IT MAY JUST BE THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF AUTUMN BUT ITS GETTING CHILLY AT CROWLEY LAKE! THE RIDES OUT ON MY 22′ FOOT SKEETER BAY BOAT AT OVER 35 MPH IN THE MORNINGS IS DOWN RIGHT COLD! BRING YOUR EXTRA LAYER OF CLOTHING AND THEN BE PREPARED TO TAKE THEM OFF AFTER 9AM.

WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD SECESSION OF STORM FRONTS COME THRU LAST WEEK BUT WE NOW HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HIGH PRESSURE THAT HAS BEEN BUILDING AND THE FISH AND THE CHIRONOMID HATCHES HAVE RESPONDED. WE ARE HAVING GREAT HATCHES AND THE FISH ARE REALLY GOING AFTER OUR MIDGES. MY LAST FOUR GUIDED TRIPS, CLIENTS HAVE HAD WELL OVER 50 TO 70+ GRABS ON EACH HALF DAY MORNING TRIP. FOR NOW I HAVE NOT BEEN FISHING THE PERCH OR LEECH PATTERNS AS THE TOP FLY AND HAVE STUCK WITH A CHIRONOMID ABOUT 4 FEET OFF THE BOTTOM AND I AM DOING MUCH BETTER FOR BIGGER FISH ON THE TOP FLY AS I WAS WITH THE PERCH PATTERNS. PLEASE DON’T GIVE UP ON THE PERCH AND LEECH PATTERNS YET, THE FLOAT TUBERS ARE DOING VERY WELL STRIPPING WITH PUNK PERCH, HORNBERGS, LOEBERGS AND ANY KIND OF STREAMER OR LEECH PATTERNS.

NOTICE WHAT MY CLIENT GET FOR BREAKFAST ON MY GUIDED TRIPS IN THE BACKGROUND. STARBUCKS AND BLUEBERRY MUFFINS FOR BREAKFAST!

THE FLEET HAS BEEN BACK IN THE NORTH ARM, FROM 10 FEET ALL THE WAY OUT INTO 16 FEET OF WATER. I HAVE FISHED ALL OVER THE LAKE AND HAVE FOUND THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF FISH IN THE NORTH ARM BUT THE FISH ARE VERY SPREAD OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AFTERNOON STORMS DROPPING THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE. THIS LAST SATURDAY AND SUNDAY I GUIDED MY TRIPS OUTSIDE OF THE FLEET IN 17 TO 18 FEET OF WATER AND HAD GREAT RESULTS. MY REASONING WAS FOR TWO DIFFERENT REASONS, ONE FISH ALWAYS GO INTO DEEPER WATER WHEN THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE DROPS, TWO IT SEEMS THAT IF YOU CAN GET INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE FLEET, YOU CAN GET FISH GOING AT A MUCH FASTER AND LONGER PACE THEN BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLEET. CASE IN POINT I HAD SOME GREAT REPORTS OF ANGLERS FISHING INSIDE IN 10 FEET OF WATER AND HAVING BIG NUMBERS OF FISH AND MANY LEGALS (18″ OR LARGER) FISHING WAY INSIDE OF THE FLEET AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE HAVING 30 PLUS FISH TO THE NET OUT IN 18 FEET OF WATER WITH A BIG NUMBER OF LEGALS AS WELL.

THE FISH ARE ALL MIXED UP IN SIZE, IT SEEMS THAT FOR ME IN THE MORNINGS, WE HAVE A LOT OF THE NEW EDITIONS, FRESH OFF THE TRUCK COMING TO NET AND THEN AFTER THE HATCH KICKS INTO HIGH GEAR, THE CHUNKY 15 TO 17″ FISH AND THEN, THE BIG BOYS COME OUT TO PLAY. WE ARE GETTING THE CROWLEY LAKE SLAMS PRETTY EASY NOW OVER THE 18″ MARK (RAINBOW, BROWN AND CUTTHROAT) IN THE SAME DAY BECAUSE THE BROWNS HAVE NOW STARTED TO SHOW UP IN THE NORTH ARM! WE HAVE MANY FISH WELL OVER THE 20″ RANGE AND SOME MEASURING OUT INTO THE 24″ CLASS.

I HAVE BEEN STICKING WITH MY GO TOO FLY, (COPPER HEAD, BLACK BODY RED RIB) FOR MY BEST RESULTS. THE WINO HAS ALSO PRODUCED, HOWEVER THE COPPER/BLACK/RED HAS BEEN DOING MOST OF THE DAMAGE FOR ME AND MY CLIENTS. ALSO LAST WEEKEND I USED ONLY TWO DIFFERENT FLIES FOR THE WHOLE HALF DAY TRIP FOR 40 PLUS FISH TO THE NET FOR TWO ANGLERS AND ABOUT 80+ GRABS. THE BLACK AND COPPER MIDGE, ONCE THE FISH SLOWED ON THAT THE GREY AND BLACK MIDGE DID THE TRICK UNTIL THE FISH SHUT DOWN AROUND NOON TIME. I AM STICKING TO THE 14’S IN THE MORNING AND ONCE THE FISH BECOME PICKY, DROPPING DOWN TO THE 16’S AND THE BITE STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN.

WATER TEMPS HAVE DROPPED DOWN INTO THE VERY LOW 60’S (60 TO 61 IN THE MORNING FOR SURFACE TEMPS) I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FALL SEASON (OCTOBER) AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME VERY AGGRESSIVE AND HUNGRY FISH TO BE FEEDING LIKE CRAZY FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. ONCE THE WATER TEMPS START TO DROP, THE TROUT WANT TO START FATTENING UP LIKE BEARS FOR THE WINTER MONTHS. PLEASE ALSO BE VERY CAREFUL, THE WINDS WILL BECOME INCREASING HEAVY AS THE SEASON WINDS DOWN. ALWAYS BE PREPARED WITH AN ORANGE VEST THAT YOU CAN WEAR OR YOU CAN WAIVE AND ALWAYS HAVE A WHISLE TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT ANYONE AROUND YOU TO HELP YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE OR CONTACT ME BY EMAIL, FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM AND I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL END OF THE SEASON AT CROWLEY.

I do love me some Stillwater fly fishing…..Ernie