# STRAWBERRY 4/11



## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

]oldenrod and myself have been unable to get out fishing since around Groundhog Day. The ice gear was sitting in the garage ready to go all through February and March. Finally, our schedules opened up and we decided to make one more trip on the ice.

The storms last week made access points limited. Choices without a machine were the Marina and the far point at Soldiers Creek. Nothing else was really open for parking. We wound up at Jakes Bay parking near the fee tube - as far as we could take the 4WD truck. My idea was to not walk across the bay but to try and fish close to the parking lot - I figured that since no one had been ice fishing much that we could find the fish in close.

Not a chance. We drilled holes all the way up the west end of that bay and didn't mark fish or have any bites. I like the idea that you have to move around to find the fish but even with a power auger a 57 year old fisherman has limits drilling through 30 inches of old ice. We almost needed an extension on the auger. By 10:30 or so we were out at the nearest point across the bay. Even there we weren't finding anything in 15-17 ft. of water. We moved closer to shore. Finally at 8 ft. of water we started to locate a few fish. I don't know if it was location or timing.
[attachment=2:1al6ioy9]IMG_0066_sm.jpg[/attachment:1al6ioy9]
Goldenrod caught what appeared to be a slotbuster cutt. We didn't have a measuring device so we erred on the side of caution and released the cutt. I caught a nice rainbow, a small rainbow and a mid sized but almost black rainbow with a nice jaw on it. I released that fish and kept the other two. Goldenrod caught a great rainbow near the end of our trip. We each missed fish and lost a few as well. It was a great trip but very exhausting. I am getting too old to have to drag the sled that far back to the truck.[attachment=1:1al6ioy9]IMG_0070sm.jpg[/attachment:1al6ioy9]


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

Great job guys!!! I rode my bike there to check things out, and its still awinter wonderland. I CANT wait for ice off!!!!


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## Size Matters (Dec 22, 2007)

It looks like you had a awesome day thanks for the report and photos.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

At least the work you put into it paid off with those nice fish. Nice trip.

30 inches??? Ugh!

How's the Soldier Creek Dam road?


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

I know the road is supposed to be passable. On Sunday it was in pretty bad shape. I wouldn't take a vehicle in. Its possibly OK by now.


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## Jed (Feb 25, 2009)

Great...   8)


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