Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3809 April 12-26 2019 | Page 26

24 Apr 12 - 26, 2019 MAP FEATURE VOL.38 • ISS. 9 Lake Amador is full to the brim and the Mother Lode foothills it is nestled in are now a verdant green, thanks to this year’s abundant precipitation. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. Stockton Angler Wins Amador NTAC Event with 7.79 Lb. Trout L arry Valderrama of Stockton won first place in the adult division of NorCal Trout Anglers Challenge (NTAC) event at Lake Amador on Saturday, March 23, by catching a 7.79- pound rainbow trout. The angler was fishing with his wife, Mary, from shore when the big trout hit his Rooster Tail spinner in the launch ramp cove. “It was the only fish either of us caught,” Valderrama said. “After it hit around 9:30 a.m., it took about five minutes to bring in. It’s my personal best trout in my 20 years of fishing the local lakes, including Amador, Pardee, Camanche and Rancho Seco.” The morning started with some heavy rain, but anglers enjoyed beautiful spring weather on the Mother Lode reservoir the rest of the day. “The third event of the 2019 NTAC season is in the books and we want to thank all 166 anglers that participated for being part of all the fun,” said Vince Harris, President of Angler’s Press Outdoors, the organization that created and hosts NTAC events. “We look forward to hosting the next big event at Collins Lake on April 13.” Rich Peterson placed second in the adult division with his 4.79- pound fish, while Jeff Garcia placed third with a 4.63-pound trout in the event. The fourth through tenth place winners were: (4) Susy Martinez, 4.51; (5) Jimmie Trejo, 4.31; (6) Chase Enswei- ller, 4.19; (7) Jimmy Wynne, 4.12; (8) Adam Chollet, 4.1; (9) Bruce Alger, 4.08; and (10) Mark Wixon, 3.84 pounds. Twen- ty-four anglers fished in The kids winners at the Lake Amador NTAC show off their prizes and ribbons. the youth Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. division, with 11 weighing in fish. Joey Hill Jr., who a tackle box filled with Rooster Tail had just won the NTAC event youth lures for catching a trout while using a Rooster Tail. division at Pardee, also won first Anglers hooked a mixture of beautiful place in the Amador event with a cuttbows, rainbow trout and lightning 4.44-pound cuttbow. He was fishing trout raised in the lake’s onsite fish with his dad, Joe Hill Sr., during hatchery. Fishermen landed the trout the event. while fishing PowerBait, spinners and Ryder Salveson placed second spoons from shore and while trolling with a 2.91-pound. trout, while Rapalas, Kastmasters and other lures Derek Carlson placed third with a from boats. 2.76-pound fish. Sponsors of the event included Gone The fourth through tenth place Fishin’ Marine of Dixon, Lasher Elk winners in the youth division were: Grove Ram Thomas Lures, Silver (4) Jacob White, 2.6; (5) Harvey Horde, Yo-Zuri, Mack’s Lure/Shasta Levin, 2.22; (6) Ricardo Diaz III, Tackle, Hot Spot/Apex, Rapala, Luhr 2.16; (7) Ryder Peterson, 191; (8) Jensen, Dick Nite Spoons, Yakima Blane Ebojo, 1.63; (9) Bella Bender, Bait, Berkley, Pro-Cure Bait Scents and 1.2; and (10) Shayden Seda, 1.2. Fisherman’s Warehouse. Daiwa is spon- The event was sponsored by Gone soring the 2019 NTAC Daiwa Angler of Fishin’ Marine and Lasher Elk Grove the Year Award. Ram and hosted by Angler’s Press Outdoors and the Fish Sniffer Lake Amador has planted a total of magazine. 21,500 pounds of trout from mid-Oc- Matt Carlson won $100 and tober to present. “We’re currently stocking a mixture of Bonneville cuttbows, a cross between a Bonneville Susy Martinez bagged the biggest lighting trout, this 4.51 lb. beauty, during the NTAC event at Lake Amador on March cutthroat and rainbow trout; Donaldson 23. cuttbows, with heavy steelhead genetics; Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.