Don Pedro Reservoir in Tuolumne, California For Fishing & Camping

Fish Species

• Black Bass
• Brook Trout
• Kokanee
• Largemouth Bass
• Rainbow Trout
• Spotted Bass

Don Pedro Reservoir is an artificial lake formed by the construction of Don Pedro Dam, directly across the Tuolumne River in Stanislaus National Forest in the foothills of Sierra Nevada. La Grange and Moccasin, California are communities near by the lake. Also known as Don Pedro Lake, the first projects in 1923 are generally referred to as the Old Don Pedro Dam and reservoir, and the 1971 upgrades are the New Don Pedro Dam and reservoir. A beautiful tree covered landscape, and a healthy habitat filled with crappie, catfish, rainbow trout and German brown trout, bluegill and green sunfish and many other types of fish. Some of the water is treated and used as drinking water in Modesto, California. These two irrigation districts and the Bureau of Land Management control the land 15 feet above the high lake level, so there are no private boat docks on lakefront parcels. There are three public boat ramps, hiking trails and camping areas around Don Pedro Lake. Fishing is allowed year round in the still waters of Don Pedro Lake. Tributary creeks that are east of highway 49 and flow into the lake are closed between November and April per California Department of Fish and Game regulations. The Don Pedro Recreation Agency has been stocking Florida strain black bass in the lake on an annual basis since the early 1980s. Bass weighing up to 18.5 pounds have been caught in the reservoir in recent years. Although not as abundant, small mouth and spotted bass are also among the fish to be caught at Don Pedro Lake. Land-locked Kokanee and Chinook salmon are established in the reservoir and offer great excitement on the end of your fishing line. The California Department of Fish and Game also stocks rainbow trout and sometimes brook and brown trout between fall and spring. Catfish, crappie, sunfish, blue gill and carp are among the other fish species found in Don Pedro Reservoir.