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July 2008 |
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Should I stay or should I go? |
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Friday, 09 May 2008 |
By Kent Rianda
 Guide Dave Neal holds a heck of a Hot Creek rainbow for client Jeff Henderson.PHOTOS COURTESY TROUT FLY/TROUTFITTER
The wind in town is primarily caused by the overall flow of weather typically coming to us from the northwest. Just a little flow over the ridge tops can cause fairly substantial winds in town. The lake is much less affected by the overall flow, being down in the valley, but is greatly controlled by a local condition similar to the wind blowing off the ocean every day.
Sometime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on an “average” summer day the wind comes barreling up from the hot Owens Valley and straight across Crowley. You can even see it coming. The next time you're out on the lake and feel that first small zephyr around midday, look down at the south end of the lake. You may already see white caps and can watch them move right across the lake in about 10 minutes, time that will be well spent pulling up your anchors, starting your engine and getting ready to rock and roll!
For those of you who could care less about the how and why of the wind on Crowley Lake and just want to know whether it is blowing down there, here are a couple of ways without making the drive. If you have Internet access, just go to thetroutfly.com/crowleycam.html and you can see a live picture of the lake looking out on McGee Bay.
For those not blessed with Internet access, there are a couple of places in town where you can get a quick glimpse of the lake to decide for yourself. Driving toward town on Lake Mary Road, going down Meridian just past the elementary school, on Minaret headed toward Snowcreek and Hwy 203 just before you get to U.S. 395 are all places you can get a momentary look at the lake. If it looks a flat gray color that means slick, so full speed ahead, but if it looks a beautiful royal blue, make an immediate, legal U-turn.
You can also use what is going on at the lake to predict what you can expect wind wise on the upper Owens River and at Hot Creek as they are next in line after Crowley for a south wind.
Here are a few recommendations for some of the local waters.
For the bait and lure fishermen...
Crowley Lake: Look for fish at McGee Bay or Green Banks in 15-20 feet of water. BAIT- Berkley Gulp in Yellow, Rapalas and Night Crawlers. LURES- Throw Thomas Bouyants frm shore or troll Arctic Fox in Tui Chub.
June Lake Loop: BAIT- 3" Berkley Trout Worm 4-6 feet under a bobber. LURES- 1/6 ounce Thomas Buoyant in Watermelon or Fire Tiger, or a 1/4 ounce Panther Martin in Black w/ Yellow Dots. Silver Lake- fish the far side of the lake near the weed edge with Night Crawlers.
Convict Lake: BAIT- Berkley Gulp in Rainbow Candy or Orange Pulp or good ol’ Night Crawlers. LURES- 1/8 ounce Kastmaster in Silver or Silver/Blue and Jake's Spin-A-Lure in Silver with Red Dots.
Mammoth Creek: BAIT- Salmon Eggs, Baby Night Crawlers. LURES- Panther Martins.
Upper Owens River: Don’t forget only single barbless hooks and NO BAIT. LURES- 1/8 ounce Kastmasters in Silver/Orange or Cutthroat or 1/8 ounce Thomas Buoyant in Gold or Frog. Also try drifting Glo Bugs under a bubble.
Pleasant Valley Reservoir: BAIT- Berkley Gulp Eggs. LURES- Cyclones and Kastmasters.
For the Fly fishermen...
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Only Twin Lakes is open so far. Streamers- Flash Buggers, Woolly Buggers, Mini Leech. Nymphs- #16 Lightening Bug, #16 Kyle's Super Flash P/T, #16 Tiger Midge, #14 Flash Prince.
Hot Creek: Nymphs- #18 Miracle Midge, #18 Midging Emerger, #18 T/B Micro May, #18 Copper John in Copper or Black,#18-20 Pheasant Tail, #18 RS2 Emerger, #18 Olive or Green Caddis Pupa. #14-18 scuds and #12-16 stonefly. Dries- For dries try a#14-16 Stimi, #20-22 Hi-Vis BWO, #20 Hatch Master Baetis, #20-24 Griffith's Gnat, #20-24 Brook's Sprout Midge in Olive or Black and #20 Parasol Midge Emerger in Black.
Crowley Lake: Nymphs- #18 gray and black or olive, dubbed head Optimidges, with green flashback, purple Zebra Midges or red/black tiger Midges later in the day. Streamers- Olive Wooly Buggers or good ol Matukas right on the bottom and then slow strip up to your rod tip if also using Stillwater hare as a dropper.
June Lake Loop: Streamers- Doc's Twin Lake Special in olive or Brown, Pop's Bugger in Black or Olive, Rudy Eye Leech and Mini Leech. Midging- #18Tiger or Zebra Midge, #18 OptiMidge in Gray, #16 Copper John, #16 Prince Nymph.
Upper Owens River: Nymphs- #16 Copper John in Green or Copper, #16 WD-40 in Black or Olive, #14 F/B Pheasant Tail, #16 Barr’s BWO Emerger, #16 prince nymph, #20 Disco Midges in Green and #14-16 Birds Nest in Olive or Tan. Dries- #10-18 Stimi’s, #10-16Royal Wulff, #14 Parachute Adam’s, #14 Royal Coachman, #16 Elk hair caddis and #18-20 Profile Baetis. Streamers- #6-10 Woolly Buggers in dark colors, #8-16 Olive Matukas and #6 Olive Zonker.
Lower Owens River: Nymphs- #14-16 Prince Nymph, #18-20 Pheasant Tail, #18-20 Copper John in Green, #18 Wonder Baetis, #18-20 Barr's BWO Emerger, #18-22 Biot Midge and # 16-18 Bubble Back Caddis in Green or Tan. Dries- #16-18 Elk hair caddis #18-24 Parachute Adams, #18-20 Last Chance BWO, #18-20 Comparadun BWO, #18-20 Brooks Sprout Baetis and #18-22 Griffith's Gnat.
East Walker River: Nymphs- #12-18 Hares Ear#20-18 Miracle Nymph, #18 Frostbite Chironomidae, #16-20 Soft Hackle PT, #16-18 Surface Emerger, #18 Kyle’s Super Flash PT, #16-20 Black Beauty, #14-18 Prince Nymph # 14-18 Serendipitys and #18-20 Tiger Midges. Dries- #16-18 Parachute Adams, #12-16 Stimi, #18-20 Ext Body BWO, #18-20 BWO Sprout and #16 Parachute Caddis.
Kent Rianda is an owner and guide for the Trout Fly and Troutfitter in Mammoth Lakes. He spends 5-6 days a week guiding and fishing on his favorite spot, Crowley Lake. He has fished more than 2,000 days on Crowley during the last 16 years, probably more than any person alive. His primary guiding interest is teaching.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 15 May 2008 )
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