and how do you get to rabbit and how do you get to rablt gulch

[BigRiggs]

[bobsurprised] what is th what is the best bait to any help would be appreciate thank thank youc
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]A topic so nice, you used it twice. Learn how to edit.

Here's an access map. Continue on Hwy 40 about an hour past Strawberry. Just before you reach the lake there will be a sign on the south side of the road indicating a turnoff to the Strawberry River. About 1.2 miles beyond that there will be a left turn lane in the middle of the road and a bunch of mailboxes on the right (south). Turn off onto the access road on the north side...old Hwy 40. There is no marker sign on the main highway.

Follow the paved road to Rabbit Gulch. Do not take the turn to the left. That leads up into the oil patch and some private homes.

There is a pay gate (State Park) at the entrance to Rabbit Gulch. And they usually keep the roads cleared pretty well for ice anglers...including a parking area at the end of the road.

Follow the trails onto the ice and look for the areas that seem to be most popular. Trout will be in water anywhere from 12' to much deeper...but are usually less than 25' deep even in deeper water. Perch were in water as shallow as 15' last year but seem to be staying much deeper this year.

Fish almost any kind of jigs tipped with worm, meal worm, wax worm or perch meat. Be sure to have a good sonar and don't stay long where there are no fish. Better to keep moving until you find active biters.

If you have a 2-pole permit, set one rod at the depth you see the trout coming through. Then jig the other one just off the bottom for perch and the occasional walleye.
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[big_griggs]

thanks my speak to txt on my phone sometimes puts things twice[blush][blush]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]My wife has the same feature...only louder the second time.
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[WaveWolf]

[#502800]Now that's funny ...... I've been wiring up a storm since you taught me ...... My wrists and fingers now have muscles.[/#502800]
[#502800]I need to go try everything now, which should take me until I die.[/#502800]
[#502800]I thought that the main lake at Starvy was better for the perchies? If I can fish in rabbit gulch it's much more fun getting on and off the ice for an old guy.[/#502800]
[#502800]Have you ever fished Indian Bay in the winter and is the road plowed into it?[/#502800]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]All past suppositions and know-for-sures about Starvation are now used-to-was. Starvation has long had the reputation of being a tough fishery in the winter. But during the past three or four years we have been better able to find and catch the perch, along with the ever-loving big bows. This year the water once again dropped way down and seems to have put the perch back in caution mode. They went deep early and have stayed deep.

The past couple of years has seen lots of perch being caught over the shallow flats and humps not only in Rabbit Gulch but clear uplake at Saleratus too. Some really good hauls late last year in some surprising places. So far this season the perch have stayed mostly in deeper venues.

There are some deeper spots available within a "reasonable" trudge of the main parking spot at Rabbit Gulch. By heading NE toward the low islands on the other side you will cross a fairly deep channel. Once you get there you can follow the channel edge out to the main lake channel...checking with your electronics occasionally both for depth and for "tles" on your sonar screen. In years past there have been perch caught out right at the edge of the main lake channel on that north side of the gulch entrance. Some walleyes too.

That whole area is a wild and crazy roller coaster ride of bottom conditions. If you can find and follow some of the contour lines you can usually find at least one or two places the fish hang out. But there is a lot of bottom between hangouts. That's why "run and gun" electronics...that let you shoot through the ice...can save time and help you find fish without having to keep drilling holes.

Indian Bay is a good spot to try if you are looking for deep water within easy reach of parking. That is where the old Hwy 40 goes down into the lake, a short distance off the main road to the State Park ramp. That road is usually kept open and even if you have park up a ways it is a gentle slope and easy on and off the ice. Just watch for soft edges when the lake is rising.

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You can hit the deep main lake channel fairly quickly after starting out on the ice. Stay to the north side of the "island" and make a line directly toward the point on the south side of the entrance of Rabbit Gulch. The bottom drops away quickly. A couple of years ago we were catching perch right on the bottom out there in over 65 feet of water. Might be worthwhile looking deeper this winter. You can always work your way back into shallower water but if the fish are deeper you won't ever find them if you stay too shallow.

The good news (for some) is that even if you don't track down some active perch there is almost always a steady procession of SSs (Starvation steelheads) moving around just a few feet under the ice. Set a second rod for them while plumbing the depths for the other guys.

Glad you're having fun "getting wired". As usual, I am always working on some new goodies.
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[WaveWolf]

[#502800]Thanks TD ...... I caught a bunch of good ones at indian bay a couple of years back and was wondering how it would be in the winter. You can drive to the water there in the summer, if you don't get bogged down in the sand.[/#502800]
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[big_griggs]

found lo love from the fishies however i found that my blades were not as sharp as I thouhgt they were OUCH i can barly feel my arms I also missread the directions and turned left (hard to read phone while driving) man that goes way north and some of thel little roads were knarly maybee next time i will have better luck and more time and a new set of blades Thanks for the info

Greg Riggs
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]The only two times I have fished it in the winter there was some snow but the road was mostly clear down to the end of the pavement. There was no attempt made to open the road out onto the primitive camp area. That is where I launch my tube during the summer. And yes, I have some dandy spots there for early and mid season perchin' and walleyein'. Lots of radical bottom changes along with some nice points and flats. And the outside of that island can hold some great fish.

Definitely a better trudge for us "youth-challenged" anglers than even parking at Bunny Gulch and hiking the longer distance out to some depth.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000FF]Wow. Problems with texting, following directions and keeping sharp blades on the auger. No wonder the fish weren't biting better. They were probably laughing.

But...all trips should be learning experiences. Think of all the prerequisite screw-ups you made on this one trip that you don't have to repeat. Now you can get down to the serious business of fishing.

Better luck next time.
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[luv2hookem]

I went to Rabbit Gulch today with two friends. Arrived at 7:30am and left at 1:00pm. We caught 10 big bows using meal worms and power bait and quite a few light bites. We fished in 25-35 feet of water. the ice is at least 12 inches.
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[wagdog]

Were yall going after perch at all or just bows? Just curious...
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