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I recently talked to my dad and was wondering if anyone fly fishes starvation for the trout and other species. he takes trips up in that area to different lakes and always drives right by the place.
well my sister was up there last week and they did really well trolling for the trout and that is what he usually targets.
So anyone care to share any info, on where he might go on the lake. he is in a kick boat and is an older guy so he will need to be able to pull right up to the lake to launch.
Thanks.
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[#0000FF]Starvation can be excellent fly fishing for trout...both rainbows and browns. Also good for smallmouth and walleyes...and perch...and carp.
If you are going strictly for trout summer is not the best time. Surface water temps are up close to 70 degrees now so the trout are going deep...up to 50 feet or more. That takes a good type 7 sinking line and a long wait to get your feathers down where the trout are.
However, once fall temps cool the water down into the 55 to 60 degree range the trout return to shallower areas and can often be seen hitting the surface in the morning and evening. But a slow sink line and subsurface presentations will get more fish than top water.
Flies in sizes 8 through 4 or 2 work well on those big bodacious bows. Blacks, browns, olives and whites all produce. When dredging the bottom use green patterns to imitate the crawdads...upon which all species feed.
Rabbit Gulch is a favorite with tubers, tooners and fly flingers. Many places to drive up and launch, within a short kick of good potential fishing. And there is a wide range of fish habitat...from shallow weedy inshore waters to deep channels, rocky shorelines, low exposed islands, etc.
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I use a full sinking line when I am there with woolly buggers. The trout love them. Launch at the rabbit gulch area. The old highway goes right to the waters edge and make a great launching area.
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Thank you Pat.
I have been reading your posts from up there for a long time and wondering if you fish the inlet portal on the NE end. Would that be a good spot in the summer or is most the fish on the west end of the res. Also have you ever fished the Strawberry river inlet? My sister found a good cove up that way that had big perch in it last year, I don't know if they hit it this last trip up.
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Thank you AT, that is some great info.
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[#0000FF]There are times when fishing near the inlets can be much better than the main lake...especially for trout but often for other species too. Water temp and water chemistry are both important to the comfort level of the fish. And when water temps in the main lake get above 65-70 the trout will gravitate toward any area that has cooler temps, more oxygen and more incoming food.
Recent weather patterns can influence whether or not the inlet areas will be more productive or not. This time of year an afternoon deluge will pour water into the Strawberry River...coloring the water and dropping the temp a couple of degrees. Fishing the edges of the stained water can be productive. And there are several humps and bumps up in the Strawberry arm that always seem to attract both perch and walleyes.
The Knight Hollow area is where the diversion from the Duchesne River comes into Starvation. During the runoff period...lasting through May and into June...that is a great spot for trout. I have had them cruising the surface and literally bumping into my tube while fishing deeper for walleyes out there. And I have done well on bubble-fly rigs, spinners and small crankbaits fished shallow at that time.
Once the inflow from the Duchesne is shut off there is no more cooling effect. But there are some deep areas that hold trout if you can get down to them. One recent report showed that trout were hitting trolled lures on downriggers set from 40' to 80'. That almost requires stringing your flyrod with leadcore.
On the NE corner of that arm of the lake is Saleratus Wash. It contributes inflow only during periods of prolonged rain or runoff. It is dry most of the year. But it is a good area at times for trout. Again, mostly during cooler months. And it is well known to perch and walleye fans.
I am attaching a couple of maps to show the road access and main features of that area. You can also drive back into the west side of that arm of the lake if you know which of the oil patch roads to take. If not, you can wander around in the desert like Moses...seeing the water but not knowing how to get to it. And you need a good vehicle with high clearance...and 4 wheel drive at times.
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