Crazy Cutt Day at the Berry

[Jig-fisher]

Picked up my 79 yr old dad at 6 am and ran up to the berry. 19 degrees at launch around 8 am. No docks, no wedge, just launch and pull to the side. 

Ran out to an area on the strawberry bay side by the narrows that we have done well at in the past. Caught around 10 fish, including the one and only rainbow for the day, but it just was spotty. We moved around that area abut just not much there. So we ran over to the Renegade side. I'm not familiar with the Renegade side, so did some searching. 

Tried a couple of areas and it was the same, just not much. So we motored over to the south side of Renegade and was just motoring around watching the sonar looking for marks. We were moving over an area 38 ft deep and I see a cutt move out of the way of the boat just a few feet under the surface. Then another one, but still nothing on sonar. So I put the spot lock on and put out a tube under a bobber then started casting a second tube, both tipped with chub. The fish were aggressive and hit both offerings with reckless abandon, including attacking the bobber. You would reel in a fish and 2 to 3 others were following it. We caught several of the followers just dropping a jig to them next to the boat. My dad just starting dropping his jig down 10 to 20 feet below the boat and caught them. Most were 16 to 21 inches, but no slot busters. I guesstimate on the light side that I caught over 100 fish, easily that. It was insane. My dad has a harder time, but still put over 50 in the boat himself. At one point we had fish on all 4 poles. I had to break out a second set of pliers so we could both have one due to having so many doubles.

The fish of the day was actually a koke. It nailed the jig and surprised us both. What a chunk, all colored up and quickly released after a picture. 

I've had good days, but this was one of the best. My dad had a great time and smiled and laughed all the way home.

[obifishkenobi]

Picked up my 79 yr old dad at 6 am and ran up to the berry. 19 degrees at launch around 8 am. No docks, no wedge, just launch and pull to the side. 

Ran out to an area on the strawberry bay side by the narrows that we have done well at in the past. Caught around 10 fish, including the one and only rainbow for the day, but it just was spotty. We moved around that area abut just not much there. So we ran over to the Renegade side. I'm not familiar with the Renegade side, so did some searching. 

Tried a couple of areas and it was the same, just not much. So we motored over to the south side of Renegade and was just motoring around watching the sonar looking for marks. We were moving over an area 38 ft deep and I see a cutt move out of the way of the boat just a few feet under the surface. Then another one, but still nothing on sonar. So I put the spot lock on and put out a tube under a bobber then started casting a second tube, both tipped with chub. The fish were aggressive and hit both offerings with reckless abandon, including attacking the bobber. You would reel in a fish and 2 to 3 others were following it. We caught several of the followers just dropping a jig to them next to the boat. My dad just starting dropping his jig down 10 to 20 feet below the boat and caught them. Most were 16 to 21 inches, but no slot busters. I guesstimate on the light side that I caught over 100 fish, easily that. It was insane. My dad has a harder time, but still put over 50 in the boat himself. At one point we had fish on all 4 poles. I had to break out a second set of pliers so we could both have one due to having so many doubles.

The fish of the day was actually a koke. It nailed the jig and surprised us both. What a chunk, all colored up and quickly released after a picture. 

I've had good days, but this was one of the best. My dad had a great time and d and laughed all the way home.

Great report, sounds a lot like the trip Kent And I had 10 days ago, I’m hoping for favorable conditions either Friday or Saturday so we can do it again.

[Cowboypirate]

Paul, your dad looks real happy in that photo. Txs for sharing it

[wiperhunter2]

Great report and pics Paul, looks like you and your Dad had a great trip to the Berry and that koke is amazing. Was there a lot of other anglers out fishing?

[Jig-fisher]

Great report and pics Paul, looks like you and your Dad had a great trip to the Berry and that koke is amazing. Was there a lot of other anglers out fishing?

There were a few out. We were the 1st to launch at the Strawberry Bay ramp. A couple were prepping to go at the same time. About 15 to 20 rigs in the lot when we left. I could see several at the Renegade ramp area. Pretty sparce overall.

[Kent]

I'm glad that you and your father had a great time. Keep it on the "down low", but the fish migrate south, in the fall, at Strawberry, just like the birds fly south in the fall.

[SkunkedAgain]

Paul, that sounds like a great day out... would like to get my dad in on one like that as well... later J

[EyLayo]

Picked up my 79 yr old dad at 6 am and ran up to the berry. 19 degrees at launch around 8 am. No docks, no wedge, just launch and pull to the side. 

Ran out to an area on the strawberry bay side by the narrows that we have done well at in the past. Caught around 10 fish, including the one and only rainbow for the day, but it just was spotty. We moved around that area abut just not much there. So we ran over to the Renegade side. I'm not familiar with the Renegade side, so did some searching. 

Tried a couple of areas and it was the same, just not much. So we motored over to the south side of Renegade and was just motoring around watching the sonar looking for marks. We were moving over an area 38 ft deep and I see a cutt move out of the way of the boat just a few feet under the surface. Then another one, but still nothing on sonar. So I put the spot lock on and put out a tube under a bobber then started casting a second tube, both tipped with chub. The fish were aggressive and hit both offerings with reckless abandon, including attacking the bobber. You would reel in a fish and 2 to 3 others were following it. We caught several of the followers just dropping a jig to them next to the boat. My dad just starting dropping his jig down 10 to 20 feet below the boat and caught them. Most were 16 to 21 inches, but no slot busters. I guesstimate on the light side that I caught over 100 fish, easily that. It was insane. My dad has a harder time, but still put over 50 in the boat himself. At one point we had fish on all 4 poles. I had to break out a second set of pliers so we could both have one due to having so many doubles.

The fish of the day was actually a koke. It nailed the jig and surprised us both. What a chunk, all colored up and quickly released after a picture. 

I've had good days, but this was one of the best. My dad had a great time and d and laughed all the way home.

Sounds like a fun trip. I always laugh when I watch them attacking a bobber. Sometimes we really give the fish intelligence too much credit. We spend lots of money and time trying the 'hot lure' of the week, just to witness them pass it up to smack a stupid bubble on the surface that resembles absolutely nothing natural.

[Kent]

Picked up my 79 yr old dad at 6 am and ran up to the berry. 19 degrees at launch around 8 am. No docks, no wedge, just launch and pull to the side. 

Ran out to an area on the strawberry bay side by the narrows that we have done well at in the past. Caught around 10 fish, including the one and only rainbow for the day, but it just was spotty. We moved around that area abut just not much there. So we ran over to the Renegade side. I'm not familiar with the Renegade side, so did some searching. 

Tried a couple of areas and it was the same, just not much. So we motored over to the south side of Renegade and was just motoring around watching the sonar looking for marks. We were moving over an area 38 ft deep and I see a cutt move out of the way of the boat just a few feet under the surface. Then another one, but still nothing on sonar. So I put the spot lock on and put out a tube under a bobber then started casting a second tube, both tipped with chub. The fish were aggressive and hit both offerings with reckless abandon, including attacking the bobber. You would reel in a fish and 2 to 3 others were following it. We caught several of the followers just dropping a jig to them next to the boat. My dad just starting dropping his jig down 10 to 20 feet below the boat and caught them. Most were 16 to 21 inches, but no slot busters. I guesstimate on the light side that I caught over 100 fish, easily that. It was insane. My dad has a harder time, but still put over 50 in the boat himself. At one point we had fish on all 4 poles. I had to break out a second set of pliers so we could both have one due to having so many doubles.

The fish of the day was actually a koke. It nailed the jig and surprised us both. What a chunk, all colored up and quickly released after a picture. 

I've had good days, but this was one of the best. My dad had a great time and d and laughed all the way home.

Sounds like a fun trip. I always laugh when I watch them attacking a bobber. Sometimes we really give the fish intelligence too much credit. We spend lots of money and time trying the 'hot lure' of the week, just to witness them pass it up to smack a stupid bubble on the surface that resembles absolutely nothing natural.

The last two trips, they have repeatedly hit apple cores that I have tossed into the water.

[Jig-fisher]

I'm glad that you and your father had a great time.  Keep it on the "down low", but the fish migrate south, in the fall, at Strawberry, just like the birds fly south in the fall.

I did not know that! Thanks for the inside information!

---

Picked up my 79 yr old dad at 6 am and ran up to the berry. 19 degrees at launch around 8 am. No docks, no wedge, just launch and pull to the side. 

Ran out to an area on the strawberry bay side by the narrows that we have done well at in the past. Caught around 10 fish, including the one and only rainbow for the day, but it just was spotty. We moved around that area abut just not much there. So we ran over to the Renegade side. I'm not familiar with the Renegade side, so did some searching. 

Tried a couple of areas and it was the same, just not much. So we motored over to the south side of Renegade and was just motoring around watching the sonar looking for marks. We were moving over an area 38 ft deep and I see a cutt move out of the way of the boat just a few feet under the surface. Then another one, but still nothing on sonar. So I put the spot lock on and put out a tube under a bobber then started casting a second tube, both tipped with chub. The fish were aggressive and hit both offerings with reckless abandon, including attacking the bobber. You would reel in a fish and 2 to 3 others were following it. We caught several of the followers just dropping a jig to them next to the boat. My dad just starting dropping his jig down 10 to 20 feet below the boat and caught them. Most were 16 to 21 inches, but no slot busters. I guesstimate on the light side that I caught over 100 fish, easily that. It was insane. My dad has a harder time, but still put over 50 in the boat himself. At one point we had fish on all 4 poles. I had to break out a second set of pliers so we could both have one due to having so many doubles.

The fish of the day was actually a koke. It nailed the jig and surprised us both. What a chunk, all colored up and quickly released after a picture. 

I've had good days, but this was one of the best. My dad had a great time and d and laughed all the way home.

Sounds like a fun trip. I always laugh when I watch them attacking a bobber. Sometimes we really give the fish intelligence too much credit. We spend lots of money and time trying the 'hot lure' of the week, just to witness them pass it up to smack a stupid bubble on the surface that resembles absolutely nothing natural.

I was laughing at times watching fish hit the float over and over. But 9 times out of 10 they would find the jig beneath after doing so. I guess it is like ice fishing the Berry and the Cutts hitting your transducer. It happens several times each trip up there. Just weird.

[Igottabigone]

I was in the boat in your photo on the left side. Same thing for us! It was one of those epic late fall trips.

[JeepNut]

Last Friday I was up on the other end of the lake bright and early and also caught a bunch of fish from the bank. In the morning every fish was a rainbow, the cutts didn't come to play until after lunch. Took a couple of bows home for my 95 year old dad who can't get out much any more.
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[AFDan52]

Thanks for the report.