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Starvation - We must be doing something wrong
#1
A couple of us fished Starvation today from our tubes in the Indian Bay area. We had heard some favorable reports so we gave it a try.

We didn't get an early start, launching about 10:30 and fishing until 2:00. The weather was great, the fishing was not.[:/] Between the two of us we got one 18" rainbow and that was the only hit of the day.

We used a lot of different flies and a couple of different sinking lines and the one and only fish came on a size 6 bead head plum leech on a #3 sink line.

The water temperature was 37-38 degrees and the visibility in the water of about 10'. The reservoir is still full and spilling.

Looking forward to the water warming a little.[Smile]
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#2
As far as Lakes in Utah go Starvation is one of my favorite but it sure is a finicky one. Can't wait to get out there when it warms up a bit more. Thanks for sharing the pics!
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#3
It's only my opinion, but deep cold water and fly rods do not make a favorable combination.
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#4
In my experience, past reports are exactly that, in the past. They don't mean much for today. Every day is a new day and every hour may bring new results. Also, have you ever been out fishing where either you were killing them and no one else was or someone else was on them and you couldn't buy a bite? I've seen many days where the fish were biting on a particular location or lure size or color or action and if I was missing any part of that puzzle I didn't get bit. Nothing more frustrating than fishing near someone else that is catching fish and you can't get bit because you're missing some critical factor in your presentation. When I go fishing I always assume the fish are eating something somewhere, but if I am not catching fish, I always assume I'm not doing something right. That's part of why I love fishing so much, it's a different game every time on the water!
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#5
[quote RockyRaab]It's only my opinion, but deep cold water and fly rods do not make a favorable combination.[/quote]

I know a lot of folks think that but a friend of mine from up north along with five of his friends fished Rabbit Gulch yesterday in their tubes/toons and between the six of them they caught 27 rainbows and one brown in 5 1/2 hours. The fish were all caught on flies using anywhere from an intermediate line to a #4 sink line.

With the right line you can fish down to 35' - 40' while "trolling" in a tube so you can cover a good portion of the water column.
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#6
[#0000FF]Been singing that song for years. Just because YOU are not catching fish does not mean that NOBODY is. I learned that a long time ago when fishing bass tournaments. When most anglers were crying about weather fronts, cold water, murky water, low water, moon phases or whatever there were always a few guys who came in with limits of big fish. They simply figured it out and cashed in.

Starvation is a good example of all the points you made. It is a lake with a lot of shoreline and a variety of structure, contours and fishing conditions over every year. And it can change quickly. What killed 'em last week...or yesterday...may produce nothing the next trip...or may even fall apart later in the same day. It takes a long time and a lot of trips but the more you get to know the lake the more likely you will be to score on any given trip.

Our fly-flinger member GoFish probably knows Starvy as well as most and better than many. And although he chooses the long wand over other gear he probably catches more fish of all species than all but a few other Starvy fans. As evidenced by his reports, he starts earlier and finishes later than most other Starvy regulars too.

That being said, he has the same self-imposed limitations of most of us float tuber types. We make our best guess as to area and seldom pack up and move if our guess does not prove out. Sometimes he splits his day between a couple of areas, but on most trips he toughs it out wherever he starts. If the fishing picks up later, he wins. If not....

But, having fished with Tom...on Starvation...I can personally testify that if there are any fish to be had, he can work out a pattern that will catch fish.

For what it's worth, I got a PM from another BFTer who also lives in Price, that one of his fishing buddies just hit another area of the lake and caught over 25 trout in a day...only a day or so before Tom and his crew did poorly at Indian Bay. It goes like that sometimes. I know. Been that, done there...or however that goes.
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#7
Everything you said has happened to us all. Thanks for sharing your experience.

That is the fun part of fishing, some days you can't keep them off and other days you go home with your tail between your legs.

It doesn't matter if you got skunked the last time out, when you leave home the next time you are sure that it won't happen again.[Wink]
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#8
Thanks for the nice testimonial, Pat.

You always have to have some lean days to make you appreciate the times when you really do figure things out.

BTW, glad you had a good day on one of your "home" waters. Those catfish seem to like your trinkets.[Wink]
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#9
Tubedude touched on this, but being a fellow tuber, I like fishing places like Starvation where one can fish a lot of different habitats and structures or even change species without having to move terribly far in order to increase the odds of success. A nice benefit for those with limited mobility in a tube or on shore.
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#10
I see where I went wrong in my previous comment. You were actually targeting trout - and I would not have been.

I'd have been jigging for tasty walleye and perch.
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#11
[quote RockyRaab]I see where I went wrong in my previous comment. You were actually targeting trout - and I would not have been.

I'd have been jigging for tasty walleye and perch.[/quote]

This time of year with the water temps where they are that was really all I expected to catch.

I'm with you, I'd lots rather bring home a nice walleye. When the water warms a little I'll be trying for some of those tasty, toothy critters.
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#12
Just because you use a fly rod doesn't mean you have to fish with flies.....
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#13
Rainbow numbers are way down here.
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