Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3805 Feb 15- Mar 1 | Page 16
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Feb 15 - Mar 1, 2019
MAP FEATURE
San Pablo Reservoir features plenty of great shore and boat fishing access.
T
VOL.38 • ISS. 5
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
NTAC Anglers Bag Big, Bold Trout At San Pablo Reservoir
he NorCal Trout Anglers Challenge
(NTAC) tour began the 2019
season on Saturday, February 2 with
anglers braving cold and rain to catch
lots of quality rainbow trout at San Pablo
Reservoir in El Sobrante.
“This event was amazing,” said Vince
Harris president of Angler’s Press
Outdoors, the organization that created
the NTAC series. “Despite cold,
and rainy weather, over 100 trout
anglers came out for this 7th
year opening day event.”
The event, presented by Gone
Fishin’ Marine and Lasher
Elk Grove Ram and hosted
by Angler’s Press Outdoors
and the Fish Sniffer magazine,
took place during the opening
weekend of fishing season on
the East Bay Municipal Utility
District reservoir, nestled in the
forested and verdant green
East Bay hills.
“We are over-
whelmed and
very thankful
for the
support
we have
received
from
both our
spon-
soring
partners and participants, and it is clear
that this series is helping to bring indi-
viduals, families and youth together - in
one place, to enjoy a great day of outdoor
fun,” said Harris.
Jeff Garcia won first place in the event
by landing a 5.04 lb. rainbow trout while
shore fishing.
“I hooked the fish
while using PowerBait
off Oak Point,” said
Garcia. “It was a
matter of a lucky
cast and lucky
timing. I didn’t get
on the lake until
around 8
The Youth Division winners of the NTAC event pose with Sheldon Bright of the Fish Sniffer
and their medals at San Pablo.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
a.m.”
“I lost one larger fish that almost
took my rod into the water. I also
landed another smaller trout,” he
noted.
Dirk Ensweiller finished third
with a 4.39 lb. rainbow, while
David Cohn placed third with
a 3.82 trout.
The fourth through tenth
place winners were (4)
Jason Pandolfi, 2.5; (5)
John McGill, 2.3; (6) Chris
Nunes, 2.27; (7) Mike
Urbani, 2.21; (8) Jay Huey,
2.12; (9) Dan Quick, 2.11;
and (10) Adam Hoffield, 2.06.
Solei Richardson of Richmond
won first place in the Youth Division by
catching a 3.89 lb. rainbow while shore
fishing with garlic PowerBait. She was
fishing with her dad, Michael, when she
hooked the fish.
The second through sixth place winners
were (2) Travis Luna, 1.7; (3) Winston
Hubert, 1.36; (4) Angel Blanco, 1.32; (5)
Brianna Gutierrez; 1.32; and (6) Harley
Solei Richardson of Richmond won first place in
the Youth Division of the NTAC event at San Pablo
Reservoir by catching this 3.89 lb. rainbow while
shore fishing with garlic PowerBait on February 2.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
Levin, 1.23 .
The fishing success varied, depending
on the angler and the area fish. Some
anglers landed limits, others landed one
or two fish, and some anglers reported
getting skunked.
Therese Carter of Sacramento won a
Yakima Rooster Tail tackle pack and $100
in cash for using a Rooster Tail spinner.
Mt. Lassen planted 4,000 pounds
of rainbow trout in San Pablo before
the opener on January 29, according
to Marcella Shoemaker at the Rocky
Mountain Recreation Company.
San Pablo Reservoir is stocked regularly
with rainbow trout in the fall, winter and
spring and channel catfish during the
summer. Largemouth and spotted bass,
crappie, redear sunfish, bluegill and even
a sleeper population of white sturgeon are
available also.
The lake is best known for the trophy
trout it has produced over the years.
Stephen D. caught the lake record rainbow
trout of 21 pounds, 12.8 ounces on April
18, 2001 while soaking chartreuse Power
Bait off Oak Point.
While trout are the most popular species
at San Pablo Reservoir, the lake also
has good populations of channel catfish,
spotted bass, largemouth bass and sunfish.
Most of the cats taken at San Pablo are
in the 1-1/2 to 5 lb. range, but monster