Strawberry Report 3/1/05

[Bigcat]

Fished Strawberry today from 7-12 with my Dad and Brother. It just doesn't get any better than that. Even if the fishing had sucked it couldn't have been better company. But lucky for the us the fish wanted to play today. It was 18 degrees upon arrival and throughout the morning had periods of intense sunshine when we would take off our jackets and then the sun would go behind a cloud and we would get a little w... and the jacket would go back on. The snow and ice conditions are excellent for walking or snowmobiling and maybe even ok now for wheelers with good clearance. My arms are feeling stronger after drilling holes on 3 different days during the last week but the ice is still pushing 3 feet deep and a good work out. We fished 19-30 feet deep at different times of the morning and moved 3 times to keep catching fish. When they quit hitting at one depth we moved and usually found some more playful fish. We used our usual which lately has been paddles, foxee, and finkeys tipped with mealys and waxeys. They seemed to like it best just sitting there without any jigging. Unlike saturday we didn't see or catch many suspended fish. All but 1 today was 1 crank off the bottom. We landed about 30 fish today between the 3 of us and lost prob 15 others that were solid hook ups. All cutts except for one 16 inch rainbow. Two of the cutts were under the slot and all the rest were 16-21 inches with only 1 or 2 over 20 inches unlike saturday when we landed 7 over 20 inches. It was another great day on the lake. Still lots of ice fishing to do at this lake! I'm still looking for the big lunker....
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[DKSRenegade]

So did you use the new fish finder? What area were you fishing?
I got to fish with my 2 sons and my 3 year old grandson this year and you are right about the great company.
The fish are just a bonus. It has been a great winter for me this year, DKS.
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[Bigcat]

I'm still "researching" (ie. saving money so I can afford a new one) fishfinders. Til then its the old standby fishing buddy. It good enough for now til I fish next to someone who has a real sonar![cool]

It has been a good ice fishing year but I think last year at the berry was better for me. Seems like we caught more fish more consistantly last year.
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[Fishcrazy]

Thanks for the report,I was going up there,but thought there would be a lot of slush with all the warm weather.Did you run into any slush?What area of the lake were you on?
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[fishin4fun]

Bigcat-

I know you've been researching the fishfinders, etc. I might be heading to Strawberry Mar. 18th or 19th. As of right now, I'm going alone, but if you wanted might be able to hook up and let you see the 565 and play with it, etc. I have a power auger and a shelter too! You can rest those power arms!
[]

I will know more early next week, but just a thought, etc.

F4F
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[Bigcat]

Fishcrazy-
There is no slush to worry about right now. The nights have been really cold! It was -4 when we got there saturday morning. There was plenty of slush on tuesday 2/22 but was mostly frozen by thurs 2/24 and was no problem when I fished Sat 2/26 and Tues 3/1. Easy walking and snowmobiling. May even be ok for a wheeler with good clearance. Its a little softer in the afternoon but not bad.

We fished near the marina but an area that you have to walk 1/2 -3/4 of a mile to get there.
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[Bigcat]

F4F-
Thanks for the offer. Wow a shelter and a power auger! That would be like camping in the Hilton! [] I've never had such luxurys! Can you bring the hot tub too so we can soak and fish at the same time? I can bring a massage therapist to rub us down after all those big fish wear us out![] I would love to join you and check out your new sonar and have you show me how superior it is in every way to my fishing buddy. But unfortunately those dates don't work for me. The 18th is a friday and Tuesdays are the only weekday I can fish. I also work every fourth saturday morning and my day falls on the 19th! So strike one and two! Too bad for me. Let me know if you can ever get away on a tuesday and well make it happen. Thanks for the offer though!
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