It's a new year and I thought I'd take a trip out to Lake Amador and see what was shaking. I got there about 8:00 am, signed in and paid my $17.00. A buck more than last year. On top of that, they want an additional $2.00 to put your float tube in the water. I fished from the bank. Back in April of 2009 I profiled the Donaldson Trout and wanted to take a crack at them again. Amador is also famous for the Cutbow. You know what that is.
I parked on the opposite side of the dam from the resort and made my way to the water. I was surprised that the lake was so low. It was lower than the picture I put on the post dated 4/18/09. The one thing that could be a problem with Amador, is that the sides of the lake are very steep. I had to stomp out a little platform to stand on otherwise I would have slipped into the water.
Fished for about an hour with every lure in the tackle box and several colors of Power Bait on the second rod. Not a nibble. The lake posts the plantings and claim 3000 lbs a week and just short of 60,000 lbs this season. I sure didn't see any. Well, that's not quite true. I saw one swim by, right in front of me and if I had to guess, I'd say his speed was some where close to 60 mph. No moss gathering on that bad boy. Then moved to a flatter spot when a couple of Gentlemen left. Nothing there either.
I also watched the guys (probably a dozen or more) around me and they too, were fishless. The only one I saw caught, was from a boat in the middle of the lake. So other than Mister Speedy and the one from the boat, fish sightings were at an all time low.
That is, until I left the lake. Right below the dam, is what I gather to be the breeding tanks for the stocking program. All I can say is that there are three tanks, probably 20 ft in diameter and from the truck (you can't get nearer than about 100 yards) all I could see in the tank was dorsal fins and tails. BIG dorsal fins and BIG tails. I'd be willing to bet that there are guys with
AK-47's hidden in the trees just waiting for someone to jump the fence. OK, probably not, just my imagination going South.
So I think, based on last year and this trip to Amador, I'm putting this lake on the back burner and probably won't visit here again unless it's a last resort.
Oh, guess what? The Sun was shining and I was fishing in a tee-shirt for most of the morning. Got me a dose of Vitamin D for my trouble and I feel much better for it.
Rain for the next several days in beautiful Sunny California (there's a song "It never rains in California". That's a bunch of horsepucky.), so I'll be benched until next week. Then some more sunshine. Maybe I can get the tube in the water.
Till the next adventure.
Mark (Shoreman)
I'd be happy with a day in the sun...snowed here this AM, supposed to get more this weekend! Agree with you, sounds like a place to visit again if no other options (or you get wind that they've openend up the pens let some of those bigguns loose!)
ReplyDeleteSometimes some great fishing can be had in the rain, but, I bet you already know that. Wish you had the tolerance for rain and getting wet cause I can remember some times when the fishing was plain crazy. Good luck with your next trip out. Wish we had sunny weather up here!
ReplyDeleteWhat a bummer to pay $19.00 just to narrowly escape slipping into the lake and gettin' hit by a torpedo fish and then traveling by the tanks under fear of ambush. That's not a very good return on your investment. I don't blame you for putting her on the back burner.
ReplyDeleteBetter days lie ahead! Keep the faith.
Hello
ReplyDeleteI am Mohammad from Iran. I searched for good weblog and see your nice weblog.
I`d never fished but i was interested after reading your trip to lake amador.
have a good time