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Hey guys,
Left Sunday at 4 in the morning for Crowley after an absence of about six years. Arrived in Bishop and immediately went to Brock's for advice and gear. I was dismayed to see a "Business for Sale" sign in the window. Alas the passing of another local icon. There was little stock on the shelves. Learned nothing.
Headed directly to Mammoth and The Troutfitter. Gathered a few new flies and a bit of info and then drove to Green Banks Bay for the afternoon. Crowley is a puddle. I have not seen it this low in many many years. Record water demands from LA, low snow pack, and record warm temps, have sent the lake to it's near historic lowest. This could be a very serious situation if we do not get an above average snow fall this year.
Put in at 2:00, calm wind, greenie brown water, algae, moon full, and air temps in the 80's. Not ideal. As I suspected fishing fair to poor. Lot's of 12-16" fish. Learned very little observing the other toobers. Sucked for all.
Monday, Returned to the north end, same conditions as Sun. Struggled to put a game plan together, hacked out a meager half dozen small ones. Dazed and confused. Plan on walking the Owens tomorrow instead of coming back to this disaster.
So after one of the worst day and a half sessions EVER on Crowley, I sat in front of the cabin at Tom's Place, beer in hand and mulled over the day. Carefully trying to piece a plan together. I realized that the incredibly bad conditions had put me off my game. Finally by the light of the still huge moon I completely re-rigged my gear, heavier sink lines, longer (15'+) lighter (5lb) leaders and tippets, different fly selection, and prepared for one last shot at The Lake.
Tuesday, Back again but with a new attitude. Same place, same conditions. New strategy, screw what I had seen and heard, This has always been my best game! Do what I do best and hadn't done up till now. Fish aggressively, concentrate on my mechanics, DO NOT FOLLOW THE CROWD!!
IT'S NOT LUCK! IT'S SKILL!!!
So I started outside the Flotilla fishing high and fast, Put four fish in the boat, that no one saw accept my partner, all over 16". Slide down to the mouth and speed strip in 2 feet of green water and boat four more including a 20" and a 19".
Got busted by the flotilla and soon have a lot of unwanted company. Gamechange!
Work a theory I had formulated by the light of the Sierra moon, and follow the sweet water at the mouth along the shore in 3-4' with a heavy sink line and a larger fly. Slide away from the Flotilla and up the bank and start hammering at a small pocket against the bank. Put three more away including my second 20".
Busted again! by a couple of pretty good sticks who had been the highliners from Sun. and Mon. Still good though, they are creeping small flies on the bottom. Make one last cast into the corner before I figured to give it up to them.
What followed was a 25 minute battle with the second largest Crowley trout of my career, and definitely the largest Brown. All of 24-25" and 6-8lbs. Sadly I lost him at the net. ( "Single, barbless hooks ONLY" ) Easily the largest fly caught fish at Crowley in a long time. I am exhausted, a bit disappointed, but more importantly I am redeemed. Finish the day with 12 fish over 16", 2 twenties, and a memorable scrap with a 25" Brown.
My epic return. I still got it when it counts.
bodfish
PS,... just for giggles, went to Rock Creek Lake with my friend this morning and
whack a double limit of DFG brood stock up to 20"on the fly. Drove home deliriously satisfied.
