A Berry nice day 2/13

[jjannie]

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[font "Calibri"]Made a late decision to hit Strawberry on Friday to hopefully avoid some of the holiday weekend crowds. Arrived around 7 am – started fishing at about 730 – fished till 2. Fished the area between Badger Bay and Haws Point. Starting at Badger Bay in 24-26 FOW offered 4 different baits, 4 different depths and after an hour of seeing fish, only getting one nibble but with no takers decided it was time to move. Headed towards Haws Point, still in about 26 FOW, didn’t see very many fish, offered several menu options and finally two takers (16 in fat, healthy rainbows – neither of which had any eggs when cleaned) on the white gizillas tipped with waxies (both on a jaw-jacker). Switched the other offerings to what was working. The trusty Jaw-jacker fired once again – but missed. After some time and no more bites, we then moved back near where we had started. Had a jaw-jacker set up in 6ft of water, about 2ft off the bottom that took 2 hits – missed the first but not the second – a nice cutt that came off just as its head cleared the water and it was about to be iced – pretty sure it would have been in the upper end of the slot. Folks we talked with had caught couple slot cutts and one guy caught a nice bow – possibly ~18 in and it too was fat and healthy. It may have been slow catching – but the ice was 12 in thick, the pressure ridge we crossed was about 4 in wide but it had re-froze shut so no issues for the sleds that were crossing it. Not even the slightest of breeze, pretty nice fishing for Feb – starting the day in coats but shedding layers as the day warmed to 50[size 2]0 [/size]and soon everyone was coatless. [/font]
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[font "Calibri"]Enjoy it while it lasts. [/font]
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[kj]

Late season ice fishing always requires you to keep the pole in hand, use a flasher and attach a tip sensor to the pole. We have always done very well at Strawberry during late season when we use that technique. They hit, but it is ever so light that without the tip sensor, you cannot detect the bite. Too many people want to set the pole down and let some device fish for them. I suppose if you want to look at fish on the finder but not catch many, use the jaw jacker. They work, but not well enough for the late season light bite. Just my two cents.
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[jjannie]

Had a pole in the hand and watched fish on finder come - look maybe make a ever so slight nibble that it never moved the spring or slip bobbers and we even tried setting hook by the sight on the finder. It was our second poles that were on jaw-jackers. Sure they missed some - but there were also the only ones that caught anything too. They were just biting so light, and if you missed setting the hook, leaving the bait down there - they never returned to strike again - opportunity passed.

Still it was a great day to be out giving it go...
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[SBennett]

Did you buy a Showdown and do you like it?
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[jjannie]

Yes, Shane, we did. Love it. Easy to learn how to use. Also like that it'll read the water depth thru the ice, before you even a drill hole. Would like to have two so each of us would have one when fishing farther apart.
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[SBennett]

Good, I am glad you like it.
If you go to the ISE show stop by the Kokanee Creek Tackle booth and say hi.
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[jjannie]

If we can make it - will do!
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[Lunkyluke]

I think with the warm weather we've been having everybody is getting a false sense of what part of the year it is. I keep reading " late season" when in fact I don't think its " mid season" yet. There's usually fishable ice on the berry in early april. It could be -20 at the berry a week from now if a front comes in. Just sayin..... Congrats on some healthy lookin bows.
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