Fishing Forum

I normally don't ice fish strawberry because I like to bring home dinner and the slot most of the time does not allow it. With the conditions at Rockport. EC, and Jordanelle it sort of pursduaded me to go and try the Berry. Fished Mudcreek both Sun and Monday and had a great time.
Sun I cuaght 10 and Monday only 2. Snow is deep and very hard to pull my heavy sled. It really is alot of fun to catch the cuts and I think that I will definately go back for more in hopes of the big one.

Here is my question : One fish that I caught had all the characteristics of a Rainbow but had the orange marks underneath on the throat. The proc says not to go by the marks on the throat, as many Rainbows in Strawberry have these markings. Are we allowed to keep these or would we be in trouble with the DWR. I turned it loose cause I wasn't for sure. No fish dinner for me, but had fun anyways.
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as for the question about legality, the proc states that ANY fish that has the markings of a cut is to be considered a cut. that lake has been known for the cut bows in the past and although its not common to catch those anymore its definately possible. Sounds like it was a cutbow. they fight like hell. Anyways, to be safe, always check under the gills and if it has the orange markings, consider it a cut. No matter what it looks like.
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[quote ctizzfishin]as for the question about legality, the proc states that ANY fish that has the markings of a cut is to be considered a cut. that lake has been known for the cut bows in the past and although its not common to catch those anymore its definately possible. Sounds like it was a cutbow. they fight like hell. Anyways, to be safe, always check under the gills and if it has the orange markings, consider it a cut. No matter what it looks like.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]WRONG. There are no cuttbows in Strawberry. The rainbows are sterile and do not hybridize with the cutts. The proclamation has been changed and updated to let anglers know that the orange slashes under the jaw are not necessarily cutt markings. Many strains of PURE rainbows exhibit such marks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now, if the fish looks like a rainbow, you will usually not receive a citation if you keep it. But, if you have not done your homework or don't recognize the differences in fin color, spotting patterns, tail shapes, etc. then you should release ALL THE FISH you catch.[/#0000ff]
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you're the man tubedude, I love this website, and I love the way you tell it how it is. I was wrong about the whole markings on the gills, that was how it used to be right? As far as your thoughts on the other, (cutbows and sterile rainbows)... I will have to respectfully disagree my friend. I am not going to get into the whole conspiracy theory BS about all of it but I grew up spending alot of time on the berry and I have family who practically live up there, and there have absolutely been cutbows caught, not many but definately a few. Would you say that it would be impossible to suggest that a handful of sterile fish made it through the poisoning???

By the way, thanks for the recipe!!!!!
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[cool][#0000ff]One thing I think I have learned in life is NEVER SAY NEVER. I cannot say for certain that you have never caught a cutt-bow from Strawberry...or that there AREN'T any in there right now. But, the odds are really against it. Most of the fish that Utah tanglers identify as cuttbows are really pure strain rainbows or cutts that have unusual coloration or deformities caused by hatcheries...or natural genetic anomalies. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You are right. The laws used to be that any fish from Strawberry with cutt markings...including the gill slashes...was considered a cutt. However, since most of the DWR folks had trouble distinguishing them too, a lot of anglers got tickets for keeping pure strain rainbows...with gill slashes. DWR recognized the problem and changed the wording.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Unless you are a trained biologist, you are not likely to be able to tell a cuttbow by coloration alone. There are some differences in spotting patterns, fin coloration and shape...and other differences...that distinguish cutts from bows. But, without a DNA test, by a qualified laboratory, there is no way to tell for certain if you have a cuttbow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Rainbows spawn much earlier than cutts, so it is highly unlikely that crossing occurs naturally in Strawberry...especially since the rainbows are sterile. Even a non sterile one cannot cross with a later spawning cutt...outside the laboratory, where eggs or milt can be frozen and retained.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When the lake was poisoned the last time, extensive tests and nettings were conducted afterward. With the exception of a few chubs and redside shiners upstream in the small tributaries, nothing was left alive in Strawberry. Why would some sterile fish survive when nothing else did?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have lived and fished in Utah going back to the first poisoning of Strawberry...in 1961. Since then that lake has been the subject of as many "urban legends" and rumors of species as Utah Lake. Nothing is impossible, but most of that stuff is highly unlikely.[/#0000ff]
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[cool] Like all the Blue catfish I catch out of Utah Lake[;)]
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Is the snow to deep for a wheeler? Thanks!
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I would say yes that it is too deep for a 4 wheeler with wet sluch under the snow.
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You both mention sterile fish surviving the poisoning. So what if they did? Sterile fish cannot reproduce.[]
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[cool][#0000ff]I was just quoting from the other reference to that. Makes no sense to me either.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Maximum lifespan of most troutskis is about 6 to 7 years. Any survivors (sterile) would not last long and would never be a factor in the biomass.[/#0000ff]
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Thanks!
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