Strawberry lk 2-1-07

[COHO]

First time out with my fishing stuff this year. southeast end of the lake by the mouth of the river. lots of little perch. 2 keepers 4 guys. ice was good 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 everywhere. tried 14 fow 18 fow 28 fow all the fish came in the 18-19 fow. had fun and stayed busy lookin at the sonar.i need a lake map.might try again this weekend if it dont snow. we did have 4 pole benders, not sure what they were.

[walleyechaser]

COHO, if you were in the area I think you were those pole benders were probably a large member of the perch family if you know what I mean, especially if you were using minnows.
That used to be one of my regular spots for eyes but the folks moved where I had access so I haven't been out there in a few years. I took a near 9 pounder out of that spot about 5 years ago.
If you get back out, try a polar tip up rigged with 12 pound mono for the main line with a swivel on the end, followed by about 3 feet of 6# leader tied to a #12 fine wire treble hook baited with a 3-4 inch blue shiner set about a foot above botton. You can put a medium split shot about 8 inches above the hook and I put a 1/4 ounce barrel sinker above the swivel to take it down faster. Use the light setting on the polar's spindle.
When those overgrown/toothy perch hit they'll only move off a few feet and drop to the bottom.
Those overgrown perch sure taste good out of that chain.;)
BTW, if you're catching small perch on your jigging rod you're in the right area------that's dinner for the eyes.

[COHO]

we were just north of the small island by about 50 feet. i was headed towards the mouth alittle more but we started cathing fish and never made it over there. someone had a boatload of tipups starting just north of us that went right out into the river bed. must have been 10 or 12 of them. i was keeping an eye on them for the owner;) ;) we had 2 tipups out, 1 down off the bottom and 1 about 6 feet under the ice.my buddy did have a 10 to 11in perch that fell off over the hole. i was hoping the bigger hits were toothyperch:D

[Mtnman198]

Walleye - I used to spear that are years back till the water got to murky on a consistant basis. Did okay, never really got into the pike on tip-ups just in the shack. I probably know whos tip ups those were, they arent there for Pike.......

[walleyechaser]

Yeah, I didn't think the tip ups were there for pike either. That never was an especially good pike area but it was and can be excellant for other toothy fish in the perch family.;)
BTW COHO, try a dead stick rigged the way I mentioned in the earlier post minus the heavier line and barrel sinker with a small slip bobber in one hole and jig with a glow Angel Eye spoon in a second hole about 4-5 feet away from the dead stick. My favorite color is glow white with a chartreuse green head.
The eyes will take the dead stick just like a crappie bite so don't wait too long to set upon them.

[COHO]

been studying a map of the area, we were in about 19-20fow but if i went just a little west maybe 30 yards and north about 70 yards it would put me closer to the 45 foot hole out there. and closer to the river bed and current. dont know if i should try the hole or maybe try about 35 fow. the only walleye i ever pulled from that lake was way over on the west side by devils basin. it was on the bottom in 40fow in the middle of february. and i was close to the current there but not in it. that fish came on a pink 1/4 oz. jig with a white twister tail. i just cant believe how hard it is to catch them, after looking at the dnr reports on stocking in that chain.WHERE ARE THEY:yikes:

[walleyechaser]

COHO,
The eyes in the Portage Chain are some of the spookiest eyes you'll come across through the ice. They're attracted to hardware from a distance but close up they'll spook. We've watched them come up to a jig in 40 fow on the camera only to disappear in a cloud of dust when its moved.
That's why we use the dead stick and slip bobber rig a few feet away from the jigging rod. The jigging rod attracts them while the dead stick catches them 9 times out of 10.
IMO if you can consistently catch hard water eyes on the chain you'll catch them anywhere else easily.

[COHO]

i hear ya, they are tough. i got a camera last week i'm dieing to take back over to strawberry. maybee sunday if i get a break from all the salting i been doing. been trying to get my dad to come out with me, he said he'll go when it gets a little warmer. i'll keep ya posted when i go back

[COHO]

got back out on 2-11-07 about 3:30p.m. set up were i was talking about next to the river in 32fow. saw lots of small perch my buddy got 2 of them. we fished till 8:15p.m. had 2 tip ups right next to the river in 18 fow . nothing on them. did see a nice fish go by at 6:15 too fast to see what kind it was. 2 other buddies fished15 fow 25 fow 35 fow 40 fow and 8 fow over a weed bed but never saw a fish on the sonar???? they gotta be stacked up somewhere else in the lake. gunna try turtle bay in a couple days. thought we would do better cause of the storms coming in oh well maybe next time:)

[Tru-N-Sea]

Hi CoHo, I have a friend that goes to Strawberry Lake alot in the summertime and really gets into the panfish. If you havent already found one, here's a map of the lake.

Strawberry Lake.pdf (http://www.dnr.state.mi.us/SPATIALDATALIBRARY/PDF_MAPS/INLAND_LAKE_MAPS/LIVINGSTON/STRAWBERRY_LAKE.PDF)

Hope that helps!

Captn---

[COHO]

I do have a map, but thanks. it seems like every time i take a map out with me i'm trying too hard to find that perfect spot.:confused: