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Don Pedro Fishing Report | August 25, 2025

Report by Capt. Monte Smith
Monte Smith runs Gold Country Sport Fishing and guides trout, king salmon, and kokanee trips on Don Pedro Lake. Shop Monte Smith's tackle.
What is working right now

Don Pedro is on fire in late August 2025. The water is perfect with a green tint, around 80 degrees on top and clear to about 10 feet. Capt. Monte Smith is trolling spoons fast for limits of rainbows and kings, plus next year's kokanee. Top spoons are the Speed Spoon, Optimizer Junior, and the Popped-Eyed Spoon, all with a touch of gel scent. Fish early, the bite is first thing in the morning.

What is biting at Don Pedro right now?

Rainbows, kings, and next year's kokanee. Capt. Monte Smith has had a tremendous three to four weeks, boating nice mixes of kings and rainbows and finishing with limits by late morning. The lake is loaded with bait, so the fish are chewing on a first-thing-in-the-morning bite.

What are the water conditions at Don Pedro?

The water is perfect with a green tint and clear to about 10 feet on a shark weight. Surface temperature is around 80 degrees, which just pushes the cold water deeper. Weekdays are wide open with only a couple of other boats after the holiday weekend.

What lures are working at Don Pedro in August?

Fast-trolled spoons. Monte is running the Speed Spoon, the Optimizer Junior, and the often-forgotten Popped-Eyed Spoon. He adds just a little gel scent to the back of each spoon so it bleeds slowly in the warm water. Do not overdo the gel or it weighs the spoon down.

How do you fish the Popped-Eyed Spoon?

It comes flat. Put a bend in it on the water and it will run at slow, medium, or fast speeds depending on how you bend it. Play with the bend and watch your speed. Monte says these will put fish in the boat, and do not overlook big baits in hot water.

What is the best time to fish Don Pedro now?

First thing in the morning. The bite has been the first few hours, and Monte gets off the water with limits before it gets too hot. Weekdays are ideal with almost no boat traffic, sometimes only two other boats in the area.

Monte's outlook for Don Pedro

Monte calls this an exceptional time of year with the lake full of bait and an easy morning bite. Expect fast spoon action for rainbows and kings. Exact fishing depths were not specified in this report beyond fishing the cooler water below the warm surface.

Watch the full report

From the report (Capt. Monte Smith): The water at Don Pedro is perfect. We can still see a shark weight about 10 feet. It's got that green tint to it, and we're running spoons, and we're running them fast. I'm putting my sauce on there, on the back of the spoon, just a little bit. It's a gel, and it slowly bleeds out a little scent.

Don Pedro Lake August 25, 2025 FAQ

What is the water temperature at Don Pedro in August?

About 80 degrees on the surface, which pushes the cold water deeper. Clarity is around 10 feet with a green tint.

What spoons work at Don Pedro?

Speed Spoons, Optimizer Juniors, and the Popped-Eyed Spoon, all trolled fast with a little gel scent on the back.

How much scent should I add?

Just a little gel on the back of the spoon. Too much weighs the spoon down. A small amount bleeds scent slowly in the warm water.

When is the bite best at Don Pedro?

First thing in the morning, the first few hours. Monte finishes with limits before the day gets too hot.

Are weekends or weekdays better?

Weekdays. After the holiday weekend there is almost no boat traffic, sometimes only two other boats in the area.

What species are in the mix?

Rainbow trout, king salmon, and next year's kokanee.

Who is the guide?

Capt. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing, reachable at 209-581-4734.

Tags: don-pedro king-salmon monte-smith rainbow-trout
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