Woodward, a low elevation lake located in the rolling rangeland north of Oakdale, is similar in appearance to Rancho Seco Lake in Sacramento County and Camanche Reservoir in San Joaquin County. It is most well known for its holdover rainbow trout and smallmouth bass populations, but also has good populations of largemouth bass, black crappie and channel catfish. The lake has 2,900 surface acres when full, with a storage of 34,000 acre feet of water. It is located in a pretty regional park with great picnic, boat launching and camping facilities. The reservoir is operated by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to supply water to local farmers, so it is subject to fluctuations.
Caution is essential for boaters, since the lake is relatively shallow.
During the fall and winter, it is most popular with trout fishermen looking for a big rainbow trout. The reservoir is planted with a total of 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of rainbow trout every year, according to Chad Glenn of the Moccasin Creek Fish Hatchery. The DFG makes its plants of 200 to 400 pounds on a bi-weekly basis from November through February. The lake is known for its big, fat holdover rainbows that thrive in the cold, nutrient rich water that comes through a canal from the Stanislaus River below Goodwin Dam. Although the lake is shallow, fish are able to survive year round because of the influx of cold water, according to Tom Wilson of the Woodward Reservoir Recreation Area.