Pardee Reservoir, CA

About Pardee Reservoir

Pardee Reservoir sits on the Mokelumne River in the Sierra foothills of Amador and Calaveras counties, a deep, cold, exceptionally clear lake that serves as a drinking-water supply for the East Bay. Because it is a domestic water source, the lake is managed with tight rules and a defined recreation season, and water-contact activities like swimming and water-skiing are not allowed. That protective management is a big part of why Pardee has earned a reputation as one of Northern California's premier trout and kokanee waters: the water stays clean, cold and well-oxygenated, and the fishery is heavily supported by stocking.

Anglers know Pardee first and foremost as a trout lake. It receives generous plants of rainbow trout, grows fat holdover and trophy browns, and supports a strong landlocked kokanee salmon fishery that draws trollers from across the region every spring and early summer. The combination of put-and-take rainbows for bank and boat anglers, the chance at a heavyweight brown, and a quality kokanee bite makes Pardee a destination that rewards both casual visitors and serious trollers willing to dial in depth and speed.

Fish Species

Pardee is a coldwater fishery at its core, with a warmwater component in the coves and arms.

• Rainbow trout — the bread-and-butter species, heavily stocked and caught from shore and boat. The most reliable target for visiting anglers.
• Brown trout — fewer in number but the trophy draw; holdover browns grow large feeding on the lake's abundant forage and are most often hooked by trollers working deeper, structure-oriented water.
• Kokanee salmon — landlocked sockeye that Pardee is genuinely famous for. These hard-fighting, great-eating fish are the prize for spring and early-summer trollers.
• Largemouth and smallmouth bass — present in the warmer arms and rocky shorelines, providing a solid secondary fishery as the surface warms.
• Panfish and catfish — bluegill, crappie and catfish inhabit the coves and provide easy action for families and bank anglers in the warmer months.

Best Seasons & Times

Pardee operates on a defined recreation season (it is typically closed in the winter months), so spring through fall is when angling happens, and the calendar shapes everything.

Spring is prime time. Right after opening, cold water keeps trout shallow and willing to chase, making it the best window for bank anglers and topline trollers. This is also when the kokanee bite ramps up — early in the season kokanee can be found relatively shallow before the thermocline pushes them down.

Summer stratifies the lake. Trout, kokanee and the bigger browns drop into cooler, deeper water, so success shifts toward downriggers and leadcore to reach fish holding 30 to 90 feet down. Early morning and the last light of evening are by far the most productive windows once daytime temperatures climb. Bass and panfish in the warm arms stay active through the heat.

Fall cools the surface again and can reignite shallower trout action and aggressive feeding before the season winds down. Throughout the season, fish the low-light hours of dawn and dusk for the coldwater species; midday bites tend to require going deeper and slowing down.

Techniques & Baits

For stocked rainbows from the bank: classic still-fishing with dough bait or inflated nightcrawlers fished off the bottom with a sliding sinker is hard to beat near the marina coves and points. A nightcrawler under a bobber or a small spinner (such as a inline spinner or a Kastmaster) covers active fish cruising the shallows in spring.

For trout from a boat: trolling is the dominant method. Pull small spoons, dodger-and-worm rigs, or shad-imitating plugs near the surface early in the season, then add downriggers or leadcore to follow the fish deeper as summer sets in. Slow, steady speeds work for rainbows.

For trophy browns: troll larger minnow-style plugs and spoons along points, drop-offs and the river-channel structure, often deeper and a touch faster than you would for rainbows. Low light dramatically improves your odds.

For kokanee: this is precision trolling. Run a dodger ahead of a small hoochie, spinner or kokanee bug tipped with white shoepeg corn (often scented), at slow speeds with frequent S-turns. Locate the school on electronics and match your downrigger or leadcore depth exactly — kokanee stack in a narrow band and depth control is everything.

For bass and panfish: work soft plastics, jigs and small crankbaits along the rocky shorelines and into the warmer arms; live worms and small jigs take bluegill and crappie around cover.

Access & Launches

Pardee is a developed recreation area with a marina, boat-launch facilities, a fishing-supply and bait shop, and a campground, which makes it a comfortable base for a multi-day trip. Boat rentals are generally available for anglers who arrive without their own vessel. Bank fishing is popular and productive in the coves and along accessible shoreline near the recreation area.

Because Pardee is a protected drinking-water reservoir, expect a defined open season and operating hours, day-use and launch arrangements, and rules aimed at keeping the water clean — including watercraft inspection for invasive species and restrictions on body-contact activities. Plan around the posted season and confirm current hours and launch details before you go, since these can change year to year.

Regulations & Licenses

A valid California sport fishing license is required for everyone 16 and older, and it must be displayed as required while fishing. Trout, kokanee, bass and other species are subject to bag, possession and size limits that can vary and change from year to year, so check the current California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations before your trip. Some waters carry special gear or bait restrictions and season dates as well.

As a domestic water-supply reservoir, Pardee also enforces facility-specific rules — including mandatory invasive-species (quagga/zebra mussel) inspection for boats, a defined recreation season, and prohibitions on swimming and other body-contact activities. Always verify the latest state limits and the lake's own current rules and operating dates before heading out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish is Pardee Reservoir best known for?
Pardee is best known as a top-tier trout and kokanee salmon fishery. It is heavily stocked with rainbow trout, grows large holdover brown trout, and supports a popular landlocked kokanee fishery that draws trollers each spring and early summer.

When is the best time to fish Pardee Reservoir?
Spring is the prime window — cold water keeps trout shallow and the kokanee bite turns on. As summer heats up the coldwater fish move deep, so dawn and dusk become the best times of day and you'll need downriggers or leadcore to reach them. Fall offers another good shallow-trout window before the season closes.

Can you fish Pardee from the bank, or do you need a boat?
You can fish productively from the bank, especially in spring when stocked rainbows are shallow in the coves and along accessible shoreline near the recreation area. Still-fishing dough bait or nightcrawlers works well. That said, a boat greatly expands your options for kokanee, deep-summer trout and trophy browns, and boat rentals are generally available.

Do I need a fishing license at Pardee Reservoir?
Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs a valid California sport fishing license. Pardee is also a protected drinking-water reservoir with a defined recreation season, mandatory boat inspections for invasive mussels, and no swimming or body-contact activities. Check current CDFW regulations and the lake's operating rules before you go.