Drop Shot Fishing on Don Pedro Reservoir
Don Pedro Reservoir · California · West
Don Pedro Reservoir sits at roughly 800 feet elevation in the Tuolumne River canyon, a deep, clear-to-moderately-clear impoundment shaped by dramatic submerged terrain — drowned creek arms, chunk-rock points, and standing timber that create layered vertical habitat from the surface down past 200 feet. The fishery is best known for spotted bass, which thrive in the canyon-influenced clarity and rocky structure, though largemouth bass occupy the shallower backs of coves and brush-choked flats. Water clarity fluctuates with seasonal runoff, swinging from gin-clear in late summer to stained green following spring snowmelt from the Sierra.
The drop shot suspends a soft plastic bait above the bottom on a fixed line, keeping it in the strike zone longer than any other rig. Originally a West Coast technique, it now dominates clear-water and finesse situations nationwide. Works vertically over structure or on a long cast.
Drop Shot Setup for Don Pedro Reservoir
| Rod | 7' medium-light to medium spinning rod, fast action |
| Reel | 2500–3000 size spinning reel, 6.2:1 or higher |
| Line | 6–8 lb fluorocarbon main line or 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluoro leader |
| Weight | 1/8–3/8 oz tungsten drop shot weight (heavier in current or deep water) |
| Hook | #1 or #2 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, 6–18 inches above weight |
Seasonal Tactics on Don Pedro Reservoir
Lake: As water temps climb through the 55–65°F range from March into May, largemouth push into the backs of the northern arms — Fleming Meadows and Moccasin Creek areas — staging on submerged brush and secondary points in 8–15 ft. Spotted bass move shallower than most anglers expect, stacking on rocky spawning flats in 6–12 ft once temps hit the low 60s.
Drop Shot: Target staging fish on points and drop-offs in 8–20 feet. Nose-hook a 6" Roboworm or Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm.
Lake: Stratification pushes spotted bass down to the 25–45 ft range along main-lake points and submerged ridgelines, where they suspend just above the thermocline chasing shad and kokanee fry. Topwater action can ignite on main-lake points at first light before the sun breaks the canyon walls, often between 5:30 and 7:30 AM.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: Cooling temps in October and November trigger spotted bass to chase threadfin shad into the mid-lake coves, with schooling activity becoming aggressive on the surface by mid-morning. Largemouth slide back onto secondary points and submerged wood in 10–20 ft as the shad migration concentrates near the creek channels.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: Don Pedro's spotted bass remain catchable through the cold months — unlike largemouth, they don't shut down as hard. Fish congregate on main-lake points and deep rocky structure in 30–50 ft, where a slow-rolled swimbait or drop shot along the bottom produces consistent bites even when water temps dip into the mid-40s.
Drop Shot: Slowest presentation of the year. Dead-stick a 4" finesse worm at the bottom. Let it sit 10–15 seconds between shakes.
Best Conditions
Clear to stained water, pressured fish, cold fronts, post-spawn suspended bass, deep structure in summer
Use a Palomar knot and leave the tag end pointing up to keep the hook riding correctly. Most anglers tie it wrong.
More Techniques for Don Pedro Reservoir
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