Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3909 April 10-24 | Page 17

nch so n k Stony Creek Rd China Gulch Twin Mine Rd Poorman Gulch Palom a Rd Thatchers Gulch PALOMA h ma lo Pa e eid W Elevation 568 Rd n ma To Hiway 49 & Jackson ulc n G er Twin Mine Rd log Boom al R Good k Mo e Weatherbee Gulch Spillway n elum Kirkwood Gulch Gale Gulch Lecchiro Gulch Copper Mine Tule Gulch Gulch Dam School Camp Gulch Norton Gulch Pardee Reservoir Recreation Area Grapevine Gulch Cave Gulch Condon Gulch Stewart Gulch Black Gulch Plasse Gulch Dufresne Gulch Tagers Gulch To Lake Camanche Middle Bar Rd. To Jackson Cr Rd ck Bar Ja Gillam Rd Campo Seco Rd To Hwy 12 and Lodi Campo Seco Watertown Rd Pardee Ln To Hwy 12 and Lodi ad nch Ra To Hiway 12 & Valley Springs Bell Ro Haupe Crk Fishing Notes kokanee. Chris Harris of Sacramento set the lake brown trout record in 2010 when he landed a 15.36 lb. fish while trolling for kokanee at 30 feet deep near the dam. He was using a pink fire tiger Uncle Larry’s spinner behind a Sep’s dodger. Kokanee salmon offer another quality salmonid fishery at Lake Pardee. The fish are extremely abundant most years, finding excellent spawning conditions in the Mokelumne River, so the CDFW no longer plants the reservoir with the kokanee. T The kokanee fishing was tough last year, but was much better this season with a good showing of smaller fish in the 10 to 12 inch range before the closure. Boaters were picking up limits of kokanee salmon averaging 10 to 12 inches while trolling pink spinner hoochies and other lures behind dodgers down at 25 to 40 feet in front of the dam, reported Mo Souza of the Rocky • Smallmouth Bass are found throughout the season off the rocky points. Toss plastic grubs, Senkos and worms for the big bronzebacks. Good numbers of Largemouth Bass are also taken at Pardee by experienced bass enthusiasts. Double • Kokanee Chile fishing hits its prime from late March through September, depending upon weather and water conditions. Troll Needlefish, Springs Camp Cripplures, Goldeneyes, Apexes, Uncle Larry's spinners and other small lures, tipped with white Rd corn, in the main body near the dam. Rd • Rainbow Trout fishing can be good throughout the season, but the best bank fishing is in the spring. The Main Recreation Area is the hot spot for big rainbows in February, March and April. Fish Power Bait, Power Eggs, Pautzke salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, spoons, spinners and flies. Trollers find the hottest action during the late spring, summer and early fall, when the fish are concentrated in the thermocline. Troll minnow imitation lures and nightcrawlers behind flashers. • German Browns are occasionally taken, usually when heavy flows push the fish from the Mokelumne Rvier into the lake. Troll Rebels and Rapalas early and late in the day in the spring. • Other Species found at Lake Pardee include bluegill sunfish, crappie and channel catfish. These are the top 10 adult winners of the NTAC event at Pardee, posing with Sheldon Bright of the Fish Sniffer and Vince Harris of Angler’s Press. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. The CDFW also stocked 750 pounds of catchable rainbows for the opener. Until the closure, The bank fishing on opening weekend was wide-open,” said Dave Keyser of the Rocky Mountain Recre- ation Company. Until the recreation area closed, Mt. Lassen was planting 1,000 pounds of trout every week. When the lake reopens, angers can catch good numbers of holdover rainbows while trolling spoons, spinners, minnow imitation lures and night- crawlers from the surface to 20 feet deep from the Narrows to the dam. Shore anglers can also pick up quality rainbows in the 1 to 5 lb. class while fishing nightcrawlers, Power Eggs and PowerBait on sliding sinker rigs. The lake also features a sleeper population of wild German browns that spawns in the Mokelumne River and ventures into the lake in search of forage, including the abundant trout and Fre Amador & Calaveras Counties Note: Lake Pardee closed temporarily to fishing on March 20, due to the coronavirus pandemic “We have just received notice to close the park, so unfortunately there will be no more fishing or boating until further notice. We are so very sorry for the inconvenience; please keep watching for updated posts on our Facebook page,” according to the Pardee Lake Recreation Facebook page. Location and size: Situated on the Mokelumne River in the Mother Lode foothills west of Ione, Lake Pardee has 2257 surface acres and 37 miles of shoreline