Berry ... Come On 50°

[Old_Coot]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]Have you ever thought to yourself, "I wonder if anyone has ever gotten skunked at the Berry?". Well, if you have, ask no more. I, along with three friends, proved yesterday that yes, one can get skunked at Strawberry Reservoir.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]We were targeting anything that would bite a white tube jig tipped with chub. We launched at the main marina. With the surface temps cooling down, I figured that maybe the cuts had moved into to the Renegade and Meadows area. So we decided to give that south end a try. We fished several of my favorite points, holes, and bays in that area. The water was thick with algae and we saw very few fish on the finder anywhere. [/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]With not even a bite after a couple hours of fishing, we decided to head over to the north end of the lake. Over in the Knolls area, the water was much clearer but still no fish. After an hour and a half of neither seeing nor catching any fish there, we decided to try some edges on the west side north of Mud Creek … zip … zero … nada![/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]With no luck on a tube and chub, we switched to trolling. We trolled some hardware and even an old Strawberry Wobbler lure but to no avail.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]After a morning of not even a single bite (except for one craw fish), we decided to leave for home with our tails between our legs.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]So I have to wonder why we had such a hard time finding catchable fish. Here's my theory: In the summer, the surface temps are way too warm for the comfort of trout so they seek the deeper cooler environments. Then, when the water temps drop in the fall, the fish head for the shallows where they can cruse the edges looking for chub. The water temps yesterday were around 54-55 degrees. I have always believed a rule of thumb that the good fall fishing in the south end of the lake begins once the surface temps get down below 50°. And yesterday, that rule of thumb was confirmed to me again. With the cooler water temps there, the fish are beginning to leave the deep cold areas but still not concentrating around the edges yet. So they are just thinned out all over the lake and harder to find.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]Add to the above theory the fact that we were experiencing a strong low pressure. Minor as that may seem, it still may have added to our failing.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]And of course, I probably should have been home watching general conference rather than fishing.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]On our way home, we decided to stop by the visitor's center to see the spawning kokanee. Quite a sight I might say.[/size][/#800000][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]My fishing buddy Lee was determined to get his hands on a fish. So he picked up this gnarly looking dead koke that was floating near the edge of the stream. Geeze … I guess boys will be boys.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]--- Coot ---[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[lovetofish]

Skunked at Strawberry? Heck 'YES', who hasn't. And more than once if you fish it often enough.

I think you answered your own thoughts about the low pressure. Strawberry can be fickle enough let alone fishing during a low pressure peroid.

Besides trolling did you try any other tube jigs besides white or tipped with a worm etc. I'm sure you probably did though. It's just one of those days when pulling weeds at home is more productive 'NOT', it's always fun to get out and fish with friends even if the fishing sucks.

Some of my best days at Strawberry have been just before a storm is coming and the pressure starts to drop. Sounds like you might have just missed a good fishing time.

Curious though, had the wind been blowing from the north with the meadows being so thick with algae. I fish the meadows 90% of the time and it can get bad but if you move around a lot you can usually find some water that isn't quite as bad. Like you I have certain areas that fish better than others. And I've also done well when the algae is thick. Go figure.

The best fishing is just getting started. I'm hoping to get out soon. I've been nursing a bad back and haven't fished for a couple of months.

Good luck on your next trip.
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[LeisureLarry]

Can't wait for the cooler temps and the bigger fish moving into the shallows. We launched at Renegade yesterday at around 8:00. Decided to troll around the area. Water temps showing 52 degrees. My partner was trolling a frog pattern flatfish F7 size. He caught 15 Slot Cutts using a small sinker. He couldn't have been much under the surface. I tried numerous patterns at different depths but only hooked into one small rainbow. Beautiful day and at least one of us were catching fish. Looking forward to the coming weeks!
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[Old_Coot]

A frog pattern F7 Flatfish? Cool! Haven't heard of that up there.
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[LeisureLarry]

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Wordens-...lsrc=aw.ds

This one in size F7 I used a smaller one with the same set up and no luck. [reply][/reply]
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[N.E.T.O.]

Hey Ralph, good report of a not so good catching day.

I really think that low pressure was 99% of the issue. I've experienced that many times in the past...and I've been skunked many times in those conditions on that lake. And I usually realize it rather early...when I'm seeing fish and they aren't biting. At that point if the weather is good and I've got lots of good snacks, I just try to enjoy a day on the lake not catching fish eating good snacks.

...in fact, I'm going to say that the low pressure was the reason I didn't shoot an elk this weekend also!!! [] Lots of snow, miserable hunting conditions where I was.

also, email sent...

Randy
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[MBM1969]

I fished the Soldier Creek side a week ago and did very well fly fishing the weed beds. Trout where shallow and very aggressive. I caught a few chubs and twice a big cutt chased them as I was bringing them in. I flipped one back into the water and the cutt came back and grabbed it. For a second I thought I was going to catch a double but it let go.

I went back up this Saturday hoping to repeat the previous weekend but it was much tougher fishing. As mentioned above I think the weather and low pressure had something to do with it. I caught a few fish but had to work for them.
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[sliverslinger]

Thanks for the info and come on cold!!
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[up2nogood]

[quote Old_Coot]A frog pattern F7 Flatfish? Cool! Haven't heard of that up there.[/quote]

That was our go to lure for years up there, that and the fluorescent orange F7, don't troll Strawberry anymore, but it sure worked back in the day.
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[Kent]

[quote up2nogood]

[quote Old_Coot]A frog pattern F7 Flatfish? Cool! Haven't heard of that up there.[/quote]
That was our go to lure for years up there, that and the fluorescent orange F7, don't troll Strawberry anymore, but it sure worked back in the day.

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Ditto to what you wrote about both lures and not trolling Strawberry anymore. I remember trolling them behind my down rigger and often a cutthroat would hit the flatfish while I was attaching it to the clip getting ready to lower the down rigger.
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