Crane Prairie is still fishing quite well. This week is looking like it will be consistently cold up there with a lot of overnight temperatures below freezing. This could start to slow the fish down or the action may stay consistent for just a little while longer. Either way, we’re looking at the last 3 weeks of fishing at Crane Prairie for the year. Try to fish around the warmer parts of the day for the best chances. Surface flies will be difficult in the cold, although there could still be a few callibaetis hatches that pop off. Balanced leeches have been putting in work. Bruised, watermelon, purple, fish have been chowing on them all, in particular, black patterns on cloudy days. Stripping leeches has also been fooling a fair number of fish. Other great subsurface flies have been chironomids, midges, and dark assassins. Darker colors with some red have been doing well, size 16 - 22 has been the sweet spot. Heading up to Crane soon is a good idea, the way things are looking, the fish will be pretty slow and the roads might be pretty snowy by the last week of October.
Recommended Dries: Parachute Callibaetis #16-18, Hackle Stacker Callibaetis #16-18, Chubby Chernobyl Patriot and Purple #12-14
Recommended Nymphs: Bruised Ballanced Leech #14, Two Bit Hooker #16-18, Zebra Midge #18-20, Biot Midge #18-20, Disco Midge #18-20, Super Sinker #16-18, bead wing midge #18-20, Red Pheasant Tail #14-18, Rainbow Warrior #18-20, Red Ice Cream Cone #14-18, Callabaetis Nymph #16-18