A CLOSER LOOK AT CROWLEY FLY-FISHING IN THE FALL.Byline: Brett Pauly Outdoors Editor A discussion about the end of trout season in the Eastern Sierra would be incomplete without a closer look at the rich reputation for fall fly-angling at Crowley Lake Crowley Lake is a reservoir on the upper Owens River in southern Mono County, California in the United States. It was created in 1941 by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) as storage for the Los Angeles Aqueduct and for flood control. . A seemingly endless supply of fish are attracted to presentations of midge-larvae fly patterns offered by boat and float tube at the massive reservoir. Who better to explain the phenomenon than someone who is on the water nearly every day? Tom Loe, owner and operator of Sierra Drifters Guide Service here, took time recently to answer a series of Daily News questions about the hot bite - considered by many the best in the region - that continues to greet fly-fishermen right up to the Oct. 31 trout closer. DN: What is the primary difference in the feeding habits of Crowley Lake trout between the first three months of the season and now? TL: ``Crowley trout primarily feed subsurface throughout the entire year; the areas where they congregate and water column depth vary with conditions. You will find different types of trout - Coleman rainbows, Kamloops rainbows and Eagle Lake rainbows - concentrated at various times of the season as conditions change. Browns are photosensitive A material that changes when exposed to light. See photoelectric. and are more vulnerable during spawning periods.'' DN: What are some of the basic elements new fly-anglers need to know about Crowley in fall? TL: ``Get a seasoned guide and you will be light-years ahead. (Crowley Lake Fish Camp, (760) 935-4301, can make a recommendation.) Prepare for all types of weather. Beginning fly-fishers can expect moderate results by trolling (1) Surfing, or browsing, the Web. (2) Posting derogatory messages about sensitive subjects on newsgroups and chat rooms to bait users into responding. (3) Hanging around in a chat room without saying anything, like a "peeping tom." streamer or baitfish bait·fish n. Chiefly Chesapeake Bay & North Atlantic Coast A small fish, such as a minnow, used for fishing bait. patterns while in a float tube. If there is no inclement in·clem·ent adj. 1. Stormy: inclement weather. 2. Showing no clemency; unmerciful. in·clem weather, do not worry about getting on the lake prior to 9 a.m.; morning temps are cold even in good weather and the fish will be lethargic until warming occurs. Expect wind; this lake is very prone to diurnal diurnal /di·ur·nal/ (di-er´nal) pertaining to or occurring during the daytime, or period of light. di·ur·nal adj. 1. Having a 24-hour period or cycle; daily. 2. weather changes.'' DN: Offer us some tackle suggestions. TL: ``The best all-around setup for Crowley is a 5-weight, 9-foot, fast-action graphite rod, a good-quality reel with low drag start-up and 150 feet of backing. A 15-foot to 25-foot full-sink or sink-tip fly line matched to your rod will work fine; I use various types of sink tips depending on conditions and the depth we are fishing. If you are fishing the surface or nymphing, a floating line that is one line size up from your rod weight will help you cast indicators and heavy nymphs; it also will assist you in dealing with the wind on this lake. When fishing streamers Streamers is a play by David Rabe. The last in his Vietnam War trilogy that began with The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and Sticks and Bones , 2X to 4X fluorocarbon fluorocarbon /flu·o·ro·car·bon/ (floor´o-kahr?b?n) any of the class of organic compounds consisting of carbon and fluorine only. tippets will do the trick. Use a 7-foot to 10-foot tapered leader.'' DN: Crowley Lake is enjoying an Indian Summer Indian summer a period of mild, dry weather occurring in U.S. and Canada in late autumn. [Am. Culture: Misc.] See : Autumn , with daytime highs in the 65-degree range. Is the warm weather contributing to the remarkably lively action or would trout eat as aggressively if the temperatures were lower? TL: ``Fall is the best time of year for big fish. The lake also has been planted by the Department of Fish and Game to allow the hundreds of thousands of stocked fish to grow and acclimate to the lake (as targets for next year's anglers). You will catch fish here, but please be extra careful to properly release short fish as they are very opportunistic and will bite anything. (Late-season regulations mandate only barbless hooks and artificial lures or flies be employed and two trout 18 inches and