Fishing Forum

[#0000ff]Starvation has not treated me well the past couple of years...especially compared to my fishing logs of old. But typically, July is a good month for perch and walleye...with smallies always around to play.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Couldn't believe the changes at Bunny Gulch since last year. All the old rutted roads have been bladed and graded...and turnouts and campsites have been added...along with several new pit toilets. Uptown.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most of my fave tube launch sites were circled by the (covered) wagons...RVs and trailers. So I searched out a little spot I could back in with my Blazer and launch my red ride. Sweet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Air temp at 7am was 62. Nice. Water temp was 70. Clarity was good. Water level was about as high as it can get before arks become mandatory.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Light breezes all day. First from the west...as is customary. Later the other direction...from the east. Used that to ride east in the morning and then back later before leaving.
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[#0000ff]Saw very little on sonar while moving up to the far west end of the gulch...and even less on my line. Didn't hook my first fish until about 8 am...in 19 feet of water...my first underfooter walleye. The first of many.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Although I saw almost nothing on sonar, there were a lot of small walleyes scattered around on the shelves above the edge of the channel on the north side of the gulch arm. Got no love vertical jigging or dragging crawler harnesses. But when I started making long casts with a pale perch colored 2" plastic tube...sweetened with crawler...I began to get more action.
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[#0000ff]I got well north of 20 "smalleyes"...probably closer to 30. Everything from "seegars" to "underfooters" to "footlongs" and some "teen inchers". Biggest I brought to net was about 16". Lost one bigger just as I could see him below my tube. Eventually kept about a half dozen for dinner...and to help thin the herd.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Also caught a couple of dink (6") perch and several small smallies. Biggest maybe 11". Would have had a 4 species slam if a big rainbow I hooked had known how to hang on longer.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Didn't see any other anglers today...boat or bank. But about 10:30 someone rang the bell for the power squadron to hit the lake. Unbelievable amount of noise and waves. And, of course, the formerly playful wallettes panicked and disappeared. Nary a sniff after about 11.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Posting one pic on the "new" Bunny Gulch. I have others if anyone wants to see more.
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Looks like bunny gulch, might be needing a name change. I hope they leave us some light craft launching space. Soon there could be rich mans condors only. Are they reserved spots or first come gets it all.
Oh yea good fishing thanks pat for taking the lead helping us all out. Did you go alone?
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I'm heading down Sunday for a few days,and would like to see more pictures f you have them.
Thanks

I tried last Thursday all over the place on Starvation. Its mistress, the wind, was in full effect and could not find any shelter other than under the bridge. Not a single nibble there. It's a lotta work hiking the tube and gear to get under the bridge. Maybe I will get lucky and have a nice wind day next time I visit.
Gabe
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I think a couple more weeks and the Walleye will be in RB a little bit better. At least you you avoided the skunk.
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[quote doitall5000]Looks like bunny gulch, might be needing a name change.
[#0000FF]Hail progress...or to hail with it. Coincidentally, I did see both cottontails and jackrabbits as I drove around checking out the modifications.[/#0000FF]

Are they reserved spots or first come gets it all.
[#0000FF]As someone else pointed out, there does not seem to be much enforcement of the rule against leaving unoccupied trailers in desirable spots. But I'm sure it will soon be monitored like the Indian Bay camping area and there will be a reservation system.[/#0000FF]
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Oh yea good fishing thanks pat for taking the lead helping us all out. Did you go alone?
[#0000FF]Yep. Made a speed run all by my ownself. Only made the decision to go on Sunday and the three folks I contacted to join me were all out of town or could not schedule it. [/#0000FF]
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[quote panfisher]I'm heading down Sunday for a few days,and would like to see more pictures f you have them.
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[#0000FF]Sure thing. I am adding in a picture of what the end of the road to the west used to look like...along with what it looks like "after improvements".[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I couldn't find any pics of what the old road to the west looked like. But it was something between a moonscape and a battlefield. Required high clearance...if not 4X4. That kept out most of the foo-foo campers and RVs. Not now...as evidenced by the pics of the "Starvation Hiltons" in the current picture.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]With the high water you can launch boats at the end of the road. But there is now a fairly steep drop between the pavement and the water. Look before you launch.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Sorry the Starvy zephyrs pushed you around. Been that, done there...or whatever.
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[#0000FF]More than once I have made the trip after carefully studying the forecast...only to find a "perfect storm" instead of the calm conditions predicted.
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Lordy, Lordy. Pat.

That is some make-over remodel job on the gulch since I was last there. You roll back photo on at the end there is what I fondly recall.

But, Thank you for the pics and what to expect - I was planning on getting out there for a float maybe this week after the holiday anglers go back to work.
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Ya they sure did ruin it, It was a good spot in the days of old, have they done anything towards the east in the gulch yet, when I was there on memorial day they was having trouble with the contractor showing up to finish. looks like it still the same.
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Thanks for extra pics, it looks like they are catering to the larger groups to keep them off the other end.
I used to camp by the first pavilion, it had couple of nice spots right there, for my little motor home.

[#0000FF]I only drove to where the high water launch area is, with the parking area and the AIS post and envelopes. But it did not look like they had extended the road or done any other visible improvements. I'm guessing they will wait for the water levels to drop a bit to spruce up the east area. It needs it. The roads on my last jaunt out there were still poor.
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[#0000FF]I suppose what they are doing is for "the greater good"...and it will allow more folks to enjoy the facilities. But for us tubers, that is the problem. There are not many spots left that are problematic for the masses but allow tubers to access and fish in relative peace. I have lost count of the number of formerly tuber-friendly spots in Utah and Arizona that were "improved" and thereafter open to all the big rig wackos and less favorable for tubers.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Hate to say it but I suspect Knight Hollow...at the other end of the lake...is likely next for ruination.
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[quote panfisher]Thanks for extra pics, it looks like they are catering to the larger groups to keep them off the other end.
I used to camp by the first pavilion, it had couple of nice spots right there, for my little motor home.[/quote]
[#0000FF]Me too. Like this one.[/#0000FF]

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Thanks for the report, They may be small but you have a nice little dinner right there.

Have you ever tried to get into the west cove where the river comes in. Looks like it could be a great area to do some tubing.

fnf[cool]
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[#0000FF]That can be a good spot...depending on time of year and water levels. Once water temps go up and water levels drop a bit the weeds really choke that whole area. But there have been times when there were holes in the weeds and fishing a slip bobber rig produced some nice fish.
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So but to paraphrase an alien ... The wants of the many all to often out weight the needs of the few.

Maybe I will scout out a few spots when I get there in the next little while or so.
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[#0000FF]There are still some good tube launching and fishing spots out at the end of Indian Bay. Also good potential at Juniper Point. And one of my faves is the whole area at Knight Hollow.
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Pat, not Patrick

I was at Starvation Tuesday through today and I'm sorry I didn't know you were tubing around Bunny Gulch, I would have come over there and found you.

My fishing was about like yours. I caught quite a few smaller walleye and a few good size SMB. I even caught one 19 RBT who took my tube jig tipped with a crawler.

I fished early and late to avoid the Power Squadron who seemed to be in abundance. You'd a thought it was a Holiday or something. Those wakeboard boats are appropriately named, I thought the Titanic had been resurrected and it was cruising Starvy. If I hadn't taken a seat, I think I would have gone overboard and then would have had to use of one my PFD recharge kits.

I want to start a petition to make the Strawberry River arm above the US 40 bridge a wakeless only area.
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Interesting reading as always [cool]. Thanks for sharing the information and wanna try this water in the future.
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