Interesting day at Strawberry

[Kent]

I took my grandson to Strawberry today.  Parked in the parking area at Renegade, when my grandson noticed that one of my tires, on the Armada, was almost flat.  A delay of about 20 minutes to blow it up enough to launch. 

Headed to my recent honey hole and found a few in ~25' of water, but it wasn't really fast action.  The unusual thing was that out of the first 6 fish that we caught 2 were over the slot.  I have fished many trips, without catching any fish over the slot, and then to catch 2 that close together was really different.  Moved around a little and found some more, but still not super fast action.  Moved one more time and anchored up again in about 23' of water.  No action there except that the line, on one of my rods, got caught in the prop, on the MinnKota.  Tossed the anchor out while I unwrapped the line.  After getting untangled, I noticed that we were anchored in 39' of water.  Figured that was probably a little too deep of water (for this time of year), but decided to give it a try.  Surprisingly, it was non-stop action.  Drop a jig to the bottom and bounce it a time or two, set the hook and reel in a fish.  It went that way for the next 2 hours, until we left to head home.  We caught numerous doubles and one triple. 

We caught 4 rainbows today, which was also 4 more than we often catch. 

[PAC12_AfterDark]

Fall vertical jigging is some of my favorite fishing of the year. Glad you had sucess. Do you think the dealer water and catching rainbows are corrated?

[Kent]

It has been my experience, that rainbows, at Strawberry, are typically in water ~30' or shallower. Occasionally, one will catch one in deeper water, but it seems to be the exception.

[PAC12_AfterDark]

^thank you - I havent pulled a bow out of there in probably 5 years or so.

[Kent]

^thank you - I havent pulled a bow out of there in probably 5 years or so.

Fish the Soldier Creek side.  Rainbows are far more plentiful over there.

[EyLayo]

Nice! Don’t educate the big ones yet, save them for the ice

[lovetofish]

It baffles me on Cutts that are over the slot limit. When you catch 100's of Cutts that are in the slot and have to be returned to the reservoir why more Cutts are not caught that are over the slot limit. It seems that they reach a certain length and just disappear. I've had days where between the two of you catch well over 100 Cutts but rarely catch 1 over the slot. Makes no sence to me.

Now on the rainbows I have several places on the Soldier Creek side that I can catch more Rainbows than Cutts. I fish the Renegade area 90% of the time.

[r2u2]

It baffles me on Cutts that are over the slot limit. When you catch  100's of Cutts that are in the slot and have to be returned to the reservoir why more Cutts are not caught that are over the slot limit. It seems that they reach a certain length and just disappear. I've had days where between the two of you catch well over 100 Cutts but rarely catch 1 over the slot. Makes no sence to me.

Now on the rainbows I have several places on the Soldier Creek side that I can catch more Rainbows than Cutts. I fish the Renegade area 90% of the time.

My thoughts on that are:  When the fish is any where near the 22" mark it's killed and removed for show and tell. It seems to work that same way  when there are special regs. on certain waters.

rj

[richyd4u]

It baffles me on Cutts that are over the slot limit. When you catch  100's of Cutts that are in the slot and have to be returned to the reservoir why more Cutts are not caught that are over the slot limit. It seems that they reach a certain length and just disappear. I've had days where between the two of you catch well over 100 Cutts but rarely catch 1 over the slot. Makes no sence to me.

Now on the rainbows I have several places on the Soldier Creek side that I can catch more Rainbows than Cutts. I fish the Renegade area 90% of the time.

My thoughts on that are:  When the fish is any where near the 22" mark it's killed and removed for show and tell. It seems to work that same way  when there are special regs. on certain waters.

rj

Yep....that's exactly right. Slot limits just produce more numbers in the slot. Anything caught above it is so exciting and rare, that it's nearly always kept, so less and less bigger fish. Slots suck. Better to allow a small limit of cutts IN the slot (reducing over crowding and stunted growth), and not allow anything over 22" to be kept (no good for eating anyways, smaller ones are better). My 2 cents.