Strawberry Res.

chewyman55 · Mar 24, 2012

Howdy gents. With spring finally here, I'm getting antsy to get out and do some fishing. I've never fished Strawberry and am looking to finally hit it this year. I hear things can get hot as the ice goes out. I'm a bank fisherman and prefer to throw lures like the good old Krocodile. I'm not real familiar with the layout of the Reservoir. Is it basically just pick a point and cast or do I need to get to specific bays to have a chance? Any good sources to call or look up for when the ice breaks up? I don't live in that area. PM me if you'd like. Not after any top secret info. Just a dude and his fishing pole

Thanks MMers!

Prism · Mar 24, 2012

Timing is everything with the ice off bite, and the fishing can go from a hit every cast to nothing with the flip of a switch. Honestly it can be tough if you're limited to only a couple trips. It seriously takes a few weeks worth of hitting it to have a handful of those crazy magical trips, but when you hit it just right it'll be the best trout fishing of your life. Other than the fact the fish are bear lake slimers that don't fight worth a dang, but they're big and pretty. There are a handful of BIG rainbows making it through the years. If the ice fisherman left a few there are gonna be some huge rainbows caught this spring.

I think the soldier creek side fishes better early, but you never know where you're gonna have the best open water. If you can only make one trip be dang sure to get some recent reports. If you hit it wrong you could spend all day without a single hit.

If the bite is on it won't matter what you throw, but in general natural colored lures, jigs, flies, etc. seem to do better in the spring than super flashy stuff. Tough to beat a rapala or marabou jigs... Buggers and beaver leaches are always good. I like the fly rod for the shallow water, but you can cover a lot more water with a spinning rod and lures/jigs. Not to mention that water is flipping cold.

It'll be here early this year! Can't wait!

chewyman55 · Mar 24, 2012

I appreciate that info Prism. I'm in Evanston so it's not too bad of a trip. I'd like to give it one solid spring's worth of an effort. I'm heading to the Gorge here next weekend to get rid of some spring fever. I guess we're prob still a few weeks out at Strawberry? I need to make a buddy who commutes past the reservoir! Again, thanks for your tips.

Cam@strawberry · Mar 25, 2012

1/16 oz black maribou jigs with a little sparkle in the preferably....and probably another two weeks weather depending.....

chewyman55 · Mar 26, 2012

I've never fished the maribou jigs...but I am open to give em a shot! Thanks.

chewyman55 · Mar 26, 2012

What's the best way to get distance out of those things when you're using a spinning rig?

Cam@strawberry · Mar 27, 2012

Lighter line will do the trick, distance is not the idea when it comes to ice off fishing. Most of the places you should fish will only have a cast length of ice pull back any way. if your looking for areas to get distance casts you have missed the mark, find steeper shores with 10-20 yrds of open water to work with. fish no deeper than 15 feet total, and use a very slow retrieve with a slight bounce in the jig.

If ya have any questions just stop by the marina, I or whomever is working at the time will give ya the run around ;-)

Prism · Apr 7, 2012

Game on! Good luck it should be great the next few weeks.

ShowThemToMe · Apr 7, 2012

You tried it yet Prism?

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If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!

It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home

Prism · Apr 8, 2012

I've been twice so far. It's been good. Last night was amazing.

Fish are in OK shape. I'd say about 70% of the cuts I've caught have been pretty skinny and fighting even worse than usual, but I've caught a couple tank cuts that put up a pretty good fight. I haven't had a tape or scale, but a few cuts in that 3-5lb range. Lots of 1-3lb fish. I haven't caught a rainbow yet, which is suprising. But I haven't thrown anything smaller than 4" either. Have to try some smaller stuff this week. It's just fun throwing monster stuff this time of year hoping for that fish of a lifetime.

I think the window of great shore fishing is gonna be smaller this year. It's going fast.

ShowThemToMe · Apr 8, 2012

Thanks Prism!

Probably won't even get the chance to go!

A Skinny Bear Lake Cutthroat huh?

That'd be like realing a Stick in!

That's gotta be the Laziest Breed of Cutts I've ever caught!

[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!

It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home

Prism · Apr 8, 2012

I've reeled sticks in that fight harder than some of them. It's amazing they get as big as the do. Seems like they like to roll over and over on the line too-makes a mess.

Pound for pound the planters in deer creek are about as good as it gets for slimers around here.

It's a good thing there's a few places to catch smallmouths and carp close by.....

ShowThemToMe · Apr 8, 2012

I hear you Prism!

It's kinda like this here:

I'm hooked,I'll follow the Lure in to the JOKER that hooked me,Thank GAWD I'm in the Slot,Thanks for releasing me,see me next time,lol!

Anybody know what's so neat about this breed of Cutts?

Must be something the DWR is makin money on?

[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!

It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home

Prism · Apr 11, 2012

They like to eat chubs, shiners, rainbows, and eachother. The big boys like to eat crawdads ;-) and they have a sweet tooth for lucky crafts. Dang this crappy weather moving in the next few days! It ain't the cold, it's the WIND.

HuntinFool · Apr 14, 2012

If you could only use one thing fishing from the bank at thus time of year what would it be?

Prism · Apr 14, 2012

My pick would be a lucky craft 78 or 100 pointer in ghost minnow.

Use good line and tie good knots...They're worth the money.

Prism · Apr 17, 2012

The fat lady is starting to sing. Better hit it quick.

Gator · Apr 25, 2012

How the weather up there.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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