Dave Webb
April 29, 2025

We fished Strawberry during the afternoon and evening and did well. We launched the boat at the Soldier Creek Marina and found that side of the reservoir to be totally open water.

The Chicken Creek and Ladders areas still had considerable ice and limited access to fishable water, but that will change quickly now. The ice is obviously rotten and melting fast. The entire lake may be ice-free by this weekend.

Most of the fish we caught were down 20-30 feet. Usually at this time of year fish can be caught just under the surface, but that action was slower than expected. Many different lures proved to be successful. The old standby Lil Jakes was our most productive lure.

We caught 1 kokanee, 2 small rainbows, and numerous slot cutts. Strangely, the kokanee hit a Rapala trolled just under the surface.

The access road to Solder Creek was clear and a crew was putting docks into the water. The restrooms were still locked and the entrance booth was not manned.

Water surface temp was 39 F. It was a beautiful day.