when full. Management: The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) oversees the operation and maintenance of facilities, determines recreation fees and establishes rules and regulations. The recreation facilities are operated by the Rocky Mountain Recreation Company. Camping: Lake Pardee features a total of 141 beautiful, oak studded campsites located within two separate campgrounds within its bound- aries. Campsites offer plenty of shade, are clean and each contain a picnic table and a fire ring. Clean, portable toilets are within a short walk. In each campground, running water is close to or right next to a site. Two ADA designed handicap sites are also available. Lakeview Campground is within walking distance of most facilities. The Oaks Campground is a little more secluded. For reservations and fee information, call (209) 772-1472. RV Sites: Nightly and weekly RV sites, known as “C” units, are located in the Oaks Campground and feature full hook-ups, including electricity, water, and sewer connections. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Boat ramp: The ten-lane boat launch ramp is a real convenience for easy launching and exiting. The extra-long trailer parking area is also a plus to boaters at Pardee. Note: EBMUD rangers will be inspecting boats for the presence of Quagga and Zebra mussels. Marina: Pardee’s full service marina features boat rentals, boat supplies, fuel, ice, propane, oil, bait, tackle, beverages, sandwiches and snacks, lake maps and fishing licenses. Boat rentals: are available out of Lake Pardee Marina for hourly, half day, full day and weekly rates. Deluxe and pontoon boat rentals are also available. Fishing fees: Permits are $7.00 each day for each individual 16 years and older. A valid California fishing license is also required for all persons fishing who are age 16 and older. Fish cleaning facilities: The state-of-the-art fishing cleaning station is an automated system where you simply approach the station and the grinder turns on automatically. Also, it is ADA designed for the disabled. It’s open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. For more information, contact Rocky Mountain Recreation Company, 4900 Stony Creek Road, Ione, CA 95640-9439, Office: (209) 772-1472, 1-800-416-6992, https://rockymountainrec.com/lake-facilities/listing/ pardee-lake-recreation-area. Pardee Reservoir Lake Pardee Facts 15 April 10-24, 2020 MAP FEATURE VOL.39 • ISS. 9 Mountain Recreation Company. Sierra Nevada of Northern California While most anglers fish the lake for and is just twelve miles southwest of salmonids, the lake is home of record- Jackson. class smallmouth bass. Harold Hardin As the center of EBMUD’s drinking of Stockton set a new state smallmouth supply, to comply with state law, bass record in July 2007 by landing personal water crafts, water skiing, and a 9.83 lb. bronzeback, shattering the lake swimming are not permitted. previous state record of 9.1 pounds For more information about Pardee caught by Tom Brady of Weaverville Lake, contact the Rocky Mountain in 1976 at Trinity Lake. He fooled the Recreation Company, 4900 Stony Creek fish with a 6 inch long charcoal colored Road, Ione, CA 95640-9439, Office: Castaic swimbait in his aluminum boat. (209) 772-1472, 1-800-416-6992, https:// Then during a Lake Pardee Media rockymountainrec.com/lake-facilities/ Day in 2008, two anglers bagged two listing/pardee-lake-recreation-area. monster smallmouths over 9 pounds in one day. Allen Fong of Fisherman’s Warehouse in Sacramento caught and released a 9 lb. 5 oz. smallmouth while fishing with a green Yamamoto jig outside of the recreation area cove in 20 feet of water. Bass pro Dean McDaniel also nailed a 9 lb. 2 oz. largemouth while fishing a grub in the same area. While known for its huge smallmouth, Pardee also has a good population of northern strain largemouth bass. Jack Billington from Ione captured the Pardee Lake record when he caught and released a 13.4 lb. largemouth using Blade Runner chartreuse and white craw jig on March 22, 2007. Other species found in the reservoir include channel catfish, bluegill and crappie. Located on the Mokelumne River, Pardee Recreation Area provides stunning views and diverse activities for all visitors, Aponi Taylor won second place in the kids division of the Pardee NTAC with this 2.09 lb. rainbow. Aponi and old and young. The park is her dad, Anthony Taylor show off their outstanding nestled in the foothills of the stringer of trout. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.