So my buddy, Steve, Mark and myself went up to the Great Frozen Berry yesterday. We fished chicken Springs East from about 930 to 3. We only iced 3 lost one at the hole and had a few tease us. But the sun was out the wind did nto show up until we started off the ice so it was a wonderful day to get out and actually see [blue]BLUE [black]sky and be in the clean air. all fish iced were in the slot. Mark was the fisherman with all the scuess 2 hitting on a small white split tail jig and the other 1 (the big one took a big 2-3 inch white tube with red head, and same with the one lost at the hole. We did not fish with sonar so I do not know how deep all fish caught were a few cranks off the bottom.
Majja
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[
]Well sorry it was so slow for ya...
Aren't you just getting into ice fishing? [cool]
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Yea it was my first time on the ice. I still had a great time. All three of us were pretty new. My buddy Steve had been out a couple of times but not alot. It reminds me of fly fishing, I am not good but the challange is there and I like the challange.
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Matty Boy,
Nice pics! Too bad that twin bother of mine is so ugly! Mannnnn.... You sank yourself without that sonar!!!! I've learned that the electronics are EVERYTHING!!!! I'm still glad you guys got a couple fish however. Bring up the sonar next time and you guys will slay them like we did!
My report:
22 fish for 2 guys (I iced 9 of them). 1 rainbow and 2 smaller cutts kept. We lost quite a few other fish too. I also hooked one cutt that was 21 inches and another lost at the hole of similar size. We fished from about 15-45 feet with the deeper end being the most productive. Most productive lure was a 1.5-2 inch white tube. However many fish were caught on tubes and marabous in white, charteuse, and glow up to 3 inches. Even caught a few on Ice Cut'rs in green/red flake. All baits were tipped with magical meal worms!!!! There was no secret spot, but the fish were biting better before noon. As the day went on the bite began to lapse and those that still bit got VERY sneaky with light bites!
Bottom line: Use your electronics, get away from high traffic areas, tip your baits, and equip your ice rod with a spring bobber.... I guarantee you will have success at Strawberry!
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Yea i know. I am almost through with the rigging and I will not be flying blind anymore.
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I fish the berry about every other week and a huge factor in catching a lot of fish is a strike indicator. If you are really serious about getting into ice fishing I would invest 10-15 bucks for a quality ice rod and a strike indicator. This is the first year that I have used electronics Ice fishing and I have had great success with and without them. I would have to say that I would definitely rather have a finder than not. Usually a person can always get into fish at Strawberry, just move around a lot and pay very close attention to your strike indicator and you will do fine. Fish almost always move around in schools at the Berry and I have found that if one person gets a hit than someone else will get hit too. There are those occasions when you just plop down on a school that doesn't want to move, and thats a good day! Most of the time I fish shallow (10-15ft) in the mornings and move out deeper(30-40ft) as the day moves along. I have had the best success with white tubes and grubs tipped with a meal worm or a red shiner.
I hope this might help you out a little for the next trip, Good luck!!
Hookjaw
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C'mon Matt, ya know I had to razz ya a little just to insure that you know who does the catching and who only fishes!!!!! [cool]
LOL,
K
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Thanks for the info Hookjaw. And yea yea i know Kev. It is required. If you didn't dish some crap out I would think there is something wrong. Be sides I seem to remember your first couple of trips up there last year How many did you Ice? Ohh wait I think you brought the stripped Kitty home didn't you? I will be back on the 10 to seek my revenge. Maybe even run up before the big game this Sunday. I will just have to wait and see.
Matt
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sorry to hear you didn't do so well (other than the beautiful day). we were up there for an all nighter friday night (only fished until about 1:30 a.m.), but we caught about as many as we wanted for the trip. the fishing died about 1:30 and we didn't want to move in the cold, dark to find where they went, so we went home. good trip though.
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