larger may be kept.)'' DN: Does McGee Bay remain the hot ticket or are there other productive sites? TL: ``You can catch fish in all areas of the lake. Some large fish are being caught just off the Crowley Lake Fish Camp marina. Try Hilton Bay - very uncrowded for the ease of access and quality of fishing.'' DN: Run through what a strike looks like and the set you want to achieve. TL: ``If you are fishing a streamer, with or without a dropper drop·per n. A device that produces drops, especially a small tube with a suction bulb at one end for drawing in a liquid and releasing it in drops. Also called instillator. dropper 1. , on a heavy sink-tip line, you will encounter numerous takes that will not result in the bending of the rod. Predatory fish, when attacking baitfish or smaller prey, will hit and stun the target first, enabling them to alter the approach and swallow the unfortunate victim headfirst head·first also head·fore·most adv. 1. With the head leading; headlong: went headfirst down the stairs. 2. Impetuously; brashly. . Resist the urge to set the hook on the `drive by,' drop the fly back and wait for the second take; then set the hook by pulling the fly line. This is called a strip set, and it works well when fly-fishing from a float tube.'' DN: Can midge-larvae (chironomid) fly patterns be tossed from shore, or does success rely primarily on casting from a boat or float tube? TL: ``When indicator fishing or using a floating line this method is best achieved from a boat, as you have good elevation to gaze upon the line or indicator. Fishing from shore is fun as long as you do not sink in one of the many bogs and mud pools found all around the lake. Survey the area prior to walking on it; this will save you money on (float tube) flippers n. 1. A type of shoe with a paddle-like front extending well beyond the end of the toe, used an aid in swimming (especially underwater). and hernias when you get stuck in the muck.'' DN: Provide your best advice to float tubers. TL: ``If you do not know Crowley, go with someone who has fished here before or hire a guide. Use an approved personal floatation device whenever you tube. Use tethers on your fins. Stay close to shore if you are unsure of your physical capabilities; you can get some fat leg cramps after several hours of kicking. The wind here comes up very fast, be aware of any wind shifts. Be careful where you drive your vehicle around the lake. I see lots of cars and SUVs towed out every weekend due to someone attempting to get a little too close to the water edge and save themselves a couple minutes of walking.'' DN: What have we missed that should be addressed in regard to late-season fly-fishing at Crowley Lake? TL: ``Please use a soft, unknotted net. Try to handle the fish as little as possible, and moisten your hands before doing so. Please fully revive the fish before the release; this can take up to several minutes on larger fish. Hold them only by the tail area, and move the fish slowly forward and back until they have regained strength. Make sure your hooks are truly barbless; this will ensure an easy release. Keep the fish in the water Do not hold the fish out for any length of time after a long fight. Take pictures of the fish in the net.'' CAPTION(S): 4 photos PHOTO (1 -- 3) As another trout season comes to a close in the Eastern Sierra, we take another look at the remarkable region Los Angeles-area residents call their personal playground. Perhaps it will help to tide recreationists over until next season . . . but not likely. At top, brush and tufa tufa: see travertine. formations accent Mono Lake. Fly-angling guide Tom Loe, left, shows his approval of a Crowley Lake rainbow trout rainbow trout Species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) of fish in the salmon family (Salmonidae) noted for spectacular leaps and hard fighting when hooked. It has been introduced from western North America to many other countries. . And, above, Las Vegas angler plies plies 1 v. Third person singular present tense of ply1. n. Plural of ply1. the backcountry back·coun·try n. A sparsely inhabited rural region. waters of Elizabeth Lake in Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park (yōsĕm`ĭtē), 761,266 acres (308,205 hectares), E central Calif.; est. 1890 as a result of the efforts of conservationist John Muir. Located in the Sierra Nevada, it is a glacier-scoured area of great beauty; Mt. . Chris Tumbusch/Special to the Daily News Brett Pauly/Daily News (4) Fall in the Eastern Sierra would be incomplete without a glimpse of Mono Lake. Chris Tumbusch/Special to the Daily News |
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