Fish Sniffer Magazine Volume 41, Issue 07 | Page 11

Lake Amador Facts
VOL . 41 • ISS . 7

MAP FEATURE
May 13 , 2022
11

Lake Amador Facts

Location : Lake Amador , located on Jackson Creek in the Mother Lode foothills near Ione , features 400 surface acres and 13-1 / 2 miles of shoreline when full . The reservoir is managed as a fishing lake – no water skiing or jet skis are allowed .
Fishing Season : Fishing is open year round . The lake management and California Department of Fish and Wildlife plant the lake from mid -October through mid-June , depending upon the surface water temperatures .
Resort Facilities : Amador is a full service resort complete with a marina , fishing dock , café and store . The Tackle Box Cafe , located in the Lodge , serves breakfast and lunch on Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays . Also located in the lodge is a large general store and beer bar with a large screen TV . A well-stocked bait and tackle store with rental boats is also located in the lodge . Unlike many other lakes , Amador encourages fishing from its docks . The resort also features two 18-hole disc golf courses and a DG pro shop .
Launch Ramps : The lake has an expanded launching ramp with new docks and a paved parking area lighted at night for nocturnal fishing adventures .
Camping : Full hook-up RV sites and a 150 site campground , with showers and flush toilets , are nestled along the shoreline of Lake Amador . The sites are available year round with reservations or just show up . They always have room except maybe on some holidays .
Day Use and Other Fees : The parking fee ( 1 vehicle up to 4 people ) is $ 10.00 from October through April is $ 10 and $ 12 from May through September . Each additional person is $ 2.00 . The fishing permit costs $ 9.00 per day October through May and $ 7.00 June through September . The boat launch fee is $ 7.00 per day ; kayaks , canoes and float tubes are $ 4.00 per day .
Fishing information : Lake Amador Resort at ( 209 ) 274-4739 , www . lakeamador . com .
To Ione
I-5
To Rio Vista
Jackson Creek
Sacramento
12
580
16
50
88
124
Placerville
Lake Amador
Lodi
Stockton
Lodge
Dam
49
Dock
Jackson
49
Picnic Area
Spillway
R . V .
El 925
Swimming Pond
Carson Arm
Camp Dock
Mountain Spriing
Cat Cove
Isaacs Ditch
Elv 588
Boat Camps
Mountain Spring
Lake Amador El 468
Rock Creek
Doney Bay
Carson Creek

Lake Amador

Amador County
Jackson Creek
Rock Creek
Kreth Creek
Jackson Creek
El
639 Fishing Notes Jackson Spillway
• Fishing for Amador ’ s Rainbow Trout is best when plants are taking place from mid-October through early June . Bank fishing is best for anglers fishing Power Bait , Pautzke Fire Bait , salmon roe and nightcrawlers in the top 3 feet of water until the water temperature warms up in the spring . Trollers use Needlefish , Cripplures , Rapalas , Rebels , Yo-Zuri ’ s and other minnow imitation lures .
• Florida-Strain Largemouth Bass offer year-round action . Night fishing with jigs and Power Worms is best during the fall . During the winter , drop shotting with small plastics off main body points in 15 to 30 feet of water is most productive . Spring and summer baits include spinnerbaits , plastic worms , Zoom Flukes , crankbaits and top water lures .
• Channel Catfish action reaches its prime in the summer and fall . Toss mackerel , chîcken liver and stinkbaits off the points .
• Crappie fishing is best off docks and other structure in spring and fall . Fish mini-jigs and live minnows .
Elv 577
The kids winners display their prizes at the NTAC event at Lake Amador .
Photo by Dan Bacher
Sheldon Bright of the Fish Sniffer and Vince Harris of Angler ’ s Press pose with the adult winners of the NTAC event at Lake Amado on April 23 .
Photo by Dan Bacher
With better water conditions , the resort reopened the hatchery in 2017 . The hard fight that Amador ’ s own hatchery raised trout have historically provided anglers , along with their beautiful fins and colors , are due to the unique strains of fish grown here and the conditions they are raised in . First , the hatchery raises the fish in tanks 5 to 6 feet deep , rather than 18 inches deep like other hatcheries , making for better growing conditions . Second , when the fish reach the age of 8 months and are taken out of the raceways , they are raised in 7 octagonal tanks with a constant current running through them . Swimming in the current forces the fish to become strong and healthy . Third , the resort uses top quality “ EWOS ” food to raise their fish . Since it includes krill and sardines ,
it helped give the fish ’ s flesh their unique pinkish orange color . Fourth , the lake management keeps the amount of fish in the hatchery at a lower density than the state and other hatcheries , so the fish display squared , rather than rounded , tails . Fifth , the quality of the fish they raised also has to do the unique strains of fish they raise . While they first spawned fish from brood stock , they began buying eggs because it was less expensive . “ We raised kick-ass fish that fought like hell ,” said Lockhart . “ However , because costs to raise fish have tripled , we aren ’ t going to be able to raise 100,000 fish per year like we used to .” Trout provide the most popular fishery at Amador from October through May , but the lake also features excellent populations of
Florida-strain largemouth bass , channel and blue catfish , black crappie , redear sunfish and bluegill . The largemouth found in Amador are Florida strain / northern hybrids . Northern strain bass were planted in the lake after it was filled in 1968 , followed by the introduction of Florida-strain largemouth by the CDFW in 1973 . Over the years , Amador has produced some huge fish . Juan Garcia caught the lake record Cutbow trout weighing 20.12 pounds on November 11 , 2020 . Jeremy Silvas landed the lake record rainbow trout weighing 19.39 pounds on November 18 , 1920 . The lake record largemouth bass , caught in 1986 by Tim Kamura , weighed 17.1 lbs . The record catfish , caught by Joel Issac , weighed 39.6 lbs . The record crappie weighed 4.1 lbs .
Erin Baldanzi successfully battled this 4.2 lb . trout , placing fourth in the adult division of the NTAC event at Lake Amador on April 23 .
Photo by Dan Bacher
Amador is located only one hour from Sacramento and Stockton , and only two hours from anywhere in the Bay Area . The 1300-acre facility offers a heavily--stocked 400-acre lake , with an updated dual lane boat launch and a large fishing dock for shore anglers . The Lake Amador Clubhouse offers free Wi-Fi , a pool table , horse shoes , foosball and TV . The Clubhouse features a beer bar , as well as The Tackle Box Café , where you can eat a delicious breakfast and lunch ( when it is open ). For more information , contact : Lake Amador Resort at 209-274-4739 , www . lakeamador . com .