11/01/2025 – Crane Prairie is officially closed until next April 22nd.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/24/2025 – Like most of our high alpine lakes, I would pass up on Crane this weekend due to the inclement weather, though next week looks solid still. Leeches and chironomids make up most of what you need. Make sure to let your drifts marinate for a while before pulling them up and recasting. The fish seem to really inspect their food before eating it this time of year. In addition, they’ll likely be cruising around a lot, so there a decent chance no fish have even seen your flies if you only leave it for 20-30 seconds.
The Rock Creek and Cultus channels are both fishing well. For those in a drift boat, pontoon, or float tube, Rock Creek is probably where you’ll want to put in.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/10/2025 – Now is one one of my favorite times of the year to fish Crane Prairie. The crowds are slim-to-none and the fish are cruising around, munching on bugs and saying ‘Hello’ to each other. Fly options are cut down to a fey key styles–predominantly chironomids, midges, and leeches. I would start out with a size 14-16 chironomid and a size #12-14 olive leech pattern. Chan’s Ruby-Eyed Leech and Svend’s Balanced Bou Leech (olive w/ hot orange bead) are two I would like to give a special shoutout to.
For chironomids, patterns I might try are Ice Cream Cones, Burnt Ends, Red Assassins, and Summer Duck Pupae. Some random patterns to consider tying on include Juju Baetis, Jujubees, Two Bit Hookers, and various sizes and colors of Zebra Midge.
As always, MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE WEATHER BEFORE HEADING OUT! The wind will ruin you day in an instant if it kicks up too much.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/3/2025 – Crane has fished pretty well since the weather changed and Fall began. Callibaetis and damsels are done, with the majority of bites coming on leeches. Midges and chironomids should make up the rest of you fly box. It’s unlikely there will be much surface action from here on out, but having some spinners could come in handy.
Flies to try: Chan’s Straggle Leech, Chan’s Ruby-Eyed Leech, Mayer’s Mini Jig Leech (#12-14) and Rowley’s Balanced Leech in sizes #10-14. Chironicones, Chromies and Creams, Silver Lancers, and Burnt Ends in the size #14 range will do well.
Now it is even more important to check the weather before heading out that way. Storms on Crane this time of year can ruin a nice day out on the lake pretty quickly.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/26/2025 – Customers and guides have both been having better success on Crane this week than last week. The weeds in the Deschutes channel are mostly gone, water temps are primo and the fish are gobbling down midges like nobody’s business. While they are eating a couple other bugs, too (leeches, chironomids, and damsels primarily), slightly larger midges have been the ticket. Size #18-20 Zebra Midges, Higa’s SOS, Flexi Midges, and whichever midge pattern you might have the most confidence in should work well. There a lot of ways to rig up, but I shall share my personal setup. I’m not saying it’s the perfect setup, but it will hopefully give some folk some ideas!
Step 1. Put on a 2x, 7.5ft tapered nylon leader with a 40lb micro swivel at the end.
Step 2. Add 3.5-4ft of 3x or 4x fluorocarbon tippet.
Step 3. Attach 2.5ft of 4x or 5x fluorocarbon tippet with a triple surgeon’s knot. Only trim the tag end ON THE TOP.
Step 4. Tie a leech (or the bigger of the two flies you plan on using) on the tag that you left. Tie on a midge or chironomid on the bottom.
Step 5. Adjust depth as needed!
As previously stated, there are many ways to rig up, but this is one I often use! It is best utilized when there is chop on the water so the top fly can ungulate away from the rest of the tippet.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/19/2025 – Crane Prairie has been fishing pretty decently since the water temps dropped back into a more acceptable range. My personal setup for Crane at this point in the year is a chironomid off of a 6in tag, then my balanced leech about 2 feet below in water about 7-10ft.
I would challenge any anglers headed that direction this week to size down their tippet. “Protecting one’s tippet” is easier in lakes as there is no current adding additional pressure to your knots. While you will still be able to catch fish on 3x, I really do think you will get more hits on 4x while not losing many (if any) fish. As long as water temps are acceptable (so as not to extend the fight by sizing down your tippet), I would give it a try!
I would also like to throw out gray scud patterns and small, aquatic snail patterns as good options for Crane right now.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/12/2025 – Crane Prairie is pretty hit or miss right now, though this weather is bringing good fishing with it (for the most part). Getting caught in a big storm on Crane is not an especially fun situation to find oneself in, so being on top of the weather is really, really important.
Luckily, this weather has really chilled water temps, so most of the areas surrounding the west-side boat ramps should be good to go. There does seem to be some serious weeds sporadically around the lake. If you find some 4-5ft below the surface, try stripping a damsel or callibaetis nymph over the top of them. Trout seem to be much more confident in feeding when they are backdropped by weeds so predators can’t spot them while soaring above.
Poxyback Callibaetis, Bubba’s Callibaetis, Schrantz’ Callibaetis, Zak Attack Damsels, Hula Damsels, and Scott’s Damsel Bugger are a few of my fav patterns for the styling of fishing outlined above.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
9/5/2025 – Crane Reservoir is a hard maybe this weekend as the temps continue to stay quite high around our lower Cascade Lakes. Though those launching from the Rock Creek, Cultus, or Quinn Arms should be able to find plenty cold water if one follows the channels out into the main part of the lake (I suggest Google Earth for anyone looking for the channels; they’re quite stark).
Chironomids and midges have done quite well for the couple of folk that I have spoke to in the last two days that were out that direction. The damsel and callibaetis action has been less than ideal, so dangling flies below indicators is almost certainly going to be your best bet. I would also like to recommend small, gray scud patterns, sowbug patterns, leeches (as always), and aquatic snail patterns (!). Those aquatic snails are pretty small, so if you’re whipping up a snail imitation you will want to keep it around size #14-16.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/29/2025 – If the weather report is to be believed, Crane Prairie is definitely one to skip this week as temps along the Cascade Lakes Highway may top 90 degrees several times in the coming days. Maybe consider fishing for bass in the Browns Mountain arm or in the coves on the east side of the lake. The biggest Largemouth bass I’ve ever seen in person was cruising along some downed timber in Crane last October; maybe someone can catch him!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/22/2025 – Crane Prairie hasn’t been the best-fishing Cascade Lake, but it hasn’t been the worst either. Anglers putting in at the Cultus and Quinn Arm’s have been doing well, but reports from most other boat ramps are less than ideal. This makes perfect sense, however, as the coldwater refuge this creeks provide is ideal during such hot days.
Dry fly fishing has continued to be basically nonexistent, though an angler who sets up two nymphs (perhaps two chironomids or a leech and chironomid) below a smaller Chubby Chernobyl (beetle-flavored) may be rewarded! It’s not especially necessary for the nymphs to get down quickly, so a smaller (size #12) Chubby should be able to suspend them both.
As mentioned in many of my recent reports, the water in a vast majority of lake is positively cooking, so that is definitely something to be aware of. The magic number for trout is 67 degrees.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/15/2025 – Alright! That heat wave seems to have passed, which is great news for our alpine lakes! Water temps in the channels around Crane should be hanging in the low, low 60’s, which is perfectly acceptable.
Crane has been fishing pretty good when the heat isn’t boiling the water. The fish are active and seem to be more willing to move for flies, meaning that leeches, damsels, and callibaetis on intermediate or hover lines can be killer.
The dry-fly fishing is basically non-existent right now, so make sure your box consists primarily of leeches, damsels, calli., chironomids (#14-18; the size decreases as the season goes on).
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/7/2025 – I would probably skip Crane Prairie this week. The fishing has been good, but this upcoming heat spell is going to be pretty gnarly in terms of water temps. Even if the very bottom of the lake is 67 degrees or below, a hooked fish it is going to be fighting in the much-warmer and less-oxygenated middle/top of the water column, which is not ideal for recovery purposes.
That being said, the Quinn River arm dumps in a lot of cold water, as does Rock Creek, so fishing in somewhat close proximity to the boat ramp will be totally OK in terms of temps. Leeches under indicators are finding lips, as are some stripped leeches and callibaetis nymphs.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
8/1/2025 – Crane has been fairly hit or miss lately. Similar to my last report, water temps are the big story in our lakes during this time of year. Many of our Cascade Lakes–Hosmer, Crane, Little Lava, etc…– are consistently pretty shallow and are very vulnerable to the suns heat. Anglers on Crane Prairie will want to bring a thermostat with them to test for good water (preferably under 65, but definitely under 67).
Onto the fishing aspect of things: there has been very little surface action to report aside from some risers at dusk. There are some damsels flying around, but nothing compared to this time last year when the damsels were so thick you might accidentally choke on one if you had your mouth open for too long. Perhaps the hatch is a few weeks behind as many others have been so far this year? Regardless, the fish have been munching on the nymphs at a reasonable rate with the Hula Damsel in olive or tan being my favorite damsel imitation by a significant margin. It might be interesting to spend a bit of time with a Micro Chubby Chernobyl and a chironomid or lightly-weighted leech below it. One might find more success in this setup than they might except.
Overall, Crane is not a great option this week considering the heat and high water temps, though anglers that are fishing around the areas which are getting significant amounts of cold water dumping in may be able to find some fishing happily munching away.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/18/25 – July can be a great month for fishing here in Central Oregon–especially on our various Cascade Lakes. Unfortunately, shallow, still water and the afternoon sun are not always a great combination when fishing for trout. Currently, temps on Crane are anywhere between 64-69 degrees. This means it will be especially important to find the areas on the lake where cold water dumps in from the rivers, as well as areas with deep water refuge. Water over 67 degrees can put undue stress on trout and can lead to high mortality rates even by the most well-intentioned angler. That being said, there is no reason one can’t fish safely on the lakes right now! We have plenty of thermometers here in the shop for anyone who might be questioning whether or not they should be fishing in a particular spot.
Now, for the good stuff: the damsel and callibaetis action is continuing to progress nicely. Still not a ton of action on the surface, but stripping callibaetis and damselfly nymphs in about 4-8ft has been super productive (water temps permitting)! You might find that you don’t need to get your bug that deep to find fish. Even if they are hanging in the depths, with the warmer water and plethora of food, the fish will be more willing to move for flies. For leader length, a 9ft, 4x leader should do fine. While 5x might be ideal for the experienced stillwater angler, 4x will help reduce fight times and get the fish back in the water quicker.
There has been some action on the surface–particularly in the evenings, though it has been fairly inconsistent most days. That said, make sure you grab some callibaetis spinners, emergers, and duns just in case! It also can’t hurt to have a damsel adult or two! I like Stalcup’s Deer-Hair Damsel, though most damsel patterns tend to look extremely similar. In terms of sub-surface flies, you simply can’t do better than a Hula Damsel, though Scott’s Damsel Bugger is a somewhat close second!
For those who may feel uncomfortable fishing for trout given the higher water temps, the bass fishing (however unfortunate that they exist in Crane) can be incredible this time of year! The biggest bass I have ever seen was cruising the coves on the east side of the lake near the Resort one summer morning. Many of the waters on the southern and eastern ends hold good populations of Largemouth, who are more than happy to eat in 70-75 degree temps. Poppers, crawdad jigs, bigger leeches, small baitfish patterns, and streamers like Jawbreakers and Clousers can lead to a hoot of an eve on Crane!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/11/2025 – Things have been progressing quite nicely at Crane Prairie since my last report! There are more and more damselflies and callibaetis every day, with some caddis now mixed in and midges, too! Moral of the story: there are a lot of different ways to catch fish on Crane right now.
Sub-surface tactics: stripping callibaetis/damsel nymphs on an intermediate or hover line; indicator fishing with any combination of chironomids, damselflies, callibaetis, leeches, and midges; dry-dropper rigs with a small, buoyant dry fly and a drop of your choice below.
Surface: why throw one dry when you can throw TWO?! An easy-to-see dry fly with a callibaetis emerger or spinner can be really effective when fish are rising. Midge patterns are also good (especially when the swallows start swooping) to have. If fish are rising and you are unable to see or figure out what they are eating, a midge adult is often a good bet.
The water is warming up quickly out at Crane Prairie, so proper fish handling techniques are really key. In addition, finding the channels where the cold, clear water dumps in from the rivers and creeks that feed Crane is a safe bet. Surface temps have been hovering in the mid-to-high 60’s, while sub-surface temps are sitting in the low-to-mid 60’s.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
7/4/2025 – Damselflies and calli. are starting to show up more consistently, though not in an abundance like we will almost certainly see in the coming weeks. The late-winter and prolonged cool weather this spring seems to have delayed everything across the board (ie salmonflies on the Deschutes, spawning on the Crooked, access to the alpine lakes). I expect things to really start to pick up in the coming week or two, and after discussion with our resident stillwater genius–Harry Blackburn (@mammothfishing)–I have a renewed sense of confidence in this prediction!
Surface temps on Crane are holding in the mid-to-high 60’s, so it is important to practice proper fish handling technique to reduce the chance of inadvertently killing any fish one may catch. Keep fights short, leave fish in the net, and make sure your cameraman is completely ready to take the shot if you plan on taking a quick photograph of the fish. In addition, try to find those spots where there is cold water coming in to cool down the temps lower in the water column.
Perhaps due to the warmer water temps, the fish seem more willing to move for flies, so stripping buggers, leeches, damsels, and callibaetis on an intermediate line is a worthy endeavor! For anyone that doesn’t have an intermediate or hover line, we are stocked up here in the shop and more than happy to get you set up!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/27/2025 – Fishing has been steady on Crane Prairie has been steady since the weird weather early in the week/over the weekend. The cold(ish) weather put a momentary halt on the damsels and callibaetis hatches, but it has since started back up and it’s the 10-day forecast suggests there won’t be anymore interruptions.
The fish have definitely been on the move in recent days and are continuing to look for the channels for a bit of cold water with surface temps in the lake sitting in the low-60’s. Our guides have been reporting success in 7-12ft of water with a variety of different bugs. The fish haven’t been super keen on their “food” being stripped them past them in recent days, with most of the eats coming on double-chironomid rigs below an indicator. Leeches are having their moment, but not every day is leech-day it seems. For those who have the ability to bring along several already-set-up rods, putting a dry-dropper with a small mayfly nymph, midge, or chironomid on the bottom has its place. As do damsel and callibaetis nymphs, though primarily the balanced imitation of these bugs.
My love-affair with any fly tied by Cat LaFlamme continues this week, with my chironomid arsenal primarily consisting of Burnt Ends, RIO’s Red Assassin, Goldies, and various colorways of her Hangin’ with my Chromies fly. Other flies to try include: Mercer’s Poxyback Callibaetis (#14), Bellyflop Damsels, Hula Damsels (as always), Diesel’s Bou Leech (Capt. America or olive in #10-14), and Chan’s Straggle Leech.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/20/2025 – The fish at Crane Prairie have definitely begun to concentrate themselves in/near the different channels throughout the lake. For those who are unfamiliar with where the channels are or don’t have depth-measuring equipment, Google Earth is certainly your friend!
It’s not quite yet time to be fishing damsels or callibaetis on the surface at Crane. The nymph stages of these bugs have received a good amount of interest from fish in the past couple days. Most anglers seem to be have the greatest amount of success in 8-12ft of water. They seem to be a little bit higher in the water column that they have been, meaning that stripping bugs on a lightly sinking line could be a hoot and a holler here in the upcoming days.
Nymphs to have: Hale Bopp Leeches (#8-12), Pine Squirrel Leeches (#12-14), and Micro BB Leeches (#16). The main colors for leeches in general are wine, burgundy, olive, black, and brown.
In addition: CDC Calli. nymphs, Scott’s Damsel Bugger, and Zack Attack Damsels in sizes #12-14. While expensive, there may not be a better damsel-pattern than the Hula Damsel. Damsel nymphs wiggle like no other when moving through the water, so this articulated-style fly is truly able to capture that damsel-look.
Don’t leave home without your chironomds! Chironicones, Snow Cones, Cat’s Fro-Yo, Cat’s Burnt End, Hangin’ with my Chromies, Chromies and Cream, and any other funnily-named chironomid pattern in red, black, brown, gray, or silver should do the trick! Extremely unscientific fact: the more the name makes you giggle, the better it works.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/13/2025 – Anglers hoping to hit the early part of the callibaetis and damsel hatches on Crane Prairie were mostly disappointed this past week as the fishing was aggressively mediocre most days. That being said, this most recent hot spell has dissipated meaning that this next week should be pretty killer for bugs and anglers alike! Fish are still keyed in on bugs under the surface, but that should change very soon. Most anglers I have talked to haven’t a ton of success stripping damsels/leeches/calli. nymphs on intermediate or hover lines, though I also expect that to change with the weather dropping back into shape.
Flies to try for the calli. hatch: Hackle Stackers (#12-14), Mosquitos (#12-14), Calli. Spinners (#12), Flasher Cripples (#12-14), and Marabou Cripples (#12-14)
I know this to be true for myself at times and I’m sure it’s the same for many anglers, but I have been known to force-feed the same flies that have worked in days past to fish as I know that they CAN catch fish, even if they don’t seem to be on that particular day. It is really worth fishing flies in various stages of the mayfly life cycle: spinners, cripples, emergers, duns, and sub-surface. Sometimes the fish can be a bit fickle during the calli. hatch and might be keyed in on one very specific stage of the life cycle, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the different ways one can fish bugs on lakes (ie. intermediate and hover lines, midge tips, emergers).
As per usual, chironomids, leeches, and damselflies are important to have. Chironomids/midges have certainly been the most consistent fish catchers this season and are a surefire way to get some “bobber downs”.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6/6/2025 – The chironomid fishing has really picked up on Crane Prairie in the past few days. In addition, we are getting more and more damsels flying around on the surface. As to be expected, the fish aren’t especially interested in the dries (as they are a bit difficult to catch), but are keenly aware of the nymphs swimming around in the middle of the water column.
Like any stillwater fishery, balanced leeches are a must-have and–combined with an indicator in choppy water–can be extremely effective at any time of the day.
Chironomid patterns to try out: Vinyl Chironomids (#12-16), Frenchie Chironomids, Chan’s Summer Duck Pupae, and Cat’s Burnt Ends in the same size range.
For other pattern recommendations, consult last weeks report.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/30/2025 – The fishing Crane Prairie has been very up and down in recent days; the highs have been quite and lows have been quite low. It’s looking like a relatively mild weather this week (including wind), so that bodes well for anglers. For those who might be newer to stillwater fishing, a little bit of “chop” on the water can be very good, while too much tends to make things a bit difficult. When there is consistently a bit of chop on the water it helps camouflage the boat a bit more. More importantly, it gives any sort of balanced pattern (ie. balanced leech, balanced minnow, balanced damsel) great action as the fly slowly bounces up and down in the water column. A sparse marabou tail looks incredible while bouncing around.
Flies to try: Scott’s Damsel Bugger (#12-14), Balanced Brunette Leeches (#8-14), Chan’s Ruby-Eyed Leech (#10-14), Diesel’s Balanced Bou Leech (olive or Captain America; size #10-14), and Hula Damsel’s (tan or olive). Surface flies to try include: smaller Chubby Chernobyl’s (especially used in a dry-dropper setup when the water is calm) and midges (if the swallows are going nuts on the surface).
Anglers have been reporting Callibaetis and Damsel adults sporadically throughout the lake, however the fish are still very much keyed in on the sub-surface bugs.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/23/2025 – Crane Prairie is continuing to have a solid early season. As is the case with many of tyhe high lakes this time of year, weather is a really big factor in whether or not one will have a good day out there on the water. As mentioned in my last report, the wind is the first thing one needs to check. Anything less than 10mph is solid; ideally, the gusts will be below 20mph, but right around there is still doable as long as the gusts don’t turn into sustained winds.
Anglers have been reporting a lot of early-season damelflies, which is always an exciting thing to see on Crane! While it will take a little while before they’re looking for the adults, they’re most assuredly pillaging the nymphs under the surface, so make you you’re loaded up on Hula Damsel’s, Belly Flop Damsels, Damsel Buggers, and any other damsel nymph you are confident in! Midges (red, olive, black, in sizes #18-22) are still important, as well as smaller chronomids (#12-16): Cat’s Burnt End, Hanging with my Chromies, and similar slim chronomid patterns will do well. My personal luck on leeches seems to have waned, though they’re still very important to have.
Rock Creek CG seems to still be gated off, but all other boat ramps are a go!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/16/2025 – The midge hatch has really popped off the last week on Crane. While you will almost certainly see some risers throughout the day, the fish are not massively interested in the midge adults; that being said, they are positively MUNCHING on midges below the surface. While most of the midges are in the #18-22 range, though a stomach pump done by Harry Blackburn, our resident lake guide, found they are eating midges as large as big as #16’s at times. A classic Zebra Midge, Crossfit Midge, T. Midges, and Flexi Midges in the aforementioned sizes will so the trick. Red and black seem to be the most productive colors. As always leeches (#8-14) and chironomids (#14-18) also have their place in your box.
The biggest factor determining weather or not one will have a good