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Don Pedro Lake Fishing Report | July 14, 2025
2025-07-14

Don Pedro Lake Fishing Report | July 14, 2025

Tuolumne County
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Don Pedro Reservoir
Kokanee King salmon Rainbow trout

Water Conditions

Weather
Weather
Hot, but mornings are cooler for fishing
Water Temp
Water Temp
Not specified
Water Clarity
Water Clarity
Not specified
Water Flow
Water Flow
Lake dropping slightly but stable overall

Fishing Overview

Target Species
Kokanee, King salmon, Rainbow trout
Depth Range
55 to 80 feet; shallower early mornings
Presentation
Trolling Uncle Larry’s behind CA trolling dodgers with short setbacks (10–15 feet)
Best Time
Early morning
Successful Lures
Uncle Larry’s hoochies, Uncle Larry’s Spinners, CA trolling dodgers 6”, white Shoe Peg corn with Monte’s kokanee scent
Other Techniques
Running Shark weights for extra flash; fishing open water and following fish migrations toward structures like Graveyard, Rock Pile, and Hatch Creek

Guide’s Tips & Notes

Advice for This Week
Put in your time and cover water—kokanee are scattered in open water but willing to bite. Don’t be afraid to fish shallow early in the day as kokanee move up to feed. Short setbacks and big dodgers create the action these late-season fish want.
Changes We’re Seeing
Fish are beginning to migrate toward traditional summer spots like the Graveyard, Rock Pile, and Hatch Creek, but remain scattered in open water for now.
Predictions for Next Week
Fishing should stay strong into fall and winter, with good kokanee action expected to continue if fish hold in the lake longer into the season.

Recommended Gear for This Trip

Uncle Larry's Hoochies – Kokanee & Trout Squid

Regular price $4.99 USD
Sale price $4.99 USD Regular price

Uncle Larry's Hoochies are some of the most productive squid-skirt lures in the kokanee and trout trolling category — vibrant colors, exceptional in-water action, and a proven track record on Western fisheries from Shasta to the Eastern Sierra. The hoochie skirt design produces a breathing, pulsating motion behind a dodger that kokanee and rainbow trout find irresistible at the slow trolling speeds their fisheries demand. Available in 18 color patterns covering the full range of bright, UV, and natural tones that produce in varying light and depth conditions throughout the season.

CA Trolling Dodger 6"

Regular price From $11.17 USD
Sale price From $11.17 USD Regular price $13.00 USD

The Catch America 6-inch Stainless Steel Trolling Dodger is the standard-bearer of the kokanee and trout troll — a wide-swinging attractor that pulls fish in from the surrounding water column while imparting action to any trailing lure. Premium stainless steel construction holds its shape and finish through a full season of hard use without the distortion and corrosion that compromise cheaper alloy dodgers over time. The 6-inch size delivers the ideal balance of attractor flash and line drag, making it compatible with everything from medium-action kokanee rods to heavier downrigger setups. Available in 10 proven finish options including Moon Jelly, 24K Gold, Black Diamond, and Green Diamond.

Monte's Kokanee Slammer™

Regular price $9.95 USD
Sale price $9.95 USD Regular price

I’ve spent years dialing in the exact fish attractant profile that kokanee respond to, and Kokanee Slammer is the result. This amino-based formula combines tuna and herring oils in a concentration specifically matched to the forage kokanee key on during active feeding periods — not a generic scent blend, a formula built around what these fish are actually eating. I apply it to my dodgers, T-Pex lures, and hoochies before every troll, and I’ve watched it turn slow days into full limits when other boats were struggling. Kokanee are scent-driven fish — give them what they’re looking for and they commit faster and hold on longer.

Uncle Larry's Power Spinner – Trout & Kokanee

Regular price $6.25 USD
Sale price $6.25 USD Regular price

Uncle Larry’s Power Spinner is built around a premium blade and a bait-holding spring that keeps nightcrawlers, corn, and other natural baits in place through the entire troll without bunching or shredding. The combination of action, vibration, and natural scent trail produced by a correctly rigged Power Spinner is one of the most effective trout-triggering presentations you can run on a Western reservoir. Available in five proven color patterns covering the chartreuse, silver, and copper combinations that produce consistently on rainbow trout and kokanee across varying light conditions.