# Strawberry 9-5-2011



## Tuna On (Aug 23, 2011)

Skye and i hit Strawberry for a couple of hours today. It was slower but nice, nice, nice fish. Caught five in two hours but three of them were Cutthroats over 22". The other two was a small rainbow and then a cutthroat in the slot. I kept one of those that was broke the slot 23 1/2" because it went belly up. We had three poles out but the only pole that caught fish was a Pink N' Glow Dakota Spinner at 30-35 feet. Trolling on the Soilider Creek side in front of the Day Use Area by the mouth of the narrows.


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

Thanks for the report, I like the SC side because I can fish deeper from shoreline.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Even if it goes belly up, the law says you have to release it. If it were legal to keep them if they went belly up, you could make every one of them go belly up and keep a whole bunch of them.


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## EvilTyeDyeTwin (Aug 9, 2011)

Fishrmn said:


> Even if it goes belly up, the law says you have to release it. If it were legal to keep them if they went belly up, you could make every one of them go belly up and keep a whole bunch of them.


Ya it is the sad truth but all slot Cutts must be released. Technically the Cutts up there at that lake are considered "endangered/protected" so the fine is way high for a violation. A buddy of ours took a slot cutt while ice fishing, for the same reason as you, and when he got to the DWR road block they said, "We have heard every excuse in the book, here is your ticket....sir sign here please." He told me that when they put the fish in a trailer it was FULL of slot Cutts. We (TyeDyeTwin and I) have had several slot cutts go belly up on us ice fishing and although it was tempting to keep them, we just had to push them back in the hole before we got "caught" with a dead slot Cutt. What a waste but at least it adds nutrients back to the lake. I have always wondered if there was a special proceedure so that you could keep a "dead" Cutt.... but so far the answer is....there is no such proceedure  . Thanks for your post tho....and happy fishing out there dude. May your lines go straight and your stringer be full.


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

Good thing it was over 22


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

One simple way to reduce mortality on slot cutts is to not use power bait and treble hooks there.
Yes, I know that it's legal but is it ethical?


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

EvilTyeDyeTwin said:


> Fishrmn said:
> 
> 
> > Even if it goes belly up, the law says you have to release it. If it were legal to keep them if they went belly up, you could make every one of them go belly up and keep a whole bunch of them.
> ...


Ok well a rumor exists from a fellow fisherman (which could be and probably is total BS) that you can call a CO to claim the fish and they can make a determination on whether or not they will keep the fish or you can keep the fish.

It is probably best to leave it there in the lake or if it is for sure dead, poke a hole in the swim blatter so it sinks to the bottom. Sucks when it happens but when you use hooks there always exists the chance of it not making it. Survival of the fittest baby!


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

tye dye twins said:


> Ok well a rumor exists from a fellow fisherman *(which could be and probably is total BS)* that you can call a CO to claim the fish and they can make a determination on whether or not they will keep the fish or you can keep the fish.


Bingo.

If it is in the slot, it is illegal to have it in your possession. Can a fish cop tell you it's legal to hunt a week before the season opens?


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

That is why you can never trust a guy that is fishing next to ya. Go figure it is not the 1st time a guy fishing next to me was way up in the night about regs. Thanks for the update Fishrmn.


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## Tuna On (Aug 23, 2011)

Okay guys I am sorry. I did write my post wrong. I have now fixed it. I know the rules at Strawberry and the one I kept measured 23 1/2". If you want check out Utah Anglers Report on facebook, there is a video of the cutthroat I kept. I will prove read my reports from now on. I did not want to start an argument or debate on the laws. I know why the Cutthroat Slot limit is there and I back it 150%.


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

I'm pretty sure it was over 22, if it was in the slot you would've thrown it back regardless if went belly up. You don't seem like a newbie fisherman, I think you just forgot to mention it was 23


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I also assumed that your fish was legal.
My post was a general post regarding fishing at places like Strawberry where there is a slot limit.
If you know that you may catch fish within a slot, use tackle that makes releasing the fish easy and less likely to kill the fish.


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## baconeater (Apr 5, 2008)

Grandpa D said:


> One simple way to reduce mortality on slot cutts is to not use power bait and treble hooks there.
> Yes, I know that it's legal but is it ethical?


i have to disagree with you on that one grandpa, i find the trebble hook 1 of the easiest hooks to remove, i dont even have to touch the fish to remove 1 and if its so far down i cant see it i just cut the line which aint very often, a worm hook on the other hand can be a pain i have to cut them off often.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Both a bait hook and a treble hook that is swallowed deep will be hard to remove and still allow the fish to live.
At our Youth Fishing Club we stopped using treble hooks because the kids were letting the fish swallow the hook and then the hook became very difficult to remove.
So I will stand by my statement that the combination of power bait and treble hooks can be difficult to remove and not hurt the fish.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

Grandpa D said:


> I will stand by my statement that the combination of power bait and treble hooks can be difficult to remove and not hurt the fish.


+1. If you have to use bait at the Berry, tip a jig with it and you will *do* better, and a large majority of the fish will be hooked on the snout and easily and safely released.


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## 1morecast (Dec 6, 2007)

I agree, whenever I use lures I cut one hook off my trebles and bend one barb in. I hate the way treble hooks mutilate the fishes mouth.


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