hello fello flyfishers. I am planning a trip up to fish strawberry one last time before the ice is fully covering the lake. I really want to get a big guy on my fly rod. I have floating, sink tip, and fully sinking reels. I can tie any bugger and most leech patterns, and have many different colors. I am wondering what other people use on ice on and off that lakes with large trout such as the berry.
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Haven't fished the ice, but close where there are chunks floating.
When it cools at the Berry, I always do good with White. Big White Woolly's.
Maybe even put a little red in there.
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[quote flygoddess]When it cools at the Berry, I always do good with White. Big White Woolly's.
Maybe even put a little red in there.[/quote]
What she said [
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-Rich
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If there are large sections of ice and open water, you may want to try using your white bugger by casting over the ice and slowing bringing it to the ice edge. I've heard that big trout will smack it when it hits the water.
The one problem that I have with Strawberry is that catching a really big fish 24+ is sometimes just a matter of getting lucky and running into them.
If you aren't having any luck with you white pattern, I would switch to a small black or Canadian brown leech pattern. I know that when I fished Strawberry (20th of this month), when my white pattern wasn't picking anything up (not even a bump), when I switched to these small size 12's (small enough to be 14's), that is when the action started. You may not hook your huge fish, but to me catching a few 20 inches is still a lot of fun. Also there is nothing worse then going home for the day a saying that you caught fish, but your biggest was only 13 inches.
Good luck
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Really good point. I did good in October with Brown and black along with white.
But those were 3"+ flies. On the smaller side, pink and purple.
But like you, when it seems they want nothing, I will even switch to a plain old nymph. A #12 haresear is my go to.
But I always start out with white for some reason.
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nymphing has never been my strong suit on the river. I have plenty of nymphs in my box, I simply lack the knoweldge on how to properly fish them I suppose. How would I best rig a nymph for fishing a still water lake. Also If I am using a sinking or sink tip line should I still be using weights?
I am going to tie up a few buggers and leaches tonight. If I can get my camera working I will post some of my creations...
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You will fish a nymph the same as a bugger on stillwater. Oh there is the dropping them straight down like I do with my Chironomids, but in the colder months I think fish are more on the move to put on the feed bag so, stripping or even trolling a nymph.
As far as the line...if it is weighted, you really font need weight. Not unheard of though. I was fishing once with my hubby. He was on a type III and I was a II. He was using the same thing and same area and was in the zone. So, I put some split shot at the line / tippet (I don't use leaders on sinking line) connection and got in the zone.
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Thanks a lot for that information. I will be fishing from a float tube... using sink tip line... unless I need to go full sink(the reel I se the full sink on does not have a drag system). How much line would be optimal to backtroll out? I know on rivers and streams my effective hook set range is 15 to 20 feet, would I be wise to stay within those perimeters? or because its still water would my effective range increase. I am sorry for all the questions, I have yet to get a good fish on my fly rod this year... It is quickly running out.
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