Fishing Strawberry

_gloomis · May 31, 2005

The last few times I have fished strawberry from float tube, it has been very slow. Does anyone have some suggestions on patterns and techniques? The last time I went (about 2 weeks ago) I caught a couple fish on wooly buggers, black and olive. I am planning another trip this weekend and was hoping to get some info of other anglers experiences.

All of the fish I have been catching are cutts in the slot. I would like to target the bows for a change.

Desertflinger · Jun 2, 2005

Are we talking Ore?

bobcatbess · Jun 11, 2005

TIM

3 WEEKENDS AGO I WENT OUT & TRIED IT OFF THE BANK!!!

SAME THING HERE,I AVERAGED 1-2 FISH PER HOUR,ALL HEALTHY & ALL IN THE SLOT,ALL CUTS!!!

THE NEWS STATIONS HAD ADVERTISED IT AS 'HOT',THERE WERE SOME UNHAPPY CAMPERS!!!

IN MY OWN OPPINION STRAWBERRY ISN'T NEAR AS GOOD AS IT WAS A FEW YEARS AGO!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THINKING WE MAY HAVE SEEN BETTER DAYS!!!

_gloomis · Jun 13, 2005

Bess,

Ya, I agree. A few years ago we would catch dozens of fish during every outing.

What are your thoughts on the slot. Speaking from my experience, I have not seen a significant increase in fish size. The few fish that I am able to hook up with would have fallen within the old slot limit (15" - 18"). There has only been one time that I caught a fish over 22".

shotgunjim · Jun 13, 2005

I don't fish Strawberry that much during open water but I do hit it hard when it freezes. This past winter was epic. We've caught more big fish than ever. The biggest being 26" and lots between 24 and 22 inches. One 24" rainbow I caught was the most massive fish girth wise I have ever seen.

The new regs have only been in place for about a year now and it is only going to get better. That is if the DWR doesn't give in to all the whinny meat fishermen and change the regs back. Give the new regs about 3 or 4 years and you will be catching 23" fish on a regular basis. If givin the chance and the regs stay as they are now Strawberry will become one of the best big trout fisheries in the world. Just give it time.

Bess, have patience. Trout don't grow big over night. Here's a tip, once trout reach a size of about 22" or so they change from eating scuds, mayfly nymphs and rainbow sparkeling power bait to being cannabals eating thier own and eating crawdads. Next time try a live gold fish. Just kidding thats illegal, but putting a live crawdad on your hook isn't.

_gloomis · Jun 13, 2005

I am far from a "whinny meat fisherman". The size regulation has been into effect about 2 years now. Theoretically, these regs should be good for the fishery. I am just confused about the success, or lack there of, I have experienced in the last couple of years.

The biggest fish I have caught on this lake has been during ice fishing as well. But I would love to hook up with some of them with my fly rod.

elk_horn · Jun 15, 2005

We fished strawberry 4 times through the Ice and done really well been up there twice since the Ice off did really well for cuts in the slot but the second time wich was just this last weekend we never caught a fish...but there was a may fly hatch that was on... and it was thick.. so give it a week and it should be good again. The fish and game was also planting at Renegade so that probably didnt help much.

bobcatbess · Jun 15, 2005

_gloomis

THE SLOT DOESN'T BOTHER ME!!!

BUT IT SURE BOTHERS MOST PEOPLE!!!

YOU ADD UP WHAT IT COSTS TO GO TO STRAWBERRY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THESE BOYS WOULD LIKE TO KEEP A COUPLE,KNOW WHAT I MEAN???

UNTIL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ME & MY BOY CAUGHT SEVERAL FISH IN THE 28"-31" RANGE,THESE YOU DON'T HAVE TO MEASURE,THEY WERE NICE HEALTHY FISH & NO I WASN'T THROWING POWER BAIT!!!

WHEN YOU HOOK ONTO ONE OF THESE BAD BOYS ON 4 LB TEST YOU'VE GOT YOUR HANDS FULL FOR A LITTLE WHILE!!!

I STILL REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS AT STRAWBERRY,EVERYBODY HAD A CASE OF CORN,OPENING DAY WAS A REAL NIGHTMARE BACK THEN,I CALL IT COMBAT FISHING!!!

THIS STRAIN OF CUTTS THEY HAVE IN THERE NOW DON'T SEEM TO FIGHT AS HARD AS THEY SHOULD,KIND OF A LAZY STRAIN!!!

shotgunjim THINKS I THROW CHEESE I GUESS,HELL I EAT THAT STUFF MYSELF!!!

TRE ONLY bobcat THINKING THERES GOT TO BE SOME LUNKERS IN STRAWBERRY BY NOW,I JUST CAN'T CATCH THEM!!!

shotgunjim · Jun 16, 2005

Bess, I would never accuse you of useing power bait without some hard evidence to back it up. It sounds like you and your boy have caught bigger fish than I have.
I'am trying to think of Strawberry as a new Limited entry unit that just opened up. We are always accusing the dwr of doing nothing about are resources,then when they do something you hear people whinning about it. I'am not saying you or gloomis are, just other people I've talked to. I'am willing to catch less fish and have a better chance at a 10 lber than catch 16'ers all day long. I'am willing to give the dwr 100% support as long as they are trying and not just doing nothing, now big game thats another story. I'am about 100% sure the new regs can't hurt anything. Shunkings happen. Some days you catch a bunch other days you get none, thats fishing.

bobcatbess · Jun 17, 2005

shotgunjim

I'M WITH YOU ON THE 10 LBER!!!

I HOPE YOU'RE JOKING ABOUT THE NEW BIG GAME REGS???

I'VE THROWED A LITTLE POWER BAIT IN MY DAY,BELIEVE IT OR NOT I'VE ACCIDENTALLY CAUGHT SOME NICE BROWNS ON THAT 5.00 A BOTTLE CRAP!!!

IT'S JUST NOT MY WAY OF FISHING,HOWEVER,IF IT WORKS & IT'S LEAGAL USE IT!!!

MOST OF THE BIGGER FISH WE'VE CAUGHT AT STRAWBERRY,CAME ON DAYS SO COLD WE WERE PURPLE,SO DAMN COLD I WONDERED WHAT KIND OF IDIOTS WE REALLY WERE???

GOOD LUCK & I HOPE A 'LUNKER' BREAKS YOUR FENWICK!!! (LOL!!!)

THE ONLY bobcat THINKING WE ARE KINDA ON THE SAME TRACK,I'D RATHER TAKE ONE 350"+ BULL IN MY LIFE THAN ALL THE RAGHORNS IN THE STATE!!!

Cass · Jun 17, 2005

I haven't been to strawberry in years. From what my uncle has told me the fishing has really taken a dive the past few years. He still has some luck trolling with the old time monster steel spoons and metal line though.

-Cass

rutnbuck · Jul 16, 2005

Ok Gloomis
Promise not to tell about the blood worm that lurks in Strawberry. This is a small bright red worm. Similar to the San Juan worm. Ya can't bye this fly but get someone or tye one up. about 2 inches long on a 2 x x long shank. It is a red silver ribbed Maribou Streamer. tye short red maribou tail w/a few strands of pecock hearl. Then large red chnille w/ silver tinsle body. Then long Maribou wing/ with strands of pecock.
One other fly is a Double Renegade in a 2 xx long shank. Use 10-20 strands of pecock hearl for the body.
For both flies. Use a sink tip line or drift behind the boat trolling or float tube. Most often within 20 feet of deep shore. Early Early morning or late eve after it quites. Use bigger patterns and hang on!! Go shallow water 3-10 feet deep. The big fish are targeting the minnows along shore. Watch the fish hunt tables and the tide tables go just before the storm front or dark moon. The best time is after 5 days of consistant weather just before barametric change. Or just before storm and change