Turlock Reservoir Fishing
Stanislaus County, CDFW Central Region, 3,267 acres.
- 3launches
- 3,267acres
- 250 ftelevation
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Getting to know Turlock Reservoir
Turlock Reservoir is a reservoir in Stanislaus County, inside the CDFW Central Region. The agency entry puts it at 3,267 acres of water. The surface lies at about 250 feet. The nearest town on the Census list is Waterford, 11 miles away. The reservoir holds up to 45,600 acre-feet behind Turlock Dam on Tuolumne River.
Species on the CDFW entry: black bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie and hatchery trout. Count 3 mapped launches at the reservoir, 2 of them named. Its last recorded plant was in 2020.
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“Surrounded by rolling grasslands and shaded by Oaks, Cottonwoods, and Willows, this lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet with year-round fishing.”
“Poison oak is present.”
Quoted from the CDFW Fishing Guide entry for Turlock Reservoir (source). Checked October 2026.
Turlock Reservoir launch sites
- Turlock Lake SRA4 lanes, 94 trailer spaces, restrooms, California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Turlock Lake SRA (Tuolumne River Access)boat launch, California Department of Parks and Recreation
- Boat launch, Three Tree Flatboat launch
Launch ramps by Turlock Reservoir
- Basso BridgeTuolumne River, 4 miles northeast
- Don Pedro Recreation Area (Blue Oaks Ramp)Don Pedro Lake, 10 miles northeast
- Don Pedro Recreation Area (Fleming Meadows Ramp)Don Pedro Lake, 11 miles northeast
- Lake McClure Marina- Barrett CoveLake McClure, 15 miles east
Launch operators on file for Turlock Reservoir: California Department of Parks and Recreation (2).
DBW Boating Facilities, USFS recreation sites and OpenStreetMap slipways, checked October 2026.
Turlock Reservoir gauge reading
CDEC station TLC, reading for Oct 11, 2026 1:00 am Pacific. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Station page with the chart.
Fish CDFW flags for Turlock Reservoir
CDFW Fishing Guide species flags; CDFW publishes no fuller species list for most waters.
What may be kept from Turlock Reservoir
Statewide inland limits cover Turlock Reservoir; nothing extra is listed.
| Species | Daily bag | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bass | 5 a day | 12 in minimum | All year |
| Trout | 5 a day | none | All year |
| Striped bass | 2 a day | 18 in minimum | All year except closures in special regulations |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 a day | none | All year, except closures under district or special regulations |
| Catfish | no limit | none | All year, except closures under special regulations |
| Kokanee and inland salmon | 5 a day | none | All year |
Turlock Reservoir lies in the Valley District for inland trout seasons.
CDFW 2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026. All California limits.
How the lakes near Turlock Reservoir stack up
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation (ft) | Launches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turlock Reservoir | 3,267 | 250 | 3 | |
| Modesto Reservoir | 7 miles northwest | 3,800 | 207 | 1 |
| McClure Reservoir | 15 miles east | 7,127 | 867 | 8 |
| McSwain Reservoir | 16 miles east | 312 | 400 | 0 |
| Don Pedro Reservoir | 16 miles northeast | 12,960 | 830 | 4 |
| Yosemite Lake | 17 miles southeast | 500 | 300 | 2 |
Bordering Turlock Reservoir on the map
Next lakes over from Turlock Reservoir
- Modesto Reservoir7 miles northwest
- McClure Reservoir15 miles east
- McSwain Reservoir16 miles east
- Don Pedro Reservoir16 miles northeast
- Yosemite Lake17 miles southeast
Nearest tackle to Turlock Reservoir
- Waterford Marketbait and tackle shop, Waterford, 11 miles
- Bait Barnbait and tackle shop, Waterford, 11 miles
- Creekside Liquor Bait & Tackle, 12118 Yosemite Blvd Ste 2bait and tackle shop, Waterford, 12 miles
- Sports Stopsporting goods store, Waterford, 12 miles
- Big 5 Sporting Goods #130sporting goods store, Turlock, 18 miles
- Big 5 Sporting Goods #408sporting goods store, Atwater, 18 miles
License agents near Turlock Reservoir
- Snelling Chevronlicense agent, 9 miles
- Boland Marketlicense agent, 9 miles
- Walmart Store #5890department store, 19 miles
Towns a short drive from Turlock Reservoir
- La Grange7 miles
- Snelling9 miles
- Lake Don Pedro11 miles
County links for Turlock Reservoir
- Stanislaus Countyseat: Modesto
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Species anglers find at Turlock Reservoir
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Meine Mutter (Erlaubnis liegt vor), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Turlock Reservoir: the usual questions
Where in California is Turlock Reservoir?
CDFW places it in Stanislaus County, about 11 miles from Waterford.
How much water does Turlock Reservoir cover?
CDFW lists 3,267 acres.
How many launches does Turlock Reservoir have?
There are 3 launches; try Turlock Lake SRA.
Are there trout in Turlock Reservoir?
black bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie and hatchery trout, per the Fishing Guide.
When did CDFW last plant Turlock Reservoir?
The planting layers do not list it.
What rules cover Turlock Reservoir?
No special rule; the statewide lake limits apply.
Is a fishing license required on Turlock Reservoir?
A sport fishing license at $64.54 for residents, from age 16.
How much storage does Turlock Reservoir hold today?
See the reading from CDEC above.
Which store is closest to Turlock Reservoir?
Head to Waterford Market, 11 miles away.
Pack for Turlock Reservoir
Read the limits, then pick a launch.