Strawberry Reservoir provides anglers with some awesome fishing opportunities in the fall. This past month I have spent almost every weekend up there and it’s been lights out. This recent fishing trip was no different. A buddy and I caught over 60 cutthroats and a few rainbows marking another successful trip to the berry. In this fishing report I’ll share where we went, what we used and how we had success fishing at Strawberry Reservoir. Enjoy!
Fishing Report Summary
- Date: 11/15/19
- Time fished: 8 hours
- Total fish: 60+ cutthroat trout and 1 rainbow trout
- Anglers fishing: 2
- Best fishing spot: Near Renegade and Haws Point
- Best lures and baits: White tube jigs tipped with a worm
- Best Fishing Depth: 38-40 ft.
- Method: Fished from a boat
Strawberry Reservoir Fishing Report
Fishing is still hot. Strawberry Reservoir continues to be a great place to fish as we get deeper into the fall season and is especially good from a boat. We caught over 60+ cutthroat trout all in the 12- to 23-inch range and a couple of rainbows in the 18-inch range. All of the fish were caught vertical jigging small white (3.5 inch white/glitter) tube jigs tipped with a nightcrawler. Other anglers that we talked with and saw also did very well.
Fish were located in the middle and backs of coves cruising around looking for food. We had the most success when positioning our boat in 40 ft. of water and working our baits about 5 to 15 ft. down. In most cases the bite was very light compared to recent weeks, so it was important to be quick on the hook set. For those of you looking for a great place to fish I would highly recommend checking out Strawberry Reservoir. If you have any questions, please feel to reach out and I’d be happy to help in anyway I can.
Also be sure to check out bigfishtackle to connect with other anglers and get the latest fishing information.
Fishing Video
Here is some video footage of some of the trout we were able to catch at Strawberry Reservoir. Enjoy!
Fishing Conditions and Details
Date: 11/15/19
Weather: 43ish degrees
Wind: Slight wind around 5-10 MPH
Water Temperature: 40-42 degrees
Water Clarity: Murky (5-9ft visibility)
Time of Day: 7:35-2:00
How We Caught Fish
Just throw a white tube jig. Each time I have gone out I always experiment and try new baits and lures. In the fall what usually happens is that the fish by far prefer the white tube jigs over anything else and I end up going exclusively with that setup because its so effective. This trip was no different. I tried fishing small white swimbaits and a white chatterbait but didn’t have much luck.
However, a small white (3.5 inch white/glitter) tube jig tipped with a worm was money all day. This is by far one of the most effective baits you can use in the fall at the berry. We caught the majority of our fish vertically jigging these tube jigs in 5-20 ft. of water. We would make long casts and slowly work our bait in by raising our rod high jigging it a few times and letting it fall back down. This technique proved to be the most effective retrieval on the day.
Where We Fished
Haws Point
We started fishing Haws point first thing in the morning and were able to pick up a few cutthroats. My buddy was at this spot the week before and had a lot of success so we thought we would give it a go. We caught fish but it seemed like the fish weren’t as active in this area early in the morning, so we moved on in search of other fish and returned later in the afternoon and I’m glad we did!
The afternoon is when the bite really started to turn on for us. The wind had picked up and we found success drifting from the small east point to the main point. The fish seemed to be holding in the 30-45 ft. range and there were a few stretches where it was non stop action. We had the most success fishing the east side of Haw’s point, but fish can be found all around this area at a given time. This spot is
Renegade
A couple of weeks before we found a ton of fish in the middle of Renegade but on this trip, they seemed to have moved to the middle of coves. We tried a few different areas with varying degrees of success. Are most productive spot was on the east side cove which is right across from Haws Point. We found a few groups stacked up here and caught a lot of fish all round the 40 ft. range. All of the fish we caught were in about 5-15 ft. of water.
About Strawberry Reservoir
Strawberry Reservoir is one of Utah’s most popular and productive fisheries in the state. This blue-ribbon fishery receives over 1.5 million angling hours annually and is home to several popular game fish including rainbow trout, bear lake cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon. Anglers can have success starting these fish year-round, but the spring and fall can be the most productive. For more information on fishing Strawberry Reservoir be sure to check out the following resources:
Strawberry Fishing Resources
Ice-Off at Strawberry Reservoir
Strawberry Reservoir Fishing – Kokanee Salmon
Fall Fishing at Strawberry Reservoir
General Strawberry Reservoir Fishing
Fall Strawberry Reservoir Fishing Tips
Strawberry Reservoir is one of Utah’s most popular and productive fisheries in the state. I’ve been fishing here for a long time and am constantly learning new things. I would give the following advice for an angler looking to fish Strawberry Reservoir in the fall:
Tip your jigs with worms
Adding a nightcrawler to your tube jig can be a game changer. Sometimes it doesn’t really seem to make much of a difference, but it can play a huge factor at times. That’s why we also make sure to bring some worms with us. It makes a huge difference when you are fishing with tube jigs.
Move Around
Covering water quickly and moving around can be so important. Especially in the fall. The fish are active right now and aggressive. Take advantage of this by moving around to different areas and depths if you aren’t having any luck.
Be ready for the comeback
I can’t tell you how many times I would feel an initial bump to my bait and a fish would come back and hit it again. At times there were 2 or 3 fish chasing my tube jig and would all take a swipe. The point is, if you feel a bite and miss stay ready because odds are the fish comes back for it.
Dress Warm
When most people hear that I’m taking the boat up to the berry they give me a weird look and think I’m crazy. I think you’d be crazy not to go fishing here in the fall. It does get chilly, so make sure you dress the part and stay warm.
Take it all in
Fishing isn’t always about catching a few fish. Strawberry Reservoir is a beautiful place and has some of the most scenic mountain views in the state of Utah. While your catching fish don’t forget to look up and take in the outdoors and wildlife around you. There is nothing like it.
Be Respectful
When you are out on the water or fishing from shore be sure to respect those around you, the outdoors and the fish that you catch. We will all be better for it.
Additional Trout Fishing Resources & Techniques
- Best Lures for Brook Trout
- Best Trout Lures for Rivers and Streams
- Fishing a Drop Shot Rig for Trout
- Fishing a Ned Rig for Trout
Final Thoughts
Strawberry Reservoir is one of my favorite places to fish in Utah, especially in the fall. Cutthroats become more aggressive and you can find fish in bunches ready to feed. 60 plus days like we had this past weekend are not uncommon. I hope this fishing report has provided you with some value and that it helps you on your next fishing adventure.
Also before you go, check out The 12 Best Trout Fishing Destinations in Utah for more great Utah fishing spots and if you would like to be notified when we come out with other great fishing content make sure to sign up for our email list for other awesome fishing reports like this one.
See you out on the water!
