Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters. This is an update to the "Hog-gust 2006" fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.
Crowley Lake: Fair-very good
The "epic" fly fishing has ended for the time being but you may still encounter some fantastic days on Crowley as the conditions remain excellent and the stage is set for the mother of all falls on this premier stillwater.
There are two very distinct concentrations of trout that are foraging in different regions in close proximity. The larger fish are targeting on the perch fry and callibaetis/damsel nymph migrations and you will see them annihilating the perch fry balls along the shallows in McGee Bay and the North Arm of the lake near the inlets. Little Hilton also has a number of predators bushwhacking the perch fry and larger swimming nymphs. Streamer fisherman using perch fry imitations can have some fun if you find enough open water to cast and work a channel edge or weed line in the short or shallow water. The Bataan death kick by float tube has only a few hardy souls making it to the promised land of McGee Bay. Hilton or the North end is a better choice if you do not have a boat. The wind has been a pest most days with the southerlies beginning around 11 am until around 4 pm the last several days. This condition is forecast to improve by mid-week as a substantial high pressure builds over the area.
The second area is the deeper water from 10-15 feet on the mud flats or along the deeper weed edges that are beginning to protrude the surface in several areas of the lake. The chironomid hatches have been sporadic and these will dictate what kind of bite you will have in the deeper water. On the days when there are just a few midges coming off you will have a tough time getting grabs on the flats. If you are struggling on the outside get out those sink tips and start working the streamer patterns in close. In general there are larger concentrations of fish out deep with a more consistent bite day to day. If the fish go off inside you want to be there and it is here you will find "Jangles" terrorizing the perch fry.
We are finding better results going down in hook size especially when using chironomid imitations recently. Drop down to a #20 or even a #22 in the short water for more grabs. Back those drags off a bunch and drop down to 5X or 6X tippet when using #20 or smaller fine wire hooks. Gillies, crystal emergers, and larva patterns like tigers and zebras are all working well. Our light and olive Punk Perch, as well as Loebergs are doing a number on the trout for those of you who want to troll or cast streamers on Crowley.
Have a great "Hog-gust" on Crowley!
Sierra Drifters "top gun" clients Rich from Canyon Country and son Richard Rathcke from Acton, CA, with Frank Carlsen from La Crescenta got into an epic bite of large short water browns recently. Incredible day guys!
