Turlock Lake and Modesto Res?

Anybody know anything about these 2 spots?

Can't ride Turlock cause it closed for duck hunters and such, not sure about Modesto. Pedro is the best choice in winter, I think we may head up in a bit.

Have fun Chad and call me with a report on the VC and how it worked out for you.

PFO

Turlock closed even during spring and summer to boating?

what about Mclure Lake?

McClure is awesome, but at 25% capacity right now. New Melones and Don Pedro are right near there and are doing better water level wise - They're also about twice the size of McClure. Of the three, Pedro is my personal favorite.
You can see some pics/vid of McClure at the west coast camps web site.

sweet, as of right now I have orders to Turlock for 3-4 years. Been to Melones many times when stationed in Sac. How busy is Mclure, is there camping and such also.

I only hit McClure from April to the beginning of June and Late August to late October. It can get pretty crowded in the dead of the summer and hard to find good water to ride. The river section tends to be pretty good, narrow enough for wakes to dissipate quickly and discourages jack a$$ tubers and power turn freaks. But, it doesn't take a lot of boats to make it feel crowded.
IMO the best spot to camp on McClure is Horseshoe bend, hands down. Big sites, hook ups if you do the RV thing and lots of trees/shade. Because of the bad rain/snow year the launch was closed pretty early in the 08 season, so you'd have to drive to the other side of the lake to one of the two other ramps to launch. Kind of a bummer. There's two other camps on that side but I don't know much about them other than they're very dry and out in the open - not a lot of vegetation.
You've been to Melones so you know about the camping there.
Pedro has ok camping at Flemming meadows and moccasin point and launching at both. I haven't been to Blue Oaks.
Lots of good spots you can hit up though from the Turlock area. You've also got Camanche and New Hogan not to far from there. Though Camanche is like a big windy fish bowl...not sure about New Hogan.

If you're going to be in CA for a few years you should make it a point to hit Trinity, Shasta, Bullard's Bar, and Oroville.

We love Bullards and Shasta but looking for something than is easy to do on the weekends that don't take allot of travel time to get to and from.

DO you have pics of McClure. Camping won't be the RV but old school tents..

Yup, I've got a few. I'll re-size and post up a few this evening.

thanx

Turlock is closed from about October till about March or so. It is a bit shallow in some spots and colder than the other lakes but if you know the way I think it is the most consistent lake for sure. It is there for irrigation not pleasure. Next choice would be Pedro but it can get crowded in the summer even though it is huge. Hit me up when you get this way and we'll go out and I'll show you what I know. Between our group we have 4 (VLX, 2 SANS, and 1 MOOMBA) boats and we are always looking for a third.

Jeff-

We made it out Saturday for a real quick set at Pedro, didn't get out today. Didn't have the RPM hooked up right but everything sounded real good otherwise. No engine noise at all, which was my biggest fear and it all sounds real clean now. I reran the wire all the way to the engine now and am 99% sure it's fixed.

Kenny, I will be glad to see another v215 out at Pedro. Be very carefull at Modesto res, lost of sandbars. Turlock is shallow, and muddy. Pedro is the best lake in the area, and worth the extra 20 min drive. Pedro is low, but still a lot of water. The lake looks much different right now then it did a couple of years ago when it was full.

Thanx Chad... I will contact when I get there.

What is shallow for you because the lake I use up here is between 7ft to 15ft, that is low as I go.

How long to get to Pedro from Turlock?

Is Turlock lake only hunters and such?

Turlock is fairly close to south Delta also isn't it? Within an hour, Pedro is a nice lake and the Mud Hole isn't bad, But it does kinda freak you out when people are putting out duck blinds while you are taking a set. LOL

Glad to hear the upgrades are working out Chad you are going to love the VC.

Turlock is shallow but probably around 10-15 feet where we normally ride. Pedro is great in the winter but a mad house in the summer and it's difficult to find decent water. Modesto Reservoir is worthless for riding from what I have heard.

Turlock to Don Pedro is probably about 45 mins or more depending on what launch you are hitting.

Kenny definitely hit Chad up. We need thirds.

The hunters are gone outside of the times I mentioned above then it becomes an irrigation/recreational lake. And like Paul said 10ft or so but there are some that drop below 7 to 6, but again we know where those spots are. It sounds similar to your lake. We are out in Waterford where we are 10 minutes away from being on the water at Turlock add another 20 form Pedro. Just PM or e-mail me and we'll ride.

Kenny-

What is it that you do (Navy I realize, but what exactly) that has you out in Turlock for 3-4 years if you don't mind me asking?

(Message edited by forwaken on January 12, 2009)

I work with jets but it is my turn to go back to shore duty and I selected to go and do another tour of recruiting duty. I did my first recruiting tour was back in my hometown of Sacramento.

My first 5 years was in Lemoore (sea duty), then recruiting in Sac for another five and now I am finishing up 3.5 years up here at Whidbey Island Wa (sea duty again), So coming off of 3 years of sea duty I havent had much time on the water. Yes Wa sucks but it was my only way to get to see Europe so I have now been completely around the world and got to visit all the different countries, otherwise I would have went back to Lemoore and not came up here to Wa.

(Message edited by ghostrider 2 on January 12, 2009)

Modesto Res is a mud pit and as said a general hazard, stay away from it at all costs! The hot boat / jetski crowds love that place. Hogan is great when it's got water, at 25% it's far from it unfortunately. Don Pedro is your best bet right now and really the only res with decent amount of water besides Bullard i think. We ride Hogan & Don Pedro exclusively pretty much but spend a week at Shasta every year.

Scott, how's the pic resizing coming?

Sorry about that - only found two which are views from the boat on my laptop drive that I'll post up when I get home from work tonight. I have a bunch more of the camp site and surrounding area on my portable drive - but it's decided to go on the fritz and keeps locking up on me.
stay tuned...

Here's a couple I found. Like I said, just views from the boat, don't show much. All three are taken right near where the horseshoe bend camp is. If I'm able to get my pics off my portable drive in the next few days I'll post some more of the lake/launch/camping areas.

wow it's been awhile since the water was that high out there.

Yup. I think the first and third ones are from April 06 and the middle one is from October 06. I haven't been there since last May when it was at about 40% capacity then. I bet it looks crazy now at 25%.

ya it does the train trustles are about 100 ft in the air now i havn't even bothered heading out to horseshoe it was shallow back in september and the launches are all one lane now i'm praying for rain

wow that is low, thanks for the pics.

actually, with how that lake was in 08 the level shown in these pics would be considered high.

More pics the better..

Does the wind pick up allot here and create allot of chop?