Utah trip 2182018. Looong, w/pic. Part two.

[Mahigeer]

Part two:
STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR, UTAH




Saturday, Feb. 24th





In the morning I headed to my next destination; Strawberry Bay Lodge, at the edge of the Strawberry Reservoir for a few days of ice fishing.


1-Once I turned into the Reservoirs’ road, it was not plowed. At least (10) cars ahead of me in the early morning.




2-The second place I was to stay for a week.






3-This was not the coldest reading during my visit.







After I checked in to my room, I setup my sled. This time it had a shelter on it and it was needed. There was an uncomfortable wind which the shelter provided a cover.
Walking on 6” or so deep snow was hard. At one point I sank up to my knee in the snow. I had snow shoes, but did not take them the first day. Big mistake.
I could not pull the 100 lbs. or so sled for too long, so I was fishing close to shore.

However, spending $500.00 on a propane operated power auger was good decision. This time the ice was about 17”-20” thick. At that elevation using the hand auger would have given me a heart attack.

After a few hours it began to get dark and I had been skunked. No fish was marked either on the flasher.

I first took the 28 lbs. power auger to the car via a ramp. This would reduce the weight of the sled. Then I put on my snow shoes and went to get the sled. I was extremely tired and when I literally could not pull the sled up the ramp.
I had an idea. I used a rope and my 4Runner to pull the sled up hill.
After loading the 4Runner with sled, I went to my room and directly to bed. I was about 8:00 PM.








Sunday, Feb. 25th





Although it was a beautiful, sunny day I did not want to get out of the bed and go ice fishing. Then there was a knock on the door. It was my new friend the retired warden and a fishing guide who is also manages at the lodge.

“Are you Ok?”---I am off tomorrow and going fishing”---Do you want to go?”
Absolutely.


By 3:00 PM I was feeling better and getting a cabin fever. I decided to go site seeing. I just wished I had decided earlier. Could have gone to a place called Flaming Gorge on the border of Utah and Wyoming.

So, I started to drive East on the Highway.



4--A scene at a rest stop on the way to Roosevelt.




5-This reservoir is called Starvation Reservoir. Not frozen this season as in the past.






6-So many lakes to fish in Utah.




7-I passed through a town called Roosevelt. I even have a friend that lives there. Wink, wink.




8-Saw these sites which look like some sort of memorial sites.









Monday, Feb. 26th




9-This angler is one of the nicest persons among the many that I met at the Strawberry lodge. The owner of the lodge was another.
He is one of the managers of the lodge along being a retired Game Warden. He is also a fishing guide.




10-He took me fishing on his days off without charge and let me use a snowmobile.





I was more successful this time on the Strawberry Reservoir and even caught a small trout at the Fish Lake. If you read the first report, you may remember that after all the time and expense at the Fish Lake, I could not fish it due to lack of shelter and the storm.




11-A cutthroat trout or cutty. Such a beautiful fish. It was released since it was only 20” long. The slot limit is 15”-22”

The hole is 10” for reference.



12-More of the same size as above were caught during this trip.






13-Different day and location, but similar fish.




14-This fish wiggled its way to the hole, before I could lift it up for a picture.




15-Life (ice fishing the Reservoir) was much easier with the aid of a snowmobile. I will not go ice fishing if I cannot use a snowmobile anymore.




16-One more me picture.




17-Does this look like a fun place to be?




18-This is a setup for a rig called Jawjacker. It sets the hook once the fish mouths the bait. Once its trips, the tension of the bent rod sets the hook.


The black (round) foam keeps the ice from building in the hole. The red container is for keeping the night crawlers from freezing. The long handle device with the yellow base is for clearing the ice hole from newly forming ice. Shovel to clear the snow around the hole for the device.


Had a great night’s sleep and rest.






Thursday Mar. 1st




19-On the way back from fishing I encountered this condition. Using my compass made it possible to find the lodge which is directly in the front.




To be continued: