Hit the Berry thur. for the first time since ice off. Like tube dude said, the fishing was spotty. WE fished our first spot, caught 52 by 10:30 then tried another spot and lost count at about 50 and so on. Fished only four spots out of our favorite 6 and the three of us, Matthew(71) my grandson, Dave (81) the expert, and I (77) had a great day. That was (fish caught) not ages. Total for the day was 229. That is no fish tale, an actual count of fish. Only 12 were bows and very suprising there was not one over the slot. Last yr. on the same week end Dave and I caught 83, 87 respectively, in the same spots, and 11 were over the slot, with 4 over 5# and one six+ and one 7# even, on the digital scale. We had about 6 that were 21 1/2 but none over the slot. Enough of them were heavy enough that we figured that we pulled in 500# or more of fish. Couldn’t even eat our lunch if you left the pole in the water. All but four were caught on white tubes tipped with chub. South end of the RES. near the narrows. True story, so all you who doubt it, fish the so. end and use white tubes. Forget the trolling, just cast and jug. Great day on the water, no wind and in the high 30’s. My shoulder hurts…
Too bad most were cutts, but congrats on the fast action!
Hit the Berry thur. for the first time since ice off. Like tube dude said, the fishing was spotty. WE fished our first spot, caught 52 by 10:30 then tried another spot and lost count at about 50 and so on. Fished only four spots out of our favorite 6 and the three of us, Matthew(71) my grandson, Dave (81) the expert, and I (77) had a great day. That was (fish caught) not ages. Total for the day was 229. That is no fish tale, an actual count of fish. Only 12 were bows and very suprising there was not one over the slot. Last yr. on the same week end Dave and I caught 83, 87 respectively, in the same spots, and 11 were over the slot, with 4 over 5# and one six+ and one 7# even, on the digital scale. We had about 6 that were 21 1/2 but none over the slot. Enough of them were heavy enough that we figured that we pulled in 500# or more of fish. Couldn’t even eat our lunch if you left the pole in the water. All but four were caught on white tubes tipped with chub. South end of the RES. near the narrows. True story, so all you who doubt it, fish the so. end and use white tubes. Forget the trolling, just cast and jug. Great day on the water, no wind and in the high 30’s. My shoulder hurts…
I find it funny you quote someone that swears they will never fish there[;)]
This time of year, when it is on…HOLD ON! Great to hear of the success there.
AND NICE FATTYs at that.
In the words of the great Confuscius…“Who say I say all the stuff they say I say?”
Never swore I wouldn’t fish there. Just swore. Too many other places I prefer to dunk my tube.
Used to fish it a lot. Probably should renew old acquaintances. I do occasionally lower myself to fish for troutkind.
But you do it so well…[:)]
**Great report. Used it to say “Neener neener” to someone who was crying about a lousy trip a couple of days ago. **
Goes to show ya that on any given day there will be some folks doing well and other folks not so well. Always a combination of art and science…with a whole lot of past experience being a big help.
**Sorry about the “left turn” on your report. **
I really did used to fish Da Berry a lot…even waved a fairy wand over it. Not sure why I don’t fish it any more. Probably because cutts are not my favorite species. But I can get excited by big feisty rainbows…especially when the fishing is “spotty”.
Your report is enough to make me want to abandon feathers and fur for tubes and chubs. If I can get out one more time this year, I will give it a try. Nothing succeeds like excess – wow, 229 trout! I think I’m too distracted to work the rest of the day.
Tube Dude, I had the same attitude about the berry untill this summer, I use to love to fish that lake, those big rainbows are something out of there, I was talked into going there early summer, and we caught a few Rainbows, so I kept going back and I ended up going up almost every friday, I was amazed, 80% of my catch all summer was good bows, and one the biggest I have every caught, over 8 lbs.
However, fall fishing for Cuts at the Berry, rivals some of the best fishing I have ever done, these are big thick lunker fish and actually put up a great fight this time of the year, we go up knowing its catch and release, and just enjoy the day on a beautiful lake.
Rainbows are back at the Berry, you can target and catch them consistently now like the days of old, and I feel will get progressively better with the way the division is managing it.
I have no legitimate excuses for not fishing Strawberry these days. I am well aware of the positive changes in the overall ecology and output of that big pond. And I suspect that one good trip would have it back on my dance card.
My only real “reason” for not fishing it is habit. I have really wound down my number of fishing trips each year and I tend to favor only a few multi species waters. These days I admit to getting more interested in a trip with the potential of perch and walleye than one with an over-slot cutt. And it’s not just about the C & R thing. I do that. Don’t need to bring home fish to prove I had a good day.
I do applaud the successful management program instituted by DWR on Strawberry. Definitely a different (and better) fishery than in the past. Heck, I remember the days before the first big poisoning…when the lake was full of just about every species in Utah…with a few trout mixed in for variety. You should have seen all the junk on the water after the poisoning. I also remember the lake reverting back to a chuborama before the second poisoning. Never thought I would ever see Da Berry holding its own against those beasts as well as it seems to be doing today. Somebody got it right. And the increase in the numbers and sizes of rainbows is a mighty persuasive argument to get me to point my tube in that direction.
I think I fished Strawberry in 1978 when there were still some of the old fishing camps. Didn’t catch anything trolling in a row boat and never went back until this September, but now I seem to be “hooked.” Something about the expansive vistas, green water, and the tease of big fish on a regular basis.
TubeDude: You did such an interesting job on the history of Utah Lake and that I hope someday you’ll do something similar for Strawberry. I’ve spent a lot of time searching the web and there is very little about how Strawberry came to be and why it is such a great fishery.
I would love to find some old photos of the fishing camps (just little wooden sheds as I remember them) and something of how it used be, but there are few images of old Strawberry on the internet. I did find some photos from the 30’s or 40’s of old guys (like me) in their farmer’s bib overalls with BIG fish. Must have been something to see and experience. What would it have been like to spend a week in July in the 30’s or 40’s at the Strawberry fish camps?
Man!!! I so want to go fishing with you guys. …229!!! Is that a record?
**Glad you liked the UL stuff. Some of what I included was from personal knowledge but a great deal of it was “accomodated” from The June Sucker Recover Program publication…Utah Lake: Legacy. **
Like most “old timers”, I have plenty of memories of the Strawberry of old…prior to first poisoning and prior to the joining of Strawberry with Soldier Creek. But in those days I was not as much of a camera carrier nor did I ever anticipate that SOMEDAY there might be people who might be interested in the Strawberry that WAS.
The good news is that there are individuals and organizations that have retained some of the kinds of things you are seeking. For example, DWR has a special web page at LINK TO SITE. And if you fire up your search engine and plug in Strawberry Reservoir Utah there are a gazillion info pages.
I might also suggest you contact Alan Ward at DWR. He is the overall project manager for the Strawberry management plan. I have attended a couple of programs he has presented and they include some super pics and history. If nothing else he can direct you to the private Strawberry Valley Association (?) that has maintained ongoing work to assure the wellbeing of the lake and the entire area. I am sure they also have a treasure trove of old pics.
[fishin]You ask if it was a record? Not really, last yr. Dave and I got 83 and 87 on one trip. (170) This yr we had a third pole in the water and matthew did well (71).
You know, I am not doubting your fish numbers. But last time I went to the berry about this time of year I think I caught about 50 fish from say 9 am till dark (About 5). I caught 3 fish over the slot with the largest just shy of 5 pounds. All 3 of my largest fish were just shy of about 10 minutes to hook and to land. With a half hour wasted on 3 biguns, 20 minutes wasted on travel time (to and from harbor), 30 minutes for lunch, that would leave just shy of 7 and a half hours of time for fishing. That’s 450 minutes. Now at an average of say 5 minutes a fish that would mean 90 fish. In 450 minutes.
I hope you guys had time to stop and smell the FISH!!![;)]
Right on homebuoy! Sounds like an even better workout than sex (and probably cheaper[;)]).
Did you guys try throwing your tubes without tipping them? Were these fish cruising the shallows or were you finding them deeper?
Thanks for your report!
I’m moving from Henry’s Lake to Strawberry.
Oh heck no, I see it, I have landed several 4lbers in seconds…yea right…I wish. It takes me a few minutes to get the bigger ones in, but maybe spinning gear is faster.
I’m moving from Henry’s Lake to Strawberry.You’re off your rocker. No brook trout in Strawberry and the hybrids blow those weak cutts in the 'berry away!
I have no Idea how long each fish took, I was to busy catching to look at the phone. And there were three of us. All I know is you had to net your own fish, and watch your second pole closely. It was a great day, just wish there were some of the 4 min. big fish you talk about.
That’s 450 minutes. Now at an average of say 5 minutes a fish that would mean 90 fish. In 450 minutes
Im not doubting the numbers either and without sounding like the green eyed monster, nor a know it all but really you guys are saying you caught a fish and reeled it in every 5 minutes for 7 hours straight…Hmmmm Sounds Fishy …LOL
+1
I mean did you guys actually boat every fish?
I have a buddy that counts the ones that fly off the hook. I busted him by watching him from far away. A fish went into the air half way out and sure enough he claimed that because it bit and fought he caught the thing! Now when he calls me with his fish reports I just listen to what the fish were bitting that day, not his catch rates
Then again I have yet to meet the goal of 100 fish in a day so what would I know?