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Crane Prairie Reservoir
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January 09 . 12

See ya in the spring!

Closed for the season
posted by FFO Crew
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filed under Crane Prairie Reservoir
October 28 . 11

Closing on Oct. 31

Although we had high hopes for this season on Crane, things just never heated up so to speak. We know that there are plenty of big fish cruising it's waters, but they just were a little bit more illusive this year. Conditions always play a big role in our fishing success and it's not always just the fish that we need to worry about. The late spring and cool water temps, along with below average weed growth kept the fish scattered. Although we caught some beauties, the numbers landed just weren't as high as previous seasons. All we can do is hope that the conditions for next season are a little more favorable, because we know there are some true trophies swimming these waters. We will be back at it in May!
posted by FFO Crew
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October 06 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir

Got a few days left barring snow!


While Crane was not as productive this season as we would have liked, big fish were and will be caught out of this lake. They seemed harder to find with the late spring. The Chronimid hatches came, but the fish were not as congregated in the channels like we normally see as water temps stayed cooler than normal. We did see some large fish with a couple monsters hovering around the 30" mark. You do still have a couple weeks to get out there. The cast and strip techniques are good this time of year as the Rainbows will be found cruising and munching sticklebacks and whatever they may encounter, trying to fatten up for the cold winter.
posted by FFO Crew
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September 18 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
1
 of 5

It's been too long!

Sorry for the delay in reports. We have been busy here at the shop. I was fortunate to fish with two good friends over the labor day weekend. Jamie Lusch and his wife Sally camped at Crane for three days, so I decided to join them on Sunday Evening and Monday Morning. Overall the fishing was slow, but the fish caught were big. This lake has been a fickle on all year, but if you put your time in the rewards can be great. Chironimds accounted for all the fish, red being the best, with black a close second. I don't have too many chances to fish with Jamie and Sally anymore, as they live in Medford. Jamie and I have covered some water in this state, and it's always a pleasure to fish together. He is a professional photographer and works for the Mail Tribune in Medford. It will be easy to see which Pics Jamie took, check a few out.
posted by Dave Kalinowski
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filed under Crane Prairie Reservoir
August 24 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
1
 of 2

Just takes One

Chuck, Mitch, and I fished crane a couple days ago... We covered allot of water moving the boat every 15 minutes or so. We finally found a couple good fish. On his third day of fly fishing Chuck landed nice 23 1/2 inch and a 20 inch Cranebows in the last stop of the day.
posted by Scott Cook
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August 15 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir

Friday and Saturday

I  fished Crane on Friday and Saturday with Sean and Nathan. Friday was hot and calm and the fishing was a little tough. We landed a couple smaller bows and a big Koknee and the last stop of the day payed off big time with a 21 inch and 26 inch. It only takes one good fish when fishing Crane. Saturday we missed a couple and landed a couple in a half day trip and boated one nice fish that was 21 inches.

I had a few minutes to download some of the pictures form the last couple weeks on the water. Check them out.

posted by Scott Cook
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August 10 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
1
 of 2

Crane



Today was alot of the same thing for Crane 2011. Move, move, move and move again. We had to hunt them down, but were rewarded in the end with a classic Cranebow slab. Keith was on it all day and made the most out of the opportunities we had.Another beautiful day and good company.
posted by Scott Lewis
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August 06 . 11

A bit better

Fished Crane for a few hours in the evening on Thursday. The conditions were great, just enough wind to bob that bobber, clarity was great and my depth finder read 74 degrees on the surface. I would say the fishing was a bit slow. I had little time to move around, so kept fishing the Quinn channel in hopes of hookups. In 3 hours one fish was hooked and landed, a beautiful wild fish of 18 or 20". It was a quick trip and if we had time to move more, I feel we would have run into a couple more, but the lake has been a fickle one this season. Remember there is always the chance at the biggest rainbow you've ever seen here so give it a go.
posted by Dave Kalinowski
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July 28 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
1
 of 3

Finally it's on

I have fished Crane a couple times in the last week. The water temp and weed growth has hit the ideal conditions. This was a 29 inch Cranebow caught yesterday. If you have been waiting now is the time.
posted by Scott Cook
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July 28 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
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 of 2

Cranebow

I fished Crane with John an Wes yesterday for a couple hour is the midday. We landed 3 small bows, a nice Kokanee, and a 23 inch fatty Cranebow. It was a great day on the water with good friends.
posted by Scott Cook
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filed under Crane Prairie Reservoir
July 22 . 11

Still wondering when

Crane has been a bit of a bugger this season. The water temps. and weed growth are behind schedule with the cool weather, so finding concentrations of fish has been tough. There has been a few fish caught, but it's been a lot of searching. The weather forecast looks promising over the weekend, with hot weather coming in. If we see a jump of just a few degrees it should help get the fish in the channels, where we can find good numbers. We'll just have to keep trying!
posted by Dave Kalinowski
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July 14 . 11
Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir
1
 of 2

Still Tough

I fished Crane for 8 hours yesterday with Glenn and Janie. Yep it was a family fishing day. The weather was cold we were in jeans and jackets all day. Not what we need for Crane to turn on. We did manage to catch a couple small Bows, a beautiful Brooky, and a fat Kokanee. We also missed a couple takes on midges. We need one solid week of HOT weather conditions for those fish to move in the channels.
Tight Lines, Scott
posted by Scott Cook
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July 04 . 11
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1
 of 2

Crane


Fished with family and friends Friday(7-1) and Satruday(7-2). Slow is the best way to describe it. Fish can be found, but there is no rhyme or reason to it. Stick and move, is my advice. The water temp in the mid 60's is not driving the fish to channels yet. If we start to see a consistent warm summer pattern this lake may start to produce like the Crane we have come to love.
posted by Scott Lewis
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Crane Prairie Reservoir

CRANE PRAIRIE OREGON: Feed by the source of most of the water in Central Oregon, Crane Prairie, recieves its life from the Deschutes River. Read More... After leaving Lava Lake and flowing 7 miles Brook Trout and Rainbow filled miles, the Deschutes meets three other small creeks in the flooded forest of "Crane". A locals favorite for many years, this man made lake is home to the mighty "Crane-bow". After several years of inconstitent fishing, the lake is now fishing very well again. Thank you ODFW. New management practices have resurected this giant, and the giants living with in its waters.

Gallery

Picture from Crane Prairie Reservoir

Guides / Staff & Guest Authors

Dave Kalinowski

Dave Kalinowski

Fished a steelhead river that doesn't start with a D. Skated up a beautiful wild fish from one of the most special rivers in OR. Great Day
154 days ago

Heading to the Columbia again. Hopefully some hard fightin' fish in my future. See ya in a few days.
172 days ago

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more from Dave...

Crane Prairie Reservoir

Today:
Sunny, with a high near 39. East wind between 7 and 9 mph.

Feb 03
Friday
39°
20°
Sunny
Winds: 9 mph
Humidity: 84%
Dew Point: 15°
Chance Precip: 0%
Feb 04
Saturday
40°
22°
Mostly Clear
Winds: 8 mph
Humidity: 83%
Dew Point: 17°
Chance Precip: 0%
Feb 05
Sunday
44°
22°
Partly Cloudy
Winds: 4 mph
Humidity: 84%
Dew Point: 19°
Chance Precip: 4%
Feb 06
Monday
43°
25°
Partly Cloudy
Winds: 6 mph
Humidity: 91%
Dew Point: 21°
Chance Precip: 2%
Feb 07
Tuesday
42°
25°
Partly Cloudy
Winds: 8 mph
Humidity: 89%
Dew Point: 22°
Chance Precip: 11%

Crane Prairie Reservoir

Long Horned Caddis

LaFontine Cased Caddis Larva 8-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Herl Nypmp 8-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Beadhead Rock Roller Larva 8-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Sparkle Pupa 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Soft Hackle Pupa 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Sedge Pupa 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Elk Hair Caddis 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Goddard Caddis 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening
Diving Caddis 10-16 Afternoon/
Evening

Callibaetis

Pheasant Tail Nymph 12-16 Afternoon
Poxyback Callibaetis Nymph 12-16 Afternoon
Trigger Nymph Callibaetis 12-16 Afternoon
Pablo's Cripple Callibaetis 12-16 Afternoon
Hackle Stacker Callibaetis 12-16 Afternoon
Thorax Callibaetis 12-16 Afternoon

Gray Drake

Pheasant Tail Nymph 6-10 Afternoon
Hare's Ear Nymph 6-10 Afternoon
Marabou PT Nymph 6-10 Afternoon
Parachute Adams 6-10 Afternoon
Comparadun Gray 6-10 Afternoon
Adams 6-10 Afternoon

Tricos

Pheasant Tail Nymph 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening
Olive Hair's Ear Nymph 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening
Serendipity Nymph 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening
Little Olive Parachute 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening
CDC Trico Emerger 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening
Trico Poly Spiner 18-22 Afternoon/
Evening

Midges

Criscross Chronimid Larva 10-14 Afternoon
Ice Cream Cone Larva 10-16 Afternoon
Chan's Chronimid Larva 10-16 Afternoon
Chan's Frostbite Chronimid Pupa 10-16 Afternoon
Redbutt Buzzer Pupa 10-16 Afternoon
Thurman's Blood Geyser Pupa 10-16 Afternoon

Damselflies

Marabou Damsel Nymph 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon
Idyl's Dainty Damsel Nymph 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon
Scott's Damsel Dirtty Nymph 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon
Paul's Horny Damsel 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon
Adult Damsel Olive 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon
Adult Damsel Blue 8-12 Morning/
Afternoon

Dragonflies

Otter's Dragon Nymph 8 Morning/
Afternoon
Idyl's Fat Ass Dragon Nymph 8 Morning/
Afternoon
Sparkle Furry Dragon Nymph 6 Morning/
Afternoon