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Got up to the Berry one last time today, with Liketrolling and Wiperslayer. When we left Ogden, it was 57 degrees, when we meet Robert in Heber, it was 47 degrees, when we got to the turn off to Strawberry it was 37 degrees and as we were getting ready to launch, at 6am, it was 31 degrees[crazy] A little chilly until the sun came up but the water was in the mid to upper 60's and the cutts and the kokes did not seem to mind. Until the sun came up, we were catching more cutts than kokes but the cutts all but disappeared when Mr Sun showed up. We had our limits by 8am and with our limits came a quad hookup, we only needed two for our limits so the rest went free. Most of the kokes were pretty red with the males having hooked jaws. We started trolling deeper, with cutty lures, after we had our limits and were catching some decent cutts up to 22", when low and behold a koke hit one of our trout lures[crazy]. We released it of course but were pretty surprise they were that deep, around 47 ft and chasing a J plug, with little color and no flasher. When I was reeling it in, I thought it was a brown at first, before it got close enough to properly ID. Has anyone ever caught a Brown at Strawberry? We headed in a little after 11am, what a nice morning, with great company, thanks for another great trip Robert. I did not take any pics this time but Robert and Ira did, so hopefully one of them with add the pic. Saw Jmorfish at the ramp first thing in the morning and once on the water, good seeing you again Joe. Kokes were 16 to 21", got them in the brine now, I'll start smoking them in the morning, then bottling my last batch of kokes for the year. Life is good[  ].
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Thanks Robert, did the pic of that red koke I was holding turn out?
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Good to make waves with some fellow BFT 'rs out on Strawberry early this morning, also my last Kokanee trip for the season....Actually, I guess the weather created the early A.M. waves, and it was rough before the sun came out to settle the seas...But then smooth sailing 'til we pulled out at noon....great morning to be on the water, and a fine ending to our Koke season....buddy and I each boated 4 very pink keepers, mine 17 to 19"....one little one returned for next year, as well as 3 very healthy 18 to 20" cutts....and the little cutts had disappeared, amazing!....I fished this area late in the season last year also, but was glad Liketrolling reminded me, and invited me in a little closer to the X ......tks Robert....2 hook-jawed males still had solid orange fillets, but the 2 full-of-egg females had very pale colored fillets....However....Instead of just smoking everything, I tested one of the pale fillets out on the grill tonight, and my wife and I agreed that it was still very good, as grilled salmon....so I was pleasantly surprised....Now, time to look for a few doves, and maybe hit Rockport for a Rainbow or two....Guluk....
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here is the other one
4.10 am out the door on my way to Strawberry again
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Those Kokes are Beautiful when in their spawing colors. Great example Robert
thanks for the picture
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Thanks for the red koke pic, looks more impressive like that than just laying out with a bunch of other kokes. Hope you did as good today as we did yesterday.
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Glad to hear you two caught your limits after we spoke on the water yesterday. Sometimes the fish can be concentrated in a small areas like that but once you find them it is game on. Good to hear the pale colored ones were good eating, I know I had a few like that as well but I figured smoking them would take care of them. A couple more hours and my first batch will be done[cool].
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Sounds like another good trip!
The question about browns in Strawberry usually comes up every year or two. I personally have seen one caught through the ice and it was one of the best looking browns I have ever seen! Over 4 lbs, not a blemish on it and in full colors. The gentleman that caught it took it home to eat. This was probably close to 10 years ago.
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Thanks for that info on the brown trout being caught at the Berry. I was thinking someone had posted about catching one there but it sure doesn't happen very often.
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[#0000FF]Browns have been caught sporadically over the years. A few tigers too. And in the time between the rotenone treatment in 1961 and in the 1980s there were even some brookies in there. Haven't heard of any since.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]The other "interesting" catch from Strawberry is smallmouth bass. There is likely not a thriving and spawning population...because of the altitude and poor recruitment for hatchlings...but one occasionally hits shallow lures being worked for big cutts.
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Yes, I remember Bassrods posted about catch a SM bass there and I do remember several post over the years about the tiger trout being caught, I just wasn't sure about the browns and was unaware of the brookies. We got to talking about it while we were fishing on Tues, so I thought I throw it in with the post. Thanks for the info Pat.
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[#0000FF]Over the past few years I have snagged some pics off various Strawberry posts. Here are pics of a smallie, a tiger trout and a big rainbow from Da Berry.
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Can you tell me if the meat is still good quality for smoking and EATING. They look quite pink.
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That bow is a pig, wonder how many years it took to grow one that big.
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Not trying to speak for Robert but I've never had one taste bad when they are red like that but I only smoke my kokes, I've never tried eating one fresh, that was red, maybe if they were BBQ or pan fried they might taste different[:/].
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Pink stage kokes are still high quality eating, whether smoked or grilled...my wife and I just shared a couple fillets that I grilled for supper, proof is in the eating....IMO, I would immediately release any full reds (or maybe save one for the taxidermy man), as internally and externally their bodies are ready for spawning....And then this time of their season, you'd just be 'Hoping' that any released would survive to successfully spawn....Guluk...
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Thanks, love smoked salmon.
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