This dataset was collected as part of a large-scale study to assess impacts of smoke cover on gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R) in California lakes. The 10 study lakes span large gradients in elevation, size, nutrient concentrations, and water clarity. They include 5 ponds and lakes in Sequoia National Park, Lake Tahoe, Dulzura Lake, Clear Lake, Castle Lake, and a site in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Metabolic rates in the upper mixed layer of each lake was estimated from hourly in-situ sensor data during the three smokiest years in California since 2006 (2018, 2020, 2021). The dataset includes daily estimates of GPP and R, mean daily values of variables used in metabolism models (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, mixed layer depth, photosynthetically active radiation, wind speed), and mean daily values of metrics related to smoke cover (shortwave radiation, PM2.5, smoke density derived from remote-sensing).