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Fished Strawberry today with my grandson. We started fishing about 8:15 AM, straight out from the Strawberry Marina boat ramp in 63' of water. Caught a couple and then the parade of snowmobilers started. After about the 30th one passed by us, we decided to move. Moved south past the point and fished in 53' of water. Caught about 12 there and missed many more. We would drop to the bottom and reel up about five cranks. I reeled up to several fish that came through but none of those fish would bite. The bite died at around noon. Used an orange glow feeder minnow tipped with a crawler or PowerBait, Whistler Petes in white also tipped with a crawler or PowerBait, and various other small ice flies, and tube type jigs. All seemed to work at different times. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. The ice has multiple layers and it is difficult to auger even with a power auger, because the blade keeps binding up.
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good to see you got into the fish kent did the slush become a issue at all ?
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It wasn't too bad, except while drilling with my power auger. Water would shoot up over my boots while attempting to drill a hole. With the heat continuing the surface will likely get worse.
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thanks for the info kent i think all the snowmobilr traffic is packing the snow pretty tight keeping down the slush
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Do you think the ice will hold until next Saturday? I hope to get up there then if it is safe.
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Hey Kent, did you get any keepers/big ones?
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when me and fishcrazy were there 4/16 i would say there was close to 20" should hold to next saturday i would think but of course be careful this warm weather will thin it quick
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They were all cutts and ranged from about 12" to 19" in size. Didn't keep any. The ice seemed to be at least 20" thick, with multiple layers of ice, water, and slush. Although it was thick it wasn't the best quality ice I have seen. I imagine there will be some further reports closer to next Saturday, and you can always call the Strawberry Bay Marina & Lodge at 435-548-2261 or 2500 and get the latest ice conditions.
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I drove by Strawberry late yesterday afternoon on my way back from a commercial area pheasant hunt by Roosevelt and the Ice really looked ugly. There were several people still on the ice, but it looked like major slush after a day in the 60's.
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I was up their monday and the ice was fine! there was a slight slush layer later in the day while walking back to the vechicle but not bad. Does anybody know if theres some kind of hunt going on up their?? I was out on the ice around 6:15am and right when it started getting light I heard a bunch of guns shots coming from all different directions? sort of spooky I didn't think there was anything you could be hunting this time of year?
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There are no hunting seasons open for game animals or game birds. Only non-game critters like jackrabbits, coyotes, fox, etc. The commercial bird operations are open until the end of the month, but you have to get off the mountain. Nothing around Strawberry. Hopefully the shots you heard were either varmit hunters or target shooters. With all the poaching that goes on in this state I hope that wasn't what it was. Hey, you never said how the fishing was on Monday.
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I forgot about the most important thing FISHIN!!! I caught 6 cuts between 6:30am-9am in 15' then from 9-noon nothin?? I tried 8',18' nothin I finally hooked 2 more cuts around 1p.m in 10' right next to a spring feeding into the lake. Not a bad day but o.k. caught all fish on glow jigs tipped with mealies. going back out next monday to try different spot!
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