"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope." John Buchan

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Fall tube trip to Strawberry Reservoir (Mud Creek) with Alex and Jason.

Kind of last minute we put this trip together as it has been so long since we had been able to get out for a fishing trip.  We opted to give Strawberry a try today and based on a lot of posts/reports we figured we did not need to be there prior to sunrise.  Most reports suggested 9am-11am was a productive window.

Anyway we made it up to the Mud Creek access point on the reservoir just after 9am.  The morning mist over the water was pretty thick and limited visibility.  Alex was worried that it would stay like this all day...  This was Alex's second trip with his waders, first that we needed to bundle up to stay warm, and that took some extra time to get worked out.  We were on the water by about 9:45am, a bit later then we intended but it was just in time for the mist to dissipate as the sun warmed things up.



As we got out on the water I rigged up a tandem rig with a white marabou jig I had tied last winter and another weightless tube jig higher up the line.  I let this dangle below me just above the bottom as we kicked out into the 15+ foot depth.  The other pole I started working different lures casting and retrieving.  Jason had 2 lines out as well though one was under a bobber to keep his lures near the surface and the other was cast and retrieve.  He was going to try out some new crank baits he got for his birthday.  Alex had 2 lines out as well again like Jason, one was under a bobber working the surface while he cast and retrieved the other.

We were on the water for less then 30 minutes before the first fish was on shortly followed by a second fish.  Jason and I both pulled in within minutes of each other nice cut throats that were in the slot, but fought well enough to build the days excitement.  Jason said he had not even been working his crank bait properly with it floating mostly on the surface at the time his lure was taken.


I had set the goal to remember to get a picture of each fish this trip, including a picture of anyone I was close enough to photograph as they caught... But as goals often are, they are set high and we fall short....  So on my next fish which was a better looking cut again, I fumbled the fish on my lap as I measured it (again in the slot, but closer to the upper end) and off it went before I could think to snap a picture.

Alex reported having a big strike on his second pole and missed it being unpracticed in working two poles.  With the changes in the regulations this year letting a second pole be used without needing a special permit Alex has been trying his hand at managing two poles.

Things slowed down after these first few and it was about an hour before the next event.  When this one hit I could feel a difference and the hope for a nice rainbow that would join me in my basket was well timed.  When the fish hit my line just stopped and then the fish jumped for me and then provided a fun and energetic fight bringing it in.


Things stayed slow but again about an hour later I managed another nice rainbow All the cuts up to this point and this rainbow had been on my white marabou jig.  Kind of nice when something you make turns out to work well enough.


I missed a few more photos of cuts and missed a few fish strikes as well over the day, but as we started to work back toward the vehicle I brought a cut in that had had some birth defect or unfortunate accident previously.  Worth a picture or two just for the odd look it had.



I brought in another rainbow as we worked our way back, failed to take a picture, and Jason let us know he had brought in a rainbow as well.  He reported that it was the largest trout to date for him that he was able to land and keep.  I'm not sure what the exact measurements were for it, but it was at the 20" mark or just above and very plump.  My pictures don't do it fair...



Alex's basket was bare, but he agreed still that going fishing and coming back empty was still lots better then most anything else we could think of.  I had my 3 rainbows in my basket and Jason had his nice rainbow.

All in all a really nice day, and long overdue I might add, to be back out on the water.  Wind could have stayed away longer as the afternoon breeze made the workout getting back to the vehicle more taxing then I'd have liked.  Otherwise it was a beautiful day on the water and I hope to get a couple more trips in at least before the hard deck forms up and ice fishing starts. :)