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+--- Thread: Strawberry Slots (/showthread.php?tid=1048427)
Strawberry Slots - lovetofish - 08-02-2018
After reading another post:
'Do people not go after cutts or bows at Strawberry anymore?'
It brought up another question that I'm curious of others opinion/thoughts on the population of slot Cutts in Strawberry.
Just the other day I saw where someone had posted pictures of the Kokes they had caught and also in this picture were 2 Cutts that had to be in the slot limit.
With the number of Cutts the DWR plants each year in Strawberry I rarely catch a Cutt under 15 inches or over one 22 inches. But I catch a ton of them in the slot limit releasing them all.
So here is my question: With the number of slot Cutts that everyone catches WHY don't you see more Cutts over 22 inches. Me thinks that a LOT of people are keeping them or even worse people think they are Rainbows and keep them.
Your thoughts or opinion are welcome.
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Re: [lovetofish] Strawberry Slots - kingfisher82 - 08-02-2018
For starters, having cleaned a fair amount of fish at the cleaning stations at Strawberry, I can tell you the average fisherman still can’t tell the difference between a cutthroat and a rainbow.
With the large volume of slot cutts, I think they should allow a limit of at least 1 slot cutthroat. Would be so nice to take home a fat 19 inch cutthroat to eat on the days I don’t catch a rainbow or a slot buster.
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Re: [lovetofish] Strawberry Slots - NEXTBITE - 08-02-2018
Alot of people keep most of the slot busters, in my opinion why we don"t see 22 inchers. Cuthroat are supposed thrive in Strawberry.
It seems that the Rainbow population is limited to yearly stock.
Strawberry has lost its luster for trout Kokonee are all the rage
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Re: [lovetofish] Strawberry Slots - liketrolling - 08-02-2018
[quote lovetofish]After reading another post:
So here is my question: With the number of slot Cutts that everyone catches WHY don't you see more Cutts over 22 inches. Me thinks that a LOT of people are keeping them or even worse people think they are Rainbows and keep them.
Your thoughts or opinion are welcome.[/quote]
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I think most of us think what you just said
I fish a lot and love catching fish
I put all cutthroat trout I catch back in the water I have put some real big ones back
some years I will catch more over 22" than other years
I think the big cutthroats are down deep and hard to catch
(they may stop growing when they get to 22")
one day this year I started fishing at 4 AM and caught 3 cuts over 22" fishing with Kokanee stuff and all glow in the dark.
when I stop fishing for Kokes in the fall and start fishing for cuts I troll for them deep alot. not a lot of boats fish by me then.
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Re: [lovetofish] Strawberry Slots - doggonefishin - 08-02-2018
[quote lovetofish]
Just the other day I saw where someone had posted pictures of the Kokes they had caught and also in this picture were 2 Cutts that had to be in the slot limit.
With the number of Cutts the DWR plants each year in Strawberry I rarely catch a Cutt under 15 inches or over one 22 inches. But I catch a ton of them in the slot limit releasing them all.
[/quote]
During the ice season I tend to catch quite a few sub slot cutts. It could be a function of technique, that I get more at that time. Because Strawberry has ample food, I suspect they grow length fairly rapidly and get to slot length in a relatively short time.
I agree that the number of slot busters is reduced because they get harvested by so many, but there are still a fair number in there. A DWR study I read a few years ago said that about 8-10% of cutts on this particular survey were slot busters.
While it annoys me to no end that many anglers (including those that should probably know better) can't tell the difference between a cutt and a bow, this mortality is factored in by the DWR in their management plan. The slot regulation has been a massive success there and the future at Strawberry is bright. I do not favor any changes in the regulations there.
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Re: [kingfisher82] Strawberry Slots - chinook - 08-02-2018
I totally agree with that suggestion. I hate throwing back all those 18 to 20 inch cutts. How come they don't grow to 22 the next year? I never catch one over the slot. I have been catching 15 inchers though. I take 2 of those every chance I get.
Jared
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Re: [liketrolling] Strawberry Slots - chinook - 08-02-2018
I think you have a point here. The big ones are deeper and harder to catch. I love the 4 am fishing. Crazy how you go after those fish. That made me laugh when you said you started that early.
Good luck this week.
Jared
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Re: [chinook] Strawberry Slots - richyd4u - 08-02-2018
I do believe the inability of a lot of fishermen to tell the difference between a bow and a cutt results in a lot of illegal limits statewide in waters that have slots. I see it all the time down here. I've even seen people call cutts browns, lol. I do agree that slot busters are far and few in between at the Berry. I really could tell this about 3 years ago when I caught one in the 27" range and she unfortunately would not revive after the fight she gave up, so rather then waste her, we took her home. When we pulled into the marina and pulled her out...the crowds came from everywhere to see her! The marina even wanted pics stating they don't see fish that big much anymore. I don't ever keep fish, so it was hard to do so (no problem with those that do, just not my thing)...but it was fun to see all the reactions.
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Re: [kingfisher82] Strawberry Slots - doggonefishin - 08-02-2018
[quote kingfisher82]
With the large volume of slot cutts, I think they should allow a limit of at least 1 slot cutthroat. Would be so nice to take home a fat 19 inch cutthroat to eat on the days I don’t catch a rainbow or a slot buster.[/quote]
Keep in mind that this was the regulation initially right after the DWR treated Strawberry. So many people took home "just one " 19 inch cutt that they were forced to change the regs to the current format, which has worked very well.
There is no reason to believe that angler behavior has changed in the past few years that the result would be any different now.
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Re: [kingfisher82] Strawberry Slots - Kent - 08-02-2018
[quote kingfisher82]
With the large volume of slot cutts, I think they should allow a limit of at least 1 slot cutthroat. Would be so nice to take home a fat 19 inch cutthroat to eat on the days I don’t catch a rainbow or a slot buster.
[/quote]
As has already been mentioned, this was the original regulations after the poisoning. With that rule the chubs were making a big comeback. One year, on free fishing day, I caught over 100 chubs and shiners (combined), in one toss of my casting net from the docks at The Strawberry Marina. In those days, I would always spend a few minutes catching minnows from the docks and then head out fishing. After they tightened up the slot rules it had an immediate impact on the chubs and shiners. It is next to impossible to find a shiner up there these days and I would be lucky to catch five minnows, per cast, using my casting net from the docks. The Minnow Man used to net minnows in the Strawberry Marina and when it became slim pickens he moved on.
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Re: [kentofnsl] Strawberry Slots - Anglinarcher - 08-02-2018
I don't post much anymore, and try to not post on controversial topics, but, this is one of those topics that will get me in trouble for sure. [pirate] LOL
First, there is an old saying that says 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. Over time, I believe it is more like 5% catch 95%. I have also noticed that many of the 90% that don't do well are convinced that either there are no fish or that they themselves are far better then they actually are.
I won't call anyone out by name, but it you take offense to the above statement, then you DO FIT into the 90% group. Uggggg [
][angelic]Now, for the truth of the matter. Big fish don't necessarily go deeper, they go to where the water temperatures, oxygen levels, and food supply is best for them. They also get lazy, more on that in a moment.
Big fish need more oxygen then smaller fish, so they seldom spend much time below the thermocline. They also spend little time in the warm oxygen depleted shallows. They also spend little time suspended in with the smaller fish in open water. Because they are lazy, meaning they want to spend as little energy as possible for the largest meal possible, they don't cruise in open water where they have to chase food down, they station themselves near structure where they can ambush those big old chubs, shinners, planter rainbows, and small cutties that swim too close. I have said too much about this already, but if you want to catch slot busters consistently, trolling is probably not going to work.
Now, about what they eat, think big. For whatever it is worth, a friend of some note has said that fish, including trout, can and often eat food as long as from the tip of their nose to the anal vent. This is not "normal" but if you think a 27" cuttie gets that large by eating bugs or spinners or mini squid or powerbait, then you are probably part of the 90% club.
Now, as for how many slot busters there are, well, to a point, it is a numbers game. Only 0.1%, or less, of fish live to a ripe old age. They also grow fastest, at least length wise, in their youth. Without getting preachy with numbers, you will always have lots and lots of small fish, smaller numbers yet in the slot, and smallest yet in the slot busters club. If you are catching slot size, and not catching sub slot size or slot busters, you are fishing where they are not, or with food offerings not suited to their preferences.
Now is when I am glad I don't have a camera with me when I fish, even though my wife wants me to start. Before I sold my boat to my son a couple of years ago (he lives in Washington State), I took myself to Strawberry for a last catchemup day. Only caught 1 Bow, over 30", and 7 Cutties, 27"+ on my board. Now I doubt I could ever do that again, and all were released without pictures (hard to photo when you are by yourself anyway), but they were sure there for me once I located them.
I doubt that the 90% believes me, and perhaps 5% have their doubts, but the members of the 5% club know, as I do, that the big fish are there, in catchable numbers, right where they are supposed to be. They, and the slot size, are eating chubs, shinners, crawfish, young rainbows, young cutties, and on rare occation, even eating tube jigs, powerbait, and mini squid. HEHE
Perhaps, if you are not finding them, you should ask yourself which club you belong to, the 90%, the 5% that are learning, or ......................[crazy][
]Then, ask which club you want to be in and set your goals and open yourself to learning.
Let the flames begin. LOL
Re: [Anglinarcher] Strawberry Slots - cdbrc - 08-02-2018
Oh so true. I have also found that if you use a round number (Igot 30) people say eh hugh, but if 29 0r 31 they say did you keep them al.[sly] Good thoughts on the % break down. l
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Re: [Anglinarcher] Strawberry Slots - Kent - 08-03-2018
I suppose you replied to me because I happened to be the last person who posted before you. I agree with almost everything you wrote. I know a guy who was successful catching many huge rainbows at Strawberry fishing with night crawlers tipped with a marshmallow. He knew where and when to fish for them. I think the problem with some of us is that we find success catching lots of fish in the upper end of the slot and aren't willing to pay the price to figure out how to catch larger, but far fewer, fish over the slot, either that or we happy doing what we are already doing.
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Re: [lovetofish] Strawberry Slots - fryman1 - 08-03-2018
I made a lot of trips this summer as a Koke addict and we did get one slot buster at 22 1/4 inch and it smoked up real nice. I also returned a lot of fish back to the water that just could not recover from the depth change.
I also started noticing more pelicans following the boats around and feeding on belly up Cutts. So we try our best to not touch them as we remove the hook, we try to keep them in the water in the rubber net and try to revive them. I have always wondered how many fish per day do not survive the release to swim another day(pelican food).
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Re: [Anglinarcher] Strawberry Slots - liketrolling - 08-03-2018
I think every thing you said is right but
but why do I catch so many big cuts is open water?
maybe because there is a lot of chubs out there
I use to put camera's down to see what they looked like on the fish finder
I have a lot of video of chubs in strawberry.
here is one we got this year he had two big fish in its mouth he was in the middle and down about 50 feet.
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