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Pardee Lake and Reports

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Thursday, February 29th, 2024

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    Report: I had a chance to get out with some good friends Earl Dalton, Derik Dalton, and Chris Gambal.

    We fished at Lake Pardee. This lake is a cool place because it’s full of big smallmouth and it also has some giant largmouths. This lake closes in the fall for several months out of the year. So when it opens we always try to plan a trip.

    When we put the boat in, the surface temperature was a little over 50° and if you’ve ever been to this lake you know it is super clear!! Which means I would usually start looking deeper on points and breaks.

    But this lake always amazes me me how shallow they will get. My buddy Earl started off throwing a Rodstrainer
    spinnerbait and caught the biggest fish of the day but after the sun got high we started poking around and figured out that we had to play the shade game. What that means is you go around and fish every little bit of shade that hits the water. It could be from the banks or it could be from laydown trees in the water or just anything that makes a little bit of shade can hold a fish.

    The baits that worked for us were an ED’s Lead Ned Rig, a spinnerbait and a half-ounce Bass Union jig.
    I hope this helps. Good luck fishing luck fishing.
    Stan Lafever

Thursday, September 21st, 2023

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    Water Temp: NA

    Report: More of a heads up than a report
    Went to Pardee this morning 9/21/2023 and got to the gate @ 6 am . Gate was closed and no one in the Kiosk .
    They had a sign on a traffic barricade in the entrance at the Kiosk that said lake was closed and would reopen next February ?
    I pulled into the entrance before I noticed the sign so I had to back out my boat up onto Stoney Creek road into traffic to
    get out and turn around .

Monday, February 27th, 2023

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    Water Temp: 46.9

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Went as far up river as I could go to catch fish. Caught some decent ones but Camanche was way better. Ended up catching a 6lber at camanche along with some healthy spots.

    Tips: Fish slow on the bottom with jigs

Saturday, October 1st, 2022

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    Water Temp: 73

    Report: Pardee is a challenge any time in October but this year might be the worst I have seen. We launched at daylight. Due to the light chop on timber filled water in the river we went to topwater, poppers and spooks, nothing. Then we went to jigs, got first fish, one nice keeper. Then another keeper popped on the jig and a small one grabbed one too. We stayed with the jigs another 3 hours in different parts of the river, from 4 to 40 feet, nothing. After that we went back to the main lake, south end, where we threw rip baits, jigs, drop shots, senkos, and Carolina rigs, in 3 to 30 feet, nothing. Then we went back to the river and fished a couple submerged rock piles and islands, 20 feet under the boat, where we picked up a rat keeper smallmouth. From there we fished steep sunny banks from 3 to 50 feet, with jigs, drop shots, carolina rigs, nothing. Throughout the day we saw no evidence of bait fish, no birds, no turtles, no signs of life on the water at all. WE quit after 8 hours of fishing with a nice 3 pounder and two rat keepers. Other anglers we talked to did find some baitfish and had a better day.

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

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    Report: by StanL » Wed Oct 28, 2020 4:00 am
    Today my friend Jon and I decided to visit Lake Pardee before it closes on November 1.
    We got on the water a little bit late, about 9:00am.
    We talked to the boat inspection gal and she told us the bite had been pretty good until this week. Turns out that East Bay Mud had dropped the lake about 4ft... that’s never good for fishing in October! Ya know, we should have been here last week lol!
    When we put the boat in the water we noticed  the surface temperature was 69 degrees. We decided to start fishing some Island tops in 15-25 ‘ on the main lake. After we hit a few of them with no luck, we made our way to the river.
    The water was super clear there so I downsized to 6# Gamma fluoro with a Ned rig and finally got a bite on a point. Jon put on a Frenzy nail with his "Secret Worm"... a watermelon purple flake finesse worm. He caught the next 5 fish all on points. We got 6 fish all together. It was a mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth, nothing big but still better than doing yard work.
    Hope this helps.
    Stan L

Thursday, July 16th, 2020

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Small mouth are hitting drop shot on island tops. Have not been able to get any reaction bites in this 95 degree plus heat. Catching fish from 10-40’.

Saturday, March 7th, 2020

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    Report: by Fly'in V » Sat Mar 07, 2020 10:19 am

    Pardee can be a hell of a lot of fun, especially in the summer with the other lakes are crowded. This is a water supply lake for EBMUD so NO BODY CONTACT.

    Go online to check the DATE for opening day, time the gate opens and pull down the boat inspection form.
    Print it out and fill it in ahead of time. (the inspectors like that) If you intend to return ask the gate attendant to tag your boat, they wrap a colored ribbon through your bow-eye and wench. then you can skip inspection the next trip!

    Like said before, make sure you bilge plug is out and your live wells are also dry.
    If you get there early you not get inspected.

    Main body is super clear, the river arm is more stained, I recommend light line.
    The 5 MPH zone is a mile long(at least it seems so)

    Fishing....
    Brw/brw Football head jigs, my fav is a "Paca-craw" trailer.
    Arron's magic worms on a dart head.
    When the water warms a little try a Zell Rowland super pop-r with the hollow-graphic body.
    Trout color swim baits off deep points.
    4 inch senko's wacky rigged watermelon w/red/blk flake, just about every where.

    Bonus*** take some trout gear, if the Bass are being stubborn, catch dinner.

    Warning there is a buoy about 100 yards from the launch, by it's self. It says No fishing, so don't fish there. The rangers get real pissy about it! The location of the buoy is totally ambiguous and doesn't align with any other markers.

    Have Fun, The Fly'in V.

Friday, February 28th, 2020

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    Water Temp: 53-57

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: First time at the lake turned out to be a tough one. Fished hard all day for 2 fish. 1 small smallmouth on a wacky senko and 1 decent largemouth on a texas trick work. Threw jerkbaits and spinnerbait quite a bit but nothing doing on the reaction bite. Nothing on the drop shot or ned rig. Fished from 5 ft to 40 ft. Both fish i did catch were in about 20 ft. Entry was $23 and boat inspection was easy. Drop motor, pull plug and open livewells. Trout guys looked like they were doing pretty good trolling. Couldn't tell you what they were using.

Friday, May 3rd, 2019

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The bite has been pretty good last few trips but today couldn’t find any fish feeding. Spawn is in full affect, fished locked in on beds everywhere. Caught a couple just to get the skunk off the boat but bed fishing isn’t what I’m out there for. Think I was the only bass boat on the water. Stayed on main lake most of the day due to all the debris floating down the arm. Love starting the year fishing the lakes but think it’s time to get back on the delta

    Tips: Pardee in my opinion is primarily a finesse lake, 99% of all the fish I caught are on some type of plastics

Monday, June 25th, 2018

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Ill do my due diligence as an angler and report.. Killer day on the lake. I launched a bit late but the top water bite was still on.. Had a "bumper" come up and smack a hulla popper but apparently it was just a nose bump. My lure bounced about 5' in the air and landed back on the water. I stayed with that popper for awhile but ya really can't cover too much water with a popper so I switched to my buzzbait. Worked the shallow shade lines for awhile and finally got bit on a chatterbait. A nice 2#er. I landed another decent bass with the same chatterbait over some grass (1.5lb) Landed another bass with the same chatterbait in some laydowns and then my biggest catch of the day.
    I was working a laydown and checking out the water.. I seen bluegill sharing space with bass under a tree. This told me, the bass and bluegill need that space to survive so they're going to defend it. I rattled that cage awhile and.pulled some bass with a senko and chatterbait. Just about to leave when I tossed one more cast in the heart of the tree and a 3# took it. That's the best I got today. About a 10# bag, respectable but not all the great either. I had a few feeding bites but for the most part, a defensive bite in shade. Any day fishing is a great day though!

Sunday, March 11th, 2018

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    Water Temp: 52-55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went out to enjoy the nice sunny somewhat warm day before the rain An cold come back this week. Pulled up to the ramp to see there was a tournament going on (always check your lakes schedules). Luckily it was the final 15 who had fished melones the previous 2 days, still seemed to be a boat on every point. Anyways me and my dad were on, best 5 probably pushin 16-17 pounds, mixture of smallmouth and a 3 an 4+ largemouth. Didn't sound like all the tourney guys were doin so hot, our strategy seemed to be slowing down tossing the darker baits in the murkier areas An back to lighter colors in the cleaner areas. Caught them on points An steeper walls, most hit on the way down. Also most fish where holding closer to bank, I assume there beginning to look for a nice place to spawn.

    Tips: Keep casting, changing colors tell you get some attention. The fish are there.

Monday, July 31st, 2017

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    Report: From Glory Hole Sports
    Pardee
    The lake is full and beautiful just be careful up river of all the floating wood debris.Trout and Kokanee are still being caught. Set your downrigggers at about 30-40 feet deep. The bait most people mention is pink and watermelon hoochies behind a small dodger. The bank fishermen are doing good next to the stony Creek spillway, rainbow point using power bait.

Saturday, April 15th, 2017

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went out in the yak second day after storm so expecting tough bass bite and was the case. Was also right after full moon so wasn't sure how that would combine with the postfrontal stuff (if I remember right the full moon was during the storm -- anyone know how that works in practice?) Clarity was much better than previous week, could see bottom at ~9 feet, and the fish graphed on banks from previous week were indeed no longer there. Tried bluegill themed baits in coves but no takers. Shifted to Neko & Carolina rigged brush hog on break lines at 15-20 ft and the two bites came on Neko. Guys were beating the flats on opposite shore bluff all day but only overheard two bites. Note I'm a weekend warrior & no expert so just sharing observations.

    Tips: Chartreuse tip worked for me

Tuesday, April 11th, 2017

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    Water Temp: 57-62

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I took a father/son team to Pardee on Sunday and Monday - not my favorite days to guide! In spite of post front conditions and bright skies, the bite was pretty good on day one. Even the trout bite - yes - the father and I each caught a beautiful rainbow trout - 12 and 13 inches. Who said Robo worms don't catch trout!! They were not hatchery fish - beautiful colors and sharp tail fins!! Really gorgeous fish! Clients caught 7 bass and I caught a few, all males from 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 lbs. Interesting - all largemouth and one smallmouth. Monday the north wind really set in and blew the whole day and totally shut off the bite. The son did catch his first ever smallmouth, and that was cool. All the shallower bass available on Sunday were totally gone on Monday. Looking in the water both days for bigger bass and any beds - no sign of either!

    Tips: The best bait by far was the morning dawn w/chartreuse tail 6" Robo worm. Most were caught on a simple Texas rig. I did catch 2 on a small Yamamoto Flappin' hog. We looked at a little of the river arm and found it a bit colder and one cove full of wood. There was a lot of floating wood, so a slower speed is advised. The main lake is fine. I thought the east side would be the best, as is was at Berryessa last week, However, our best bite was on the west side. The lake is clearing now with 6+ feet is visability.

Friday, April 29th, 2016

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    Report: Hi, well here is a few few caught, one is a Beast Largemouth 6lb + fish caught on 6lb test flouro 100% seagar clear, also many other good bass including some smallmouth, there is also a really nice trout i caught only took maybe 5 casts with a blue fox inline spinner and fish on!
    Really nice fish over 3 1/2 lb's under 4lb's this fish was caught using 6lb flouro seagar as well.
    the weather was either cold or slighty warm at best,
    fish were caught on plastics and lures see video below for some big fish!!! lots of fun
    Watch Video: http://www.westernbass.com/forum/post562283.html#p562283

Saturday, March 21st, 2015

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    Water Temp: 55-58

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Mike Sperbeck and I made our first trip to this beautiful lake (especially in the spring!) on Wed, and found the bite to be kinda slow. Usually I catch the big smallie when we fish there, but it was his turn this trip. Not a monster, but a solid 4 lb smallie. He landed 3 or 4 other smallies while I got 2 largemouth at 2 1/2 lbs and a smaller one. They all seemed to be at the 10 to 20 foot depth! We really covered most of the lake and found on here and one there! We didn't stay for the evening bite - if there was one!

    Tips: Small beaver type baits worked the best - mostly in green pumpkin color. I caught one of the largemouth on a 6" Robo worm - MM111 color. I forget what Mike was using for the big smallie. Points seemed to be the preferred structure they were using. I think the north wind - though not real bad - did prevent a better bite. It was a post front kind of day!!

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I forgot to mention another 2 1/4 lb largemouth on a Senko. Five total for the trip, only about 13 lbs total.

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    Water Temp: 58-63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I guess I am the only one who posts reports for Pardee - check the date - this is a NEW report - 2014!! I started about 12:30 pm (yes, I wish it could have been 12:30 am!), running around, looking things over. I started fishing seriously in the river arm about 1:30 pm, My first bass was a nice largemouth pushing 3 lbs. My next was even nicer, a beautiful unspawned (is that a word?) largemouth at exactly 4 1/2 lbs. They both hit a #301 wacky Senko. Still in the river arm, using a jig, a 2 3/4 lb smallie wore me out trying to land her. Wow!! My last fish was a bare keeper smallie. The sun was bright and wind mostly calm - great if one were sight fishing. I looked around some but didn't see any beds. I fished 'til about 6 pm and was the last one to leave. I threw swimbaits the last hour, but no hits.

    Tips: If island tops are your thing, you will be very happy (unless you run aground on one! Be careful. Most are clearly marked. I didn't find much on the islands, all my bass were on shoreline structure except the small one. All bites were about 12 to 20 feet - all midafternoon.

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

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    Water Temp: 76-78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Looks like no one fishes the lake in the summer - no reports! Well - someone has to be brave! I took a client out yesterday for a "teach the lake" trip and found out why none of you were there! Actually there was another bass boat on the lake! I showed him most of the lake - productive areas on and off the shoreline. Sunrise really never happened through the smoke - weird! I only had 2 or 3 bites - landing a 2 3/4 largemouth and a smallmouth that was close to 3 lbs. Boy, those smallies can fight in warm water!! He had a few bites also but couldn't hook them. Someone needs to develop a meter that can locate fish at Pardee in the summer!! For some strange reason I put on a brown/orange jig w/Berkley twin-tail trainer about 1 in the afternoon and that smallie nailed it!! Who ever heard of fishing a jig in August??? You never know!

    Tips: The lake is still at 97% level. Seems like we should be fishing the spring shallows! I think they plan to start dumping water very soon. Both of my fish were caught on off-shore structure - about 50 yards off-shore. His bites were on the bank in shadows. He will do well on his next trips - I'm sure!

Friday, June 21st, 2013

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: hit the lake about 7 for the first time ever. threw the kitchen sink at them from shallow to bout 30ft and not a lil nibble. as it was the first time we fished up the river till around lunch time. great looking lake just have to find the right cover and structure then things should change