Fishing Petaluma Reservoir in Sonoma County, California

• Overview

  The Sonoma County entry here is Petaluma Reservoir, in California. The surroundings are pine and hardwood. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sonoma County. Nearest town is El Verano, 4.7 miles off. Penngrove follows at 4.8 miles, then Eldridge at 5 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Petaluma Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Across Sonoma County, recorded fish include flathead grey mullet, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, bluegill and cabezon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The near bank of Petaluma Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect August near 69°F and January near 47°F on the long-run figures. It fishes twelve months of the year. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Petaluma Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Fern Lake, 4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Petaluma Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.