There hasn't been a strawberry post in a couple of days. Im wondering if nobodys gone up there ( which I doubt ) or maybe it's finally turning on for us and everyone is trying to keep it on the down low. I'm heading up Sunday taking out the snowmobiles should I be worried about the ice ???. Can I get a couple of words of wisdom. I can never get into the fish up there. I bought a showdown fishfinder last year and love it but even with the nice electronics there is still something I'm missing. Can I get a little hint maybe on suggested depths or even what to use. ( I could totally understand a private message if you don't wanna post your secrets and all ) Thanks alot I appreciate all the other posts out there
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It would be helpful if you would tell us what you have been trying so far that hasn't worked.
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The ice is good, over 8 inches (of clear ice) out 200yards or so. Cant speak for the middle or across to the other side of the lake from the ladders, so be careful and drill test holes.[
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As far as " getting into them" Find a spot like a bay or point that hasn't been fished much. When a spot gets hammered like the ladders fishing will be slow. And move if its slow. Go find them! You can look back at the years older posts about Strawberry and can see where fish were caught in numbers. It will be in the places a walking fisherman like myself cant reach... You have a great advantage having a sled, use it and find those bigger cutts!
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I went up to Soldier Creek last Sunday and Tuesday. Sunday it was decent we pulled out 14 and easily missed that amount too. We fished in about 14-18ft of water in the morning. Most fish were all between the 15 - 19 inch mark but my friend landed one that was 25 inch.
When I went back the the same holes on tuesday it was horrible! Super cold and barely had any hits. After 3 hours I finally caught 2. It was a dissapointing day.
I did shoot a video of the Sunday trip if you want to check it out.
[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntRa21zIQN0&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntRa21zIQN0&feature=player_embedded[/url]
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Nice video. I have found it is better to not go back to the same exact spot. The fish get "wise" to your lure. If you feel its good to go back to your old holes Mix it up, draw them in with a exaggerated jigging then drop down something the haven't seen yet. Have a couple setups with your weirdest stuff. Fish are curious and will check it.
If there is no one home move on. go deeper go shallower. They didn't vaporize. The cutts are still there.
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I went up twice last week and did good. I think two of the biggest things to keep- in mind is....1 Get away from the crowds, I will walk 10 - 15 min away from the access points of the lake, I'm not saying there isn't fish closer, I just don't like catching them and having 20 sitting in my pocket.
2 if you haven't marked or caught fish in 15-30 minutes.... move, sometimes it only takes moving in or out a little, other times you need to move to an entire different bay.
Also switch your rig up, I have seen a certain jig or bait work great and shut off in a matter of a minute... I think they do wise up, other times you will slay them all day on the same set up.
Bottom line.... it sure beets sitting at home![
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[fishon][fishon]
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Thanks everyone I think my eyes just got opened up a lot I realized that I don't move near as much as I should seems like as soon as I get the shack set up I stay put but that's probably the problem on average how many times would you say you change spots ??? thanks again for all the helpful suggestions it is much appreciated. I am very inexperienced when it comes to ice fishing.
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Kind of an elementary question but i have tried using pieces of minnows but I can never get them to stay on the hook what's the trick keeping them frozen or what??
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try duct tape to keep them on the hook!...lol sorry I had to say something before that smart alec catmaster did!!!
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Depending on the size of the bait, try hooking the bait through the lower jaw up through the brain. The idea is to make sure the hook is passed through bone or rigid features of the fish like the skull, gill plates, spine, and right where fins are attached. If your using larger fish like anchovies, or chubs i like to cut them in half. For hooking the tail pieces on I usually get the hook in right at the fork of the tail, passing through a small portion of the body and up the spine. Hope this helps. Its hard to explain, but easy to show.
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wes242 what kind of video camera were you using? Good vid and the quality/picture looked great!
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[quote newfisherman14]
Kind of an elementary question but i have tried using pieces of minnows but I can never get them to stay on the hook what's the trick keeping them frozen or what??
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Yes, thawing them out just enough that you can work with them definitely helps. I also cut them with a pair of shears, which I find works better than using a knife, but that is just me.
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[quote newfisherman14]
Thanks everyone I think my eyes just got opened up a lot I realized that I don't move near as much as I should seems like as soon as I get the shack set up I stay put but that's probably the problem on average how many times would you say you change spots ???
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I typically move a minimum of 4 or 5 times, when I am ice fishing Strawberry and often many more times than that, and I am walking. That is one reason that I rarely put up the ice shack, because it is so much easier to move without having to fool with the ice shack.
[quote newfisherman14]
I am very inexperienced when it comes to ice fishing.
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You should give serious consideration to fishing a few times with others who are experienced. Many moons ago, when I was first starting ice fishing I fished several times, including at Strawberry, and I would only get one or two bites and rarely catch a fish. I then fished a few times, with fellow BFT members who knew what they were doing, and it opened up a whole new world to me and I started regularly catching fish.
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I need to hook up with someone that has sleds. I used to have a pair of them and could get into the fish quite regularly. I bought all the gear...ice shacks, power auger, a pack full of jigs, fishfinder set up for ice fishing, etc, etc. Then the sleds died on me and thus went the ice fishing.
If I could find someone with sleds that wants to get into ice fishing I could pretty much furnish the rest of the equipment and I could get back out there after a 2 year spell.
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[quote fishnut]wes242 what kind of video camera were you using? Good vid and the quality/picture looked great![/quote]
It is a Go Pro Helmet Cam, it is sweet!!
[url "http://www.goprocamera.com/"]http://www.goprocamera.com/[/url]
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Thanks all does anyone know if that parking lot just east of the ladders is plowed ????!?
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it has been plowed but as of last Sunday I am unsure. But I will be driving past it in just over an hour.
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Thanks for the video, that was truly AWESOME [
], I have only been out once in the last 2 years, have missed it greatly. My wife came back to the office to see what was the matter, I guess my comments during the video were a bit loud. I am geared up with a bunch of new gear, ready to get back into it.
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