Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3907 Mar 13-27 | Page 16

14 March 13-27, 2020 MAP FEATURE VOL.39 • ISS. 7 Lake Amador offers excellent fishing for three special strains of trout, along with largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, crappie and channel catfish. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. Amador Anglers Battle Monster Trout to 15.75 Pounds I f you want to catch huge trout, it’s hard to beat Lake Amador right now. Both bank anglers and boaters are hauling in monster Amador cutbows and rainbows while using an array of fishing methods at this popular Mother Lode fishery located on Jackson Creek. My friend Tom Stienstra, outdoors writer for the Francisco Chronicle, calls Amador “Northern California’s Fish Factory.” I agree, judging from the recent catches weighed in at the resort. Just ask Rene Ramirez , who was just 6 ounces shy of having the new lake record for trout when he weighed in 15.75 pound trout on February 27. He landed the fish while soaking Power Bait from shore in the Carson Creek Arm. The lake trout record still stands at 16.4 pounds, but it could potentially be broken this season, based on the numbers of huge fish show. Mike Groulx from Vacaville bagged a 14.74-pound rainbow while trolling green Power Grubs on Tuesday, February 25. That’s not the only trophy trout landed lately. Boyd Rosenthal landed a 13.8- pound trout from a kayak while trolling with a Speedy Shiner, reported Elizabeth Lockhart of the Lake Amador Café. Travis Marshall successfully battled a 12.94-pound trout while soaking Power Bait from shore. Robert Freitas of Fair Oaks also caught a 12.24-pound trout off the dam on rainbow Power Bait. Terese Carter of Sacramento had a great day at the lake with her husband, Daryl, when she fooled a 6.65-pound rainbow with PowerBait. In addition to recent plants from the lake’s on-site trout hatchery, Mt. Lassen Fish Hatchery stocked 4,000 pounds of rainbows into Lake Amador on February 19. “We wanted to put in a big load of fish into the lake,” said Lockhart. “A total of 14,000 pounds of trout have been planted since October at the reservoir.” The resort also stocked a total of 700 pounds of Amador Golden Rainbows– a special breed of trout – on February 26. The lake management has planted a mixture of Amador cutbows, golds and rainbows from the on-site hatchery since October, 2019. There are still approximately 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of trout in the hatchery. The resort ill plant at least another 8,000 pounds from the hatchery this year. “We have planted 14,000 pounds total this year to date. We will probably plant around 25,000 pounds this year,” he noted. “Trolling for trout is really good with Rapalas and Speedy Shiners now,” said Lockhart. “Shore fishing with PowerBait and Kastmasters is also excellent.” Amador’s annual trout derby ends on March 8, so you still have time to enter it. Information: (209) 274-4739. There are a number of fish derbies coming up on Lake The NorCal Trout Big Amador Golden Rainbows provide exciting fishing for anglers like Suzie Martinez who hook into them at the lake. Anglers Challenge Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. event, presented by Angler’s Press operation, an operation begun by Bob Outdoors, will be held at the lake on May Lockhart over 25 years ago. 2. Information: (916) 768-0938. However, the lake management was Amador produced one of the most forced to shut down the hatchery during memorable trout adventures that I have the drought starting, the result of lack ever experienced. On a morning in June of water to keep the facility going. 1991, I went to the lake to catch some bluegill, since the tasty sunfish were on the bite the day before during a shore fishing trip I made to the lake in the afternoon. Fishing under a bobber off the docks below the lake clubhouse, I didn’t hook any bluegill, even though fishing buddy Doug MacPherson and I had experienced topnotch bluegill fishing the day before. However, I did get into an epic trout bite. I caught one 3-1/2 to 4 lb. rainbow after another on light spinning gear, releasing some and keeping my limit of five fish. The limit weighed just shy of 18 pounds, a great weight for five fish anywhere in northern of Central California. The resort is the only facility that I know of that has its own fish hatchery Travis Marshall caught this beautiful 12.94 pound lunker rainbow from shore while using PowerBait on February 15. Photo courtesy of LAKE AMADOR RESORT, ione. Rene Ramirez was just 6 ounces shy of having the new lake record for trout when he weighed in 15.75 pound trout on February 27. He landed the fish while soaking Power Bait from shore in the Carson Creek Arm. Photo courtesy of LAKE AMADOR RESORT, ione.