Heenan Lake, Twin Lakes, Crowley lake Sept. 7-13

[gene goss]

My wife Susan and I did a fishing road trip, i don't have any fish pictures to back up my story. First stop was Heenan Lake, i fished for 2 hrs in the late morning with no grabs, water temp was 66, the early morning some cutts were coming up but by 10 am its was all over. Next stop was a GBF fishout at Twin Lakes, the lake fishing was slow...but i did a tailing loop and nailed my tube, i looked over the side of the tube and there was my wiggle tail stuck in the side of the tube and when i pulled it out, i could see bubbles coming up....shit...i headed back to the truck with hopes of patching it. I couldn't find the hole to patch so i left my I-phone in the truck, safe and dry and went fishing with a leaking tube the rest of the trip....no fish pictures. We spent 4 days fishing Crowley Lake and Owen's River in the evening. Crowley Lake is very Low with a water temp. of 64-66, and the Green banks is about the only place to launch a tube next to the lake and out of the mud. First day we fished the Green banks with only one big grab that i broke off on the hook set, i use 8 lb tippet so it was a heavy fish and a heavy hand. Most of the guide boats were in Mc Gee Bay so the next day i left my wife in camp and packed my tube through the mud to Mc Gee...try to launch where the cow's are standing next to the lake, the mud is harder. I fished between 11 guide boats that were indicator fishing and i was stripping my black wiggle tail, caught over 15 trout in 2-4 ft. of water, most fish were 15-19 inches, i broke off a couple of big grabs on some heavy fish. Next day back to Green Banks with my wife, and we caught about 7 trout and some perch between us, most trout 15-19 inches. Last day back to Green Banks, i went across the bay and found some trout in 8 ft. of water, i wanted to catch something big, so i put a 3 inch wiggle tail on and went fishing for the toad, the first cast i caught a very fat 21 incher....WOW...a couple more casts and i hook one bigger then the first one, these big trout fight like a steelhead, with lots of jumps, i lost that big one trying to get it into the net. The fishing should get better in a couple weeks when the water cool's down.
Traventine Hot Springs in Bridgeport...a must after fishing
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12033.jpg
Buckeye Hot Springs Bridgeport....my favorite one
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12003.jpg
Owen's River
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12027.jpg
Midge Hatch at Green banks
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12012.jpg
Mc Gee Bay
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12018.jpg
Hungarian Mushroom soap and Cranberry Walnut pie... best catch of the day.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12024.jpg
Pie in the sky at Rock Creek
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w300/eugene047/crowleylakesept7-12026-1.jpg

[DennisV]

Gene

I was at Crowley two weeks ago and did pretty well. However the algae blooms were pretty thick and it was a chore keeping the flies clean.

Has it improved at all or is it still mucky out there?

By the way, there's a nice little hot spring with a rock/conc. tub near Crowley. Do you know that one?

[Ed Wahl]

Love those hot springs. Done my share of soaking in that one behind you and the one just off your right arm. Nothing beats a hot spring with a cold sixpack after a day(or 3) of fishing and backpacking.

Nice write-up Gene.

Ed

[Mark Kranhold]

Boy I don't know, sounds like a fish story! Pictures of everything but the fish:D. Just kidding , sounds like a great trip and nice post Gene! I might just have to make the trip to get some of that pie!!:drool:

[Scott V]

Sounds like you guys had a nice enjoyable trip, minus the wiggle tail in the tube.

[RenoLipRipper]

I use 10-12 lb leader. Been broken off to much with less. The fish in Crowley are not leader shy. Was there about 3 weeks ago. Fished aligator and leighton springs for one day, the access is tough due to the mud/muck and sinking in a foot of the mud. Green banks is the best for easy access. Not much algae when I was there but I have heard it is on now. Water temps were 66 in morning to 72 in afternoon. Fishing was great. Would like to get in one more trip before the end of the season trip to Crowley. There might not be a green banks if they keep the drainage going.

[gene goss]

Gene

I was at Crowley two weeks ago and did pretty well. However the algae blooms were pretty thick and it was a chore keeping the flies clean.

Has it improved at all or is it still mucky out there?

By the way, there's a nice little hot spring with a rock/conc. tub near Crowley. Do you know that one?

Hi Dennis.....The algae bloom wasn't a problem, the algae bloom is only on the surface, i would make a cast and let it sit with out moving the fly, it will sink through the algae bloom then i could strip the fly back clean. If you get a lot of wind, the waves will break up the weed beds and put a lot of stuff into the water. Trolling a fly with a weed on it, means no grabs, i was casting and striping back, after each cast you have to remove the weeds...but i caught a lot more fish this way.
Yes we walk up to the hot spring to check it out...it can be crowded at times.

[Troutstalker55B]

Great report Gene! Thanks for sharing those pictures, It's been a while since I've been down there.
Jon.