# cudos to the DWR at Currant Creek Res.



## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

I remember reading a couple of years ago that the DWR was going to switch from stocking Bear Lake Cutthroats in CC to Colorado River Cutthroats. But I missed the memo about how drastically they were going to change the management of CC. After reading a couple of reports on this site I decided to declare a mental health day and take the canoe up there. I haven't been to CC for a few years and when I used to frequent it I almost always had good fishing. But all I ever caught were cooky cutter cutthroats rarely over 12 inches. Today of the 24 fish I caught ( By the way that averages a fish to net every 15 min. not counting missed hits and hook ups that came unbuttoned and I consider that pretty good fishing.) only three were cutthroats all about 15 inches. They looked like the bear Lake variety but I am not a good enough biologist to tell the difference between a BL and a CR cutt except that most CR cutts I have caught were quite colorful. I caught three Tiger trout which was an added bonus. The rest were rainbows all between 13 and 15 inches. I presume the rainbows are sterile. That is an assumption but that would make a good match with the tigers. I don't know if I can attribute the better size of fish to the change of management but I like the addition of the rainbows and the tigers. And, by the way, if the tigers work in CC why not in Strawberry?


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

The one in your first pic look more like the BL strain. I caught a couple last weekend upstream from the reservoir that were most likely CR strain. 

My biggest cutt from CCR was 24" and looked more like a BL strain. 

Glad you enjoyed the fishing! Sounds like some decent action.


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

Glad to see you did pretty well there. It is no surprise to me that the fish are getting bigger in there...have you seen the size of those red sided shiners cruising the shore! Last year they were all 1 to 3 inches...this year they are HUGE (4 to 6 inches). I had a few follows from some MASSIVE cutts....simply amazing how much growth those fish can put on in a year.

And BTW...I am all for Tigers in the berry too :O--O:


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

campfire said:


> if the tigers work in CC why not in Strawberry?


According to a biologist replying on a similar question on another, very lengthy, forum post.

To paraphrase: Tigers would likely do just fine in Strawberry but it ain't likely to happen because there aren't enough tigers in the state to plant in Strawberry without stealing from other waters that are currently receiving them. They would have to plant an incredible amount for them to become a viable part of the catch.

Go enjoy them in the other waters that have them for now.


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## robertb (Sep 29, 2007)

I have never been to CCR before. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat. Is the road to it fairly passable and (where do you turn of off US 40?) and are the launching facilities good?


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## Jonwo (Apr 29, 2010)

robertb said:


> I have never been to CCR before. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat. Is the road to it fairly passable and (where do you turn of off US 40?) and are the launching facilities good?


I haven't been on the road yet this year, but last year they paved most of it and you shouldn't have any problem making it up there. And the turn off is a few miles past strawberry right before the gas station.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

robertb said:


> I have never been to CCR before. I have a 16 foot aluminum boat. Is the road to it fairly passable and (where do you turn of off US 40?) and are the launching facilities good?


The road is fine. It's paved for 13 of the 19 miles to the dam. The dirt portion isn't bad, but tends to get the washboard ripple and that can rattle your ride a little.

Just past the Soldier Creek Dam junction at Strawberry, you'll cruise through a canyon for 10 minutes or so before the road to Currant Creek. The gas station is closed, so keep that in mind. You'll probably have to turn around in that parking lot to go back to the road.

I still miss the turn every once in awhile.



EvilTyeDyeTwin said:


> have you seen the size of those red sided shiners cruising the shore! Last year they were all 1 to 3 inches...this year they are HUGE (4 to 6 inches).


No, they stay pretty consistent. I trapped a ton of large minnows last year and saw plenty the year before. Maybe you were just seeing the schools of smaller ones last year.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

fishnate said:


> campfire said:
> 
> 
> > if the tigers work in CC why not in Strawberry?
> ...


Thanks, fishmate. That actually makes sense. Strawberry is so big and gets so much fishing pressure it would indeed put a strain on the resources. Which brings up another question. Does anyone know if it costs the DWR more to breed and rear tiger trout to catchable size or to breed, rear and sterilize catchable rainbows?


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't know about cost but Rainbow Trout can be manipulated into spawning at different times of the year. By doing this, the DWR doesn't have to wait for the once a year spawn. This in return allows more fish to be raised
throughout the year. I don't think that this can be done with Tiger Trout. Only once a year for them.


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

LOAH said:


> [
> 
> 
> EvilTyeDyeTwin said:
> ...


I spent every weekend for 2 straight months fishing that reservoir last year, so I doubt that smaller minnows where around me every week...perhaps a big school was hanging around me last weekend this year...but the minnows have grown in size...same with the trout too.

The launching facilities are great for a boat of any size...however you state parks pass will not work up there. Once the lady let us through (she must not have been paying any attension) but the next time told us the pass is a no go up there. National Parks pass, State Parks pass.....all a no go up there. Kinda sucks but it beats the $20 fee at Echo Reservoir!


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

fishnate said:


> campfire said:
> 
> 
> > if the tigers work in CC why not in Strawberry?
> ...


That is very true there....but why not "steal" the 5,000 that they plant in Manta and Hyrum every year. Why not take another 100 to 200 from every reservoir that now recieves them?

Although there are some who want to see the tigers in the berry...I am sure the berry association of anglers will not allow that to happen...they just love their boring berry bows just too much.


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

EvilTyeDyeTwin said:


> I spent every weekend for 2 straight months fishing that reservoir last year, so I doubt that smaller minnows where around me every week...perhaps a big school was hanging around me last weekend this year...but the minnows have grown in size...same with the trout too.


Um, I've been fishing it for about 10 years now and always pay attention, fish different spots on the reservoir, and the minnows are not getting any bigger than they've always been. Just sayin'.

I'll agree about the trout though. The cutts have done a lot better, as well as the tigers.


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

At least we can agree on something.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

You guys should see the size of the whitefish in there... we caught some great 16-18'ers ice fishing this past year.


-DallanC


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