4 th of July

[doitall5000]

You have really got to be hardup to go boating today..

[wiperhunter2]

You have really got to be hardup to go boating today..

For those folks that can't go any day, this weekend might be the only time they can get out. I agree I would not go out today or any day this weekend.

[catdaddygar]

I wouldn't want to try and get my boat out of the water Monday at noon to 5 pm.

[fishnotphish]

You have really got to be hardup to go boating today..

Worked fine for me. Strawberry was a bit windy but not terribly busy. No wait at the ramp at 5:30 am or at noon.

[catchinon]

That's one of the nice things about Strawberry: there's virtually no skiers, wakeboarders, etc. But there are getting to be a lot of koke fishers.

[N.E.T.O.]

I was at Strawberry on Saturday (7/2).   I was disappointed at how many "recreational" boaters I saw there.  Tubers, Wakeboarders, Surfers, and not just a couple, literally 5 or 6 different families having fun.  People have discovered that the usual recreational lakes (deercreek, jordanelle, etc.) are jam packed so they are willing to endure a little colder water and go wakeboarding and surfing on fishing lakes.  I used to be a wakeboarder/waterskiier, so I can't really fault them.  I would do the same.  Now that I'm a fisherman however, I wish they would go pull the tubes and surf somewhere else.  Strawberry is kind of a fishing lake, but it's a free country.  As long as they obey the laws and are considerate, I guess I'll have to put up with the rocking of the boat caused by their wakes.

Back when I used to go camping with family and neighbors, East Canyon was our favorite lake.  We camped every weekend.  You used to be able to camp in the parking lot in our camping boats.  Surprisingly...4th of july weekend was always quiet compared to most weekends.   I guess everyone else thought the same thing, that it would be crowded...so they stayed away.  Good old days!

This weekend it's going to be hit or miss. Just plan on crowds and you won't be disappointed.  Also,  plan on people not knowing how to launch/load their boats properly, or that they need to prep the boat BEFORE backing down the ramp.  Plan on lots of people going fast in their boats too close to you.  Park accordingly in the parking lot...try to park where you WON'T get hit by someone pulling out that has never driven a trailer before  (pet peeve:  I hate it when guys drive the boat off the trailer and have their wives go park the truck...really?).   Plan on the ramp being clogged up at noon, and if the wind comes up.  It's all good.  There are a LOT of new boat/truck owners the last 2 years and most are extremely inexperienced and don't know the real rules, nor the etiquette rules.  Don't cut in line because you think you can launch/load faster then others.  You are still cutting and it makes the ones that obey the etiquette rules very mad.  You are not more entitled than anyone else. 
I'll just stop now.  

P.S.  I stayed home today.

---

[wiperhunter2]

Thanks for the suggestions Randy but the real question I have, is how was the catching, any limits of kokes?

[dubob]

This weekend it's going to be hit or miss. Just plan on crowds and you won't be disappointed.  Also,  plan on people not knowing how to launch/load their boats properly, or that they need to prep the boat BEFORE backing down the ramp.  Plan on lots of people going fast in their boats too close to you.  Park accordingly in the parking lot...try to park where you WON'T get hit by someone pulling out that has never driven a trailer before  (pet peeve:  I hate it when guys drive the boat off the trailer and have their wives go park the truck...really?).   Plan on the ramp being clogged up at noon, and if the wind comes up.  It's all good.  There are a LOT of new boat/truck owners the last 2 years and most are extremely inexperienced and don't know the real rules, nor the etiquette rules.  Don't cut in line because you think you can launch/load faster then others.  You are still cutting and it makes the ones that obey the etiquette rules very mad.  You are not more entitled than anyone else. 
I'll just stop now.  

P.S.  I stayed home today.

---

You pretty well nailed it.  I stayed home as well.  Much more fun to cook and eat some pork ribs than put up with the nonsense on the lakes.  

[Jig-fisher]

We took the boat out to Willard yesterday afternoon to pull the towable with the family and launched out of the south marina. For a holiday, much less crowded than it usually is on a Saturday. Had all off Freeway Bay to ourselves. Other than the wind was a bit too much, not crowded at all. When we finished around 130, couple of people at the fish cleaning station with walleye they were filleting. Didn't speak with them though, just trying to load up and go home.

[wiperhunter2]

We took the boat out to Willard yesterday afternoon to pull the towable  with the family and launched out of the south marina.  For a holiday, much less crowded than it usually is on a Saturday.  Had all off Freeway Bay to ourselves.  Other than the wind was a bit too much, not crowded at all.  When we finished around 130, couple of people at the fish cleaning station with walleye they were filleting. Didn't speak with them though, just trying to load up and go home.

I've been hearing about power boaters hitting their props because they turned too sharp after going out the mouth of the channel, that could be why less and less of them are going out there. Good to hear you were able to get out there and had no issues.

[Jig-fisher]

Yes, keep it straight out the middle of the channel until you are out to the no wake buoy. I could see the bottom on both sides, especially the south side of the channel, quite a ways out into the bay. Dinged/broken prop would be a guarantee if you cut it too soon.  I always trim up until I'm out in the bay.

[oldguy]

Yes and it doesn't help when you have people standing and fishing in the middle of the channel inside the buoys. This is beginning to be an issue. There is very little room to get around them. I fish once a week and have incountered this for the last 3 weeks. maybe someone can help them understand that this is not safe for anyone.

[mtncat1]

Thanks for the suggestions Randy but the real question I have, is how was the catching, any limits of kokes?

i fished strawberry sat and sun ,koke fishing is slow and tricky we got only 2 sat. and 9 sunday . the bite sunday was good but late in the day 1 to 2:30 .

[wiperhunter2]

i fished strawberry sat and sun ,koke fishing is slow and tricky we got only 2 sat. and 9 sunday . the bite sunday was good but late in the day 1 to 2:30 .

Thanks for the info Rich, guess we will head up there tomorrow, to see if we can find some. Did the normal pink squid work for you?