Good to Excellent fishing at Lake Crowley. Early AM & 11:30 to noon are the best times

Crowley Lake - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
8-10-2012
Website

Water Conditions: The lake is getting pretty far down now and continuing to drop. Water temps on the bottom are getting way, way up there, over ideal 57F about everywhere except in front of tribs.

The algae is not a problem in areas holding fish.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches:
Good to excellent although the hatches have slowed some this past few days and have made it a little tougher but still legal fish for most everyone out there.

The bite is starting very early and the fish are full and digesting by 9:30 am so it then slows and comes back to life between 11:30 and noon. Unfortunately the wind has come up by then on most days. The early bite is mostly fish up to 20". In McGee we have a couple of big fish (21"-23") epic days when the wind holds off until just 1 pm and the big guys move in after 11am. If the wind lays down by 4 pm the evening session can be good as well.

The north arm has a good number of fish along Green Banks and on the far side as well. Guys who are stripping are doing well if they can get the presentation right. Big fish herd the fry clinging to the bottom up to the surface and eat one and try to whack 5 more with that big tail splat you hear all day. Make sure you are getting your flies down right on the bottom as that is exactly where they head after munching the woundees.

Recommended Flies:

Dries:
Not enough Calibaetis to bother.

Nymphs: Early go with bright red blood worms or Albino Baron and Copper Tiger Small or Beaded Red/Black Optimidge. By 8 am it is Dubbed-head Black Optimidge w/Green Flashback #16. Try Ultimate Damsel, Jensen's Calibaetis or Bird's Nest up top. Midday the big ones will go for the #16 Olive dubbed head Optimidge. Not as many grabs as with the flashy stuff as harder to see in green world down there but big fish recognize that bright flies bite back and drive right by when they'll munch what looks like the real McCoy. Ditto for small Shaft Emerger on some days.

Streamers: Perfection Perch, Rickerd's AP Emerger, Small Punk Perch either color.