Late RPT: 3/19 Amador (NTAC)

I paddled the NTAC event at Lake Amador on 3/19 and had a great time competing. These events always seem to be a feast or famine for me, but luckily this tournament went well as I netted three rainbows, the largest coming in @ 3.06 lbs. officially. I finished 12th and won a hat  – can’t go wrong with free stuff!

As many can attest, Amador often has a flotilla of trolling boats with guys pulling multiple lines and an added nuisance of bass boats working shallow along the banks & points - the number of boaters on the water can make a successful day of paddling hard to come. During this time of year, the trout at Amador are typically pushed back into the creek arms and running shallow. The Jackson Creek arm is always a hot spot for the trout bite in the early spring. The NTAC event was no exception with one caveat – too many boats!

 If heavy boat traffic wasn’t already an issue, the NTAC event probably triples the boat traffic on the lake making for some close quartered and sometimes hairy trolling. I spent the first 3-hours of the tournament staying away from the Jackson Creek arm to avoid crossed lines and conflicts with angry and often times discourteous boaters. But the increase in boat traffic in the confines of the Jackson Creek arm had the foreseeable effect of adversely affecting the bite. Too many boats just shut down any bite. It seemed like all the trolling boats spent their morning hours headed up and down the Jackson Creek, Rock Creek, & Mountain Spring arms for little to no success.

Around 10 AM it seemed like every boat made a beeline from the Jackson Creek arm to the main body of the lake in search of a bite. The relative emptiness of the creek arm was inviting and ended up being my saving grace. I snapped on two broke-back fire tiger Rapalas, a JSSR-05 and a F-07, and used shorter setbacks to work in the narrow confines of the Jackson Creek arm. My patience paid off and I ended up hooking up four times in my final 2-hours, netting three before I headed for the weigh-in scales at the marina.

It is great to see more and more people taking their kayaks out to fish these events. If anyone is planning on participating in any of the remaining tournaments at Collins Lake (April 8th) & at Lake Camanche (April 29th), let me know. It’d be great to have some company out on the water!

Conditions:
Temp. 50° - 71°
Wind: 3-5 MPH

Lake Conditions:
Surface Temp: ~59°
Visibility: 2’-3’ (stained)

Baits used:
Rapala JSSR-05 (Fire Tiger)
Rapala F-07 (Fire Tiger)
Scent: Pro-Cure Super Gel, Garlic Nightcrawler & Garlic Plus

Beauties!  how'd you place in the tourney?  thx for the sweet report