The water is clear throughout the lake and the fish are starting to concentrate in the various channels that thread the bottom of Crane Prairie. We spend much of our time fishing indicator rigs this time of year, so we can consistently target specific depths that hold actively feeding fish. Generally, water depths in the channels will range from 10-12 feet compared to the 7-10 foot depths found through most of the lake. Damsels have been key the last couple of weeks and should continue to be a main food source through this heat wave.
An occasional twitch to impart slight movement to the flies is also important to achieving a natural presentation, particularly when there is little wind or chop on the surface of the water. Dry Dropper situations are always a good bet as well, so having an array of dries to attach above your droppers are a much more pleasant sight to bestow than a plastic bobber. But to each their own. Our guides have been having great days and getting into some high quality fish, and now is as good a time as any to be on Crane.
Suggested Dries: Parachute Callibaetis #14-16, Thorax Callibaetis #14-16, Last Chance Cripple #14-18, Parachute Adams #16-20, Black or Red CDC Flying Ant #16, Black Foam Ant #16, Foam Beetle #16, Peacock Chubby Chernobyl #16, Tan X-Caddis #14-18, Tan Cutter’s Caddis #14-18, Outrigger Caddis #14-18, Griffith’s Gnat #18-22
Suggested Nymphs: Bird’s Nest Hare’s Ear #14-18, Black or Bird’s Nest Depth Charge #16-18, Black or Red Zebra Midge #16-18, BH Pheasant Tail #16-20, Brown Micro Mayfly #16-20, Olive Juju Chironomid #16, Gillie Midge #16-20, Traffic Light Chironomid #16-18, Ruby or Olive Balanced Leech #12-16, Balanced Damsel #14, Balanced Leech olive #14-16, Dainty Damsel #14, Scotts Damsel #14.