Fishing for beginners

[BigPiney]

I am going backpacking next week. One of the guys plans to fish at some of the lakes we are by. They have golden trout in them. Should be interesting. Look like really pretty fish.

[clackamascoug]

Ha. No, it is long gone. Back in the late 80's, they built a new higher dam at Soldier Creek and raised the water level to the point that both reservoirs are connected now as a single body of water, connected by a channel called "the narrows". See below.

After the new combined reservoir was complete, they poisoned the reservoir with rotenone - the largest treatment ever done. They used the entire world's supply of rotenone that year. The point was to kill all the chubs - a trash fish that was always a problem at strawberry. Then they planted bear lake cutthroat trout and implemented a slot limit. You have to throw back everything between 15-22 inches - thus ensuring a healthy population of large trout that feed on chubs. 30 years later and the system is working great. No chub problems since then. They plant 1.5M cutthroats per year. 99% of the ones you catch are in the "slot" and need to be returned. They also plant sterile rainbows with no slot limit for harvesting - this ensures that the dominant species is cutthroat. And of course, they also have kokanee salmon now.

It is a beautiful reservoir.

Since we're on the topic - anything new out at Flaming Gorge? We used to go there a lot when I was a kid. You could catch two German Browns on one cast, with a marshmellow and velveta cheese on separate treble hooks.

[Flystripper]

Ha. No, it is long gone. Back in the late 80's, they built a new higher dam at Soldier Creek and raised the water level to the point that both reservoirs are connected now as a single body of water, connected by a channel called "the narrows". See below.

After the new combined reservoir was complete, they poisoned the reservoir with rotenone - the largest treatment ever done. They used the entire world's supply of rotenone that year. The point was to kill all the chubs - a trash fish that was always a problem at strawberry. Then they planted bear lake cutthroat trout and implemented a slot limit. You have to throw back everything between 15-22 inches - thus ensuring a healthy population of large trout that feed on chubs. 30 years later and the system is working great. No chub problems since then. They plant 1.5M cutthroats per year. 99% of the ones you catch are in the "slot" and need to be returned. They also plant sterile rainbows with no slot limit for harvesting - this ensures that the dominant species is cutthroat. And of course, they also have kokanee salmon now.

It is a beautiful reservoir.

My in-laws place is on the soldier creek side. We bookended two weeks there this year with our trip to Montana in between. We love Strawberry. It is a premier fishing lake. I do shake my head at the influx of water-skiers and jet skiers though. I wish they would just stay at deer creek and jordanelle. My sons both got buzzed by a pair of jet skis when they were on kick boats.

Some people suck.


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[Jeff Lebowski]

My in-laws place is on the soldier creek side. We bookended two weeks there this year with our trip to Montana in between. We love Strawberry. It is a premier fishing lake. I do shake my head at the influx of water-skiers and jet skiers though. I wish they would just stay at deer creek and jordanelle. My sons both got buzzed by a pair of jet skis when they were on kick boats.

I used to tell people that it was super rare to see a ski boat at Strawberry. Those days are long gone. I partially blame the pandemic. People can't travel to the beach, disneyland, etc. so they are more likely to go boating locally. Utah Lake is always dealing with toxic algae and deer creek/jordanelle are ridiculously crowded so more and more people are going to strawberry. It is really bad on weekends.

[Uncle Ted]

I used to tell people that it was super rare to see a ski boat at Strawberry. Those days are long gone. I partially blame the pandemic. People can't travel to the beach, disneyland, etc. so they are more likely to go boating locally. Utah Lake is always dealing with toxic algae and deer creek/jordanelle are ridiculously crowded so more and more people are going to strawberry. It is really bad on weekends.

That is an understatement. People are on top of each other out there. My friend was telling it is like two hours to launch your boat on deer creek on the weekends.

[Uncle Ted]

Since we're on the topic - anything new out at Flaming Gorge? We used to go there a lot when I was a kid. You could catch two German Browns on one cast, with a marshmellow and velveta cheese on separate treble hooks.

Fishing the green just below flaming gorge use to be awesome. I haven't tried it lately.

[Uncle Ted]

Spent the weekend boat camping with the family at Strawberry. Fishing (trout) was fantastic. Taught my two grandsons how to cast and use a spinning rod. They picked it right up and caught several fish on their own. They had a blast but struggled with the concept of catch-and-release. The best part was watching 3-yr-old granddaughter catch 4-5 really nice cutthroat trout on a little Frozen kiddy pole. She was thrilled and is begging to go back.

LOL... awesome. How old are your grandsons? I have a 4-yr-old grandson that I took fishing once. He caught a couple of little bass. I can't wait to take him again.

[Jeff Lebowski]

LOL... awesome. How old are your grandsons? I have a 4-yr-old grandson that I took fishing once. He caught a couple of little bass. I can't wait to take him again.

6 & 7.

[SeattleUte]

This thread is an oasis in a hellscape. Lots of interesting information (fishing!), everyone gets along and shares helpful information. Trump is not in the picture, politics are invisible.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Just have your grandkids eat some trout they eat. That'll make them catch-and-release fan at least until they are adults.

No, they love trout and salmon - bless their little hearts. Problem is that everything we caught was in the 15-22" slot and had to be returned.

We threw one back that died. The seagulls and a great blue heron enjoyed it for lunch. Circle of life.

[mtnbiker]

Fishing the green just below flaming gorge use to be awesome. I haven't tried it lately.

I went scuba diving just below Flaming Gorge once, 20 years or so ago, just drifting with the current and looking for lost fishing rods. That is cold water coming out at the bottom of the dam, around 40 degrees. I saw a lot of fish just hanging out in the water column, but didn't see any gear. My buddy was frustrated because he'd picked up some good gear on a previous venture. My feet were numb up to the ankles by the time I got to the pull-out spot. I was wearing a 7mm neoprene full-body suit and boots.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I went scuba diving just below Flaming Gorge once, 20 years or so ago, just drifting with the current and looking for lost fishing rods. That is cold water coming out at the bottom of the dam, around 40 degrees. I saw a lot of fish just hanging out in the water column, but didn't see any gear. My buddy was frustrated because he'd picked up some good gear on a previous venture. My feet were numb up to the ankles by the time I got to the pull-out spot. I was wearing a 7mm neoprene full-body suit and boots.

Seems like a lot of work for some old rusty fishing gear.

[Uncle Ted]

I went scuba diving just below Flaming Gorge once, 20 years or so ago, just drifting with the current and looking for lost fishing rods. That is cold water coming out at the bottom of the dam, around 40 degrees. I saw a lot of fish just hanging out in the water column, but didn't see any gear. My buddy was frustrated because he'd picked up some good gear on a previous venture. My feet were numb up to the ankles by the time I got to the pull-out spot. I was wearing a 7mm neoprene full-body suit and boots.

You should take your 7mm wetsuit to Strawberry. A diving buddy and I would pick up and fill a couple of coolers of crawfish off the bottom. Then we would boiled them all up with some smoked sausage, corn, cajun spices, etc. It is a Texas/Louisiana thing.

I use to go fishing on the green below Flaming Gorge during the winter months. It was crazy cold but it is the best time to go fly fishing with nymphs. That was when I was young and stupid and in college. I don't like cold weather/water any more.

[mtnbiker]

Seems like a lot of work for some old rusty fishing gear.

It's almost as if you didn't read my post.

[Jeff Lebowski]

It's almost as if you didn't read my post.

I have done that myself, but in lakes. My older brother used to enjoy finding gear that way. One time we were going along and found a clear bubble and picked it up and it zipped out of my hand trailing along some bait. Then some rocks started dropping in around us. Turns out it was a live one.