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Bullards Bar Reservoir is a reservoir in California. The water surface spans about 4,760 acres, making it a mid-sized body of water. Fish documented in the area include Sacramento Pikeminnow, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Smallmouth Bass. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. If you are planning a trip, Donner Lake, Stampede Reservoir, and Boca Reservoir are also nearby. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Bullards Bar Reservoir.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 1:16 AM PDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (90/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (98/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 95/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the north. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 68° | 68° | 68° | 66° | 66° | 65° | 63° | 66° | 68° | 74° | 80° | 84° | 87° | 88° | 89° | 87° | 87° | 84° | 78° | 75° | 72° | 70° | 69° | 68° |
| Wind (kts) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Direction | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | NE | — | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | S | SE | SE | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 1 AM PDT | 68°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 2 AM PDT | 68°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 3 AM PDT | 68°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 25% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 4 AM PDT | 66°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 7 mph | 0% | 34% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM PDT | 66°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 7 mph | 1% | 41% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 AM PDT | 65°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 7 mph | 1% | 36% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM PDT | 63°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 7 mph | 1% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM PDT | 66°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 21% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM PDT | 68°F | 3 mph NNE (23°) | 7 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM PDT | 74°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 4% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM PDT | 80°F | 1 mph SSW (203°) | 6 mph | 0% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM PDT | 84°F | 2 mph SSW (203°) | 8 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM PDT | 87°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM PDT | 88°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM PDT | 89°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM PDT | 87°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM PDT | 87°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 1% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM PDT | 84°F | 2 mph SSW (203°) | 7 mph | 1% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM PDT | 78°F | 3 mph SSW (203°) | 8 mph | 2% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM PDT | 75°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 3% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM PDT | 72°F | 3 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 3% | 28% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM PDT | 70°F | 3 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 2% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM PDT | 69°F | 3 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 3% | 16% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM PDT | 68°F | 3 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 3% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM PDT | 67°F | 3 mph SSE (158°) | 8 mph | 3% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 62° | 89° | 59° | 71° | 46° | 63° | 44° | 60° | 42° | 66° | 44° | 72° | 50° | 78° |
| Wind | N 3 mph | WSW 0 to 5 mph | SSE 2 to 6 mph | S 5 to 8 mph | SSE 0 to 5 mph | SSE 0 to 3 mph | ESE 3 mph | SW 2 mph | NNW 2 mph | N 0 to 3 mph | ENE 3 mph | NW 0 to 3 mph | NNW 2 to 7 mph | N 0 to 7 mph |
| Gusts | 7 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph | 20 mph | 17 mph | 12 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph | 9 mph | 8 mph | 9 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 4% | 0% | 7% | 9% | 37% | 37% | 16% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Bullards Bar Reservoir. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (87/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (98/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. Gusts to 6 mph. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (74/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 3 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (98/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. Gusts to 6 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of CA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Bullards Bar Reservoir is a premier freshwater reservoir in CA, offering reliable water access and productive fishing throughout the spring, summer, and fall. The lake's surface character changes with shifting winds, offering glassy morning conditions for paddlers and active afternoon breezes for sailing. Public recreation is overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Sacramento Pikeminnow, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Bullards Bar Reservoir is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 1:16 AM PDT