Golfing and Fishing at Amador 1/26/14

Didn't know Amador had a course did you? Well maybe not the kind of course you were thinking of. Took Deni out to play a round of disc golf on Lake Amador's new course with the plan of wrapping up the day with some trout on a stringer hopefully.

Got to the lake around 1000 and went straight for the course. It's a hobbie I'm hoping to get a little more into. I know it's not fishing so I won't talk about it too much. If anyone cares to try this some day though. Amador definitely isn't a beginners course. The first 5 holes are a breeze. Nice straight clear shots in open area's.

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but pretty much hole 6 to the end, your climbing up and over hills and trying to throw disc's through BS like this.

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Made for some fun, but very challenging tosses. Wrapped that up just after 1200 or so after making fools out our selfs out there it was time to try and catch some fish.

Made our first stop at the dam. Saw a few people with fish on stringers and a few rising so I thought it would be worth a shot. Deni threw a powerworm out under a bobber and laid down, she was beat after climbing up and down all of those hills. I tossed out a powerbait rod and tossed my jig around. Deni missed a good hit right off the bat not looking at her rod. I stood up above the water looking for any cruisers so I could try my sight fishing thing and just toss jigs at the fish I could see.

Didn't take long for me to see about a dozen fish cruising the banks. Tossed in and hooked up right away and got the skunk off. Kept at it for another hour for several chasers. Switched up colors till I found one they really wanted. Got a second hook up that broke me off after seeing so many fish just chase my jig and not commit to it. Sure enough though I had a kid come over right next to me to practice his casting on the sissy stick and a group of cousin's came over and started tossing there 1 ounce weights and giant water bobbers right in front of me. There goes my shot at any more cruisers.

Got Discouraged from that, so Deni and I packed up shop and took off towards the spillway. Stopped and fished a couple of different spots until we found a cove that fish were consistently holding in. Deni was the first to get one here on her powerworm.

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I was able to stick one on a gold kastmaster shortly after that.

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Kept working our way further back into the cove for more bites here and there. Stuck a few more fish on the powerworms in pink and chartreuse as well as the kastmaster, but a few came unbuttoned as well a couple got stuck in the trees along the shoreline. It was kind of a rough day. Fished until sundown for 4 on the stringer and just as many or more farmed or missed. Kind of a tough bite, but still a fantastic day on the water with my girl.

Can't wait to do it again.

Our catch at the cleaning station.

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Talked to a few boaters at the cleaning station. One boat had their limits, but they said they stopped on a point and soaked powerbait to get it. Beyond that the trolling bite they said was tough, not to mention they said they had their trolling lines cut twice by other boaters coming up behind them and trolling over their lines. Most bankers I saw had fish but only maybe 1-3 per person. I don't know why it seemed like people struggled more today. Maybe it was overcast or just the crowds, it was packed today.

Fishing is good though if you go you will catch fish. Look for risers and don't be afraid to do some searching if your off the bank. Not all of the fish are at the dam despite the amount of people over there fishing it.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

First AR Steelie of 2014

I've made a couple of half ass attempts going out for steelhead this year for maybe 30 mins each time. I see the river and it just looks more and more depressing. My friend Jessi told me she wanted to go fishing. Didn't have too much time or too much extra spending cash to go out to Amador like I wanted to to get her on some decent trout action, but tossing for some steelies on the AR is still fun. We worked a decent area of the Barbless section hoping to find some fish holding somewhere. I gave Jessi and spoon to toss around and I drifted roe. Worked a lot of deep holes and a few riffles looking for em. Talked to and saw a lot of fisherman a long the way and everyone said they had been working the river for the past couple of days without any luck. Tough times for sure.

After a couple of hours of walking a long and working our way down I finally got a little tap on roe and managed to hook into one. Had some pull, but not much weight. May have been small, but I'll tell you these little guys can pull!

Got my half pounder in and got my skunk off for the day and the season.

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Running off a little high Kept working down looking for more biters, but never found anything. Saw hundreds of fish along the river, but they were all dried up dead salmon carcasses. The river reeks of dead salmon just a for warning if your headed out there. Fished from 1000 till about 1300 and called it from there. Nice few hours on the water had a blast, hope to find more time to try and get on more steelies this year.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark

Squat and Rot 1/13/14

Got the Sturgeon fever hard, and I'm still dying for my keeper. Talked my dad into getting out in the first time in about 6 months. Old man is getting older. We got on the water around 0830 and headed for the powerlines. Graphed the area for a while and really didn't see much on the graph. Finally saw a few marks at the bottom of Decker. Didn't see any bigger marks, but its all we could find so lets try it for now. Dropped the pick and immediately started getting bit on everything, grass, ghost, roe, and shad. Just some aggressive nibbles though. Finally my dad sticks one on grass and takes the skunk off of the boat.

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Never seen a cat caught on grass before that was a new one.

Next thing I got a keeper striper in the boat on shad and another I got my limit of schoolies. Having a great day already. I was looking at the graph the whole time and I kept seeing one or two bigger marks on there so I know Mr. Sturg is down there, but the shaker stripers and cats were tearing up our bait so quick I don't think the sturgeon could get to it in time. After going through about 3/4 of out bait I made the call to move.

Looking for some more promising marks on the screen I graphed all of Sherman, everything in front of chain, up and down all of broad. It wasn't until pitts that I found anything at all on the graph. Its only my third trip out now, but I've never had to search the much to find em yet, maybe most of the fish moved up? Maybe I don't really know.

Dropped the baits in and waited for the big guy. We dropped in on the slack so we waited for the swing and got to fish the begging of the outgo. No shaker bites here, good sign. I get my first pump on roe, swing and a miss. 20 mins later I get a slam on shad, swing and my freaking rod snaps in half. It was an older rod my grandpa's friend passed down to me, no joke I think the rod is probably 40 years old I was probably just time for it. Down to one rod I stuck it out with roe hoping I'll get one more chance. Got my classic sturgeon pump, swung hard and home, felt the weight of the fish, then I took a step back tripped over my seat and feel on my ass and lost the fish in the process. 3rd strike I'm out.

DFW came by shortly after to check us. Really nice actually, checked our gear, tags, and my stripers, and went on their way. Told us we were the first boat they saw to even have a fish on board so that made us feel a little confident. Stuck it out for a while longer, but no more bites. Wind was picking up and we saw a big tanker coming in so we took off and headed for home. Good thing too cause the water was getting sloppy. Off of the water just after 1500. No sturgeon today, but still a great fantastic day on the water. Fish in the box, got to get outside, and I finally got my dad back on the water since the salmon season opener. Can't ask for much more for that. Sorry I didn't take more pictures for you guys. We all know what schoolies look like and there wasn't too much all the picture worthy today. Next trip I think I might venture up river towards cache to try and find some more fish.

Till Next Time Guys
Mark