The Perch fry are officially on the menu!

Crowley Lake - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
7-25-2024
Website

It’s been confirmed - The Perch fry are officially on the menu! Another point to consider; the deeper the water, the further you get from the weed beds and the more the fish will be keying in on midges. Conversely, the weed beds are the keys to Callibaetis, Damsels, and the hiding place for the Perch fry. As for exploring, it’s not just the stream mouths that bring in cooler water - There are springs that will attract fish as well.
The crowds have discovered the McGee Creek channel but it’s not the only game in town. Any stream inlet has potential, it’s just a matter of finding the fishable spots amongst the proliferation of weeds. Fish have moved into shallower waters at 4-16 feet! Perch fry have made an extremely early entrance, which means choosing the right food imitation is getting trickier. If you’re doing great on midges but it shuts down around 9:30, try switching to Callibaetis nymphs. Likewise, around noon be ready to switch to Damselfly or perch fry imitations.
If you’re just looking for action, both Hilton Bay and the Crooked Creek arm have lots of stockers.The algae has shown signs of improvement. The only benefit to the high surface temperatures is that it kills off the algae. You’ll still have to move around to find the relatively clear water, but it is improving.

Flies:

  • Dries: Adult Damsel #12 | Deer Hair Damsel Blue #14 | Organza Callibaetis Spinner #16-18 | Callibaetis Para Nymph #16-20 | 
  • Nymphs: Copper Tiger #S-L | Albino Baron #S-L | Double Bead Zebra #S-L | Poxyback Callibaetis #14-16 | Rickerts Emerging Callibaetis | Ultra Damsel Olive #14-16 | Hula Damsel Tan or Olive #16 | Monroe Leech | 
  • Streamers: Punk Perch Light #16 | Balanced Punk Perch Light or Dark #14 | Perfection Perch #8 | Sculpy Fry Natural #12 | S-Bait Olive #8 |





The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, July 12th

Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): The slime weed migration worsens closer to the lake
Owens River - Gorge: Lower Owens River Fishing Report
Hot Creek: Caddis migration and female Trico emergence start at 7 AM
East Walker River (CA): Crowds are lighter, but hatches are becoming inconsistent with rising water temperatures
San Joaquin River-Middle Fork: San Joaquin River (Middle-Fork) Report