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Fished Strawberry yesterday with a fellow member of BFT (who wanted to learn how I vertically jig) and a DAV that we met at the luncheon at the DAV event of a few months back.
I had a difference in opinion with a fellow boater at the boat ramp, but no heated words were exchanged.
First we tried near a prior way point that had worked in the past. The problem with previous way points is that they were made when the water was at a different elevation. Moved out just a little from the mark in about 22 -24 feet of water and anchored up with the virtual anchor. Saw a few fish jump but apparently I made my cast to where they jumped either a little too late or not exactly in the right spot because I never got any hits. Tried vertical jigging and bouncing back to the boat for about an hour there without any hits.
Saw several boats fishing an area about 3/10 of a mile east of us, so I slowly moved that direction while we drug our tube jigs behind us. At one point, two out of the three of us got hits and so I hit the anchor button again. We stayed there the rest of the day until we left at 4:30. We were anchored up in about 31 to 32 feet of water. Catching was pretty good most of the day. Caught a few casting and bouncing back to the boat but dropping straight down, just barely off of the bottom with one rod and the other rod straight down with three turns off of the bottom, seemed to work the best. Tipped with cut chub and shrimp. Wind started blowing at 10:00 AM, or we would have caught even more. We caught plenty after the wind started blowing, but it wasn't ideal jigging weather.
Water temperature about 57 first thing in the morning and 60 when we left at 4:30.
Great to get out again and nice to meet another angler from BFT.
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Heck of a day Kent.
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Kent thanks for the invite. It was a wonderful day to be out on the water with the master jigger.
I think I was just starting to get the hang of vertical jigging when that pesky wind showed up an hour early to the party.
What Kent didn't mention was that he really showed us how it was done, ending the day by catching probably twice as many as the two of us caught combined.
I really appreciate the members that will take others out to learn new techniques.
I've never been out fishing with anyone I had never met before, But this year there were four techniques I wanted to learn.
1- How to use planer boards to fish for Wiper and Walleye at Willard. Check, thanks "Old Coot".
2- How to use downriggers and stack lines. Check, thanks "LikesTrolling".
3- How to vertical jig. Check, thanks "Kentofnsl".
4- Only one left, how to troll and or vertical jig for Lake Trout. Maybe next year. Time to practice what I have learned this year.
Thanks guy it's been a pleasure fishing with all of you.
Brian
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Brian, it was a pleasure meeting and fishing with you. Always willing to share what little knowledge and skills I have gained from others willing to share with me, with a fellow angler who wants to learn.
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gonna give jiggin a try next time out at the berry - i love vertical jiggin for walleyes and panfish -it seems to be an effective way to hammer the trout too!
that pesky wind always seems to kickup when your tryin to keep the presentation verticle
good report, sounds like a fun day
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Thanks for the report Kent.
Question: Which caught more fish; chub or shrimp?
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[quote Old_Coot]
Question: Which caught more fish; chub or shrimp?
[/quote]
I think it was about 6 of one and 1/2 dozen of the other. One couldn't go wrong with either one. Just remember not to throw away the two best parts of the minnow -- the head and the tail.[ ]
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Nice report! I heard the lake "turned over" a few weeks ago, has it cleared up? Or is there all that green crap still coming up?
Thinking of this weekend up there. Thanks
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[#0000FF]Lakes do not "turn over" until surface temps reach 39 degrees. At that point the density is greater than that of the higher temps below and the colder layer sinks. The fishing is usually not as good for a week or two after turnover and the poor quality water from the bottom comes to the top. But a few windy days can reoxygenate the water and the fishing kicks back into gear.
But...the algae begins to die out and dissipate somewhere below 50-55. That is what clears up the lake sometime after early September every year.
[/#0000FF]
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There were a few sea weeds floating around and no large gobs of algae. As TubeDude stated, actual turn over doesn't occur until later.
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Where can I purchase chub if I cannot/haven't caught any?
and
Are you just using shrimp from any grocery store meat dept? Frozen? Size?
thanks!
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I don't know if the fishing stores have minnows for sale now I catch my own. Any size of raw shrimp will work. I buy a large bag of frozen and put them into smaller bags. Thaw out and keep cold. Cut in small chunks.
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You can buy Shiners at Sportsmans Warehouse. That's what I used when I went up to Strawberry on Monday for about five hours. Me and a buddy of mine caught 43 (only 2 rainbows) in about five hours by doing the vertical jigging as Kentofnsl has explained in prior posts. Thanks to you for sharing your knowledge. I have always trolled the white tube jigs and had moderate success, but the vertical jigging was so much fun. We caught a bunch. My only negative thing about the trip is that my thumb is so cut up because of the teeth on those cutts.
Anyway, you can cut up the Shiners into 4 pieces and it will work great for you. Try to keep them semi frozen. Especially the bodies of the Shiners. The heads and tails work when thawed out, but the bodies don't work too well.
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Orleansman, what "general" part of the lake were you jigging ... if I may ask? A PM is great -or- keep it to yourself and I'd understand.
Thanks,
--- Coot ---
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[quote kentofnsl]Just remember not to throw away the two best parts of the minnow -- the head and the tail.[ ][/quote]
L.O.L ! Ah Kent, you make me chuckle.
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...31;#898231
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[ul][li]I guess sometimes we just try to rationalize too much. The fact is, heads and tails certainly do catch fish.[/li][li]After a day of holding cutts by the mouth, you'll end up with a "cutt thumb". Guaranteed.[/li][li]If you don't think Strawberry cutts fight, try holding one after he's in the boat.
[/li][li]Neither Cabela's nor Sportsman's has any chub minnows. If I could find some, I'd buy a bunch of packages to keep in the freezer.
[/li][li]After fishing with Kent a few years ago, I bought some of his green-handled "shears" from Harbor Freight. They're perfect for cutting small chub minnows into thirds.[/li][/ul]
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I don't think cuts fight very hard. But then again, I ain't caught many.
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