Strawberry Reservoir

[Helena]

Please post ice conditions only!

[fattybinz]

I'm new to the Utah ice fishing scene. When does Strawberry typically become safe? Around the new year?

[DallanC]

Depends on your comfort level of what you call "Safe Ice"... I know people who sneak out on 2" of ice. I'm very skittish of ice myself until it hits the 6" mark then its GAME ON! Usually we do our first trip on New Years day and its usually around 5-7"

This year though... who knows. We just had a forest fire break out Saturday so all bets are off on 2020 being anything normal.

-DallanC

[taxidermist]

I guess I'll have to let the cat out of the bag...…. Mud Bay was looking like a Civil War regimental outpost with all the tents scattered over the ice. (12/19/20)

[DallanC]

Hows snow up there? Requiring snowmobiles yet or can atvs get around... planning a trip up in that area soon.



-DallanC

[taxidermist]

3" of snow. But I'm sure there is more now (post Christmas) and more forcast for the upcoming week.

[DallanC]

Ok, we're making a trip up to that area tomorrow. Still trying to decide on Sleds vs ATVs. I'm not sure there is enough snow to run the sleds. We need to run about 7 miles up a dirt road to get to the ice entry point, then follow the shore line for another quarter mile. Sleds are on the trailer atm... but I can swap them over to atvs fairly easy.


Not sure what the snow totals are up there after the past couple days... but it didnt seem like much accumulated from news reports.


-DallanC

[Catherder]

I was up there today. The ice was 4 inches where I measured and fished. Walking conditions on the ice were fine.

As for sleds vs ATV's, there were a number of sleds in the area today and a few even went out onto the ice. (I wouldn't recommend that on 4 inches) The sleds seemed to be doing fine on the land though and along the Renegade road.

[DallanC]

Oh lordy... the fish gods really didnt want me to go fishing. Almost everything I touched tried to kill me. Decided to take atvs over snowmobiles. Son took off my snowplow blade, I tripped over it and nearly broke my wrist. A few bad words later, got up on the trailer, lit up my 800RMK, it ALWAYS starts right up... amazing machine. Tried to start my wifes 600, it was hard to turn over. I put all my muscle in to it, it seized and I literally yanked the rope knot through the handle, my momentum flipped me back landing hard on the side of the trailer, then glancing off and landing face first on the ground. Took me a few minutes to get my breath back. Nothing broken thank god. Lots of bad words. Her machine must have a stuck float, entire engine was full of gas. Towed it off with my Foreman to the far corner of the property... will play with it later if we get enough snow to even worry about sleds. Loaded up the Hondas and started tying them down... noticed wifes Foreman had a flat, went to get the air pump and found the valve stem was torn. SMH Sooo had to remove and break down the tire, put in a new stem and remount. FML

Anywho, we got up at 0'dark thirty, and fished a nearby lake (no forum for that one), roads were snowy and slippery for fullsize vehicles, but we got around great on the 4x4 quads. Lake was 8" of hard with 2-3" of slush and another inch of hard on that. It made for a rather sloppy setup actually. Fishing was super slow until 11:30 then it was fast paced action on really nice cutts and big bows. Left the lake at 12:30 with an even dozen fish and home by 3:30.

Now its nap time... ZZzzzzzz...

-DallanC

[taxidermist]

Dang Dallan…...Rough situation for sure. I have to admit, I did find myself chuckling a little when reading your episode of falling off the trailer. Only because I've done the same thing.


Happy you found "piece" at the lake and have a good meal ahead of you. Better get some Ibuprofen in ya if you haven't already. Bumps and bruises when Father Time approaches makes you think you went through a meat grinder.