : https :// goldcountryfishingguide . wordpress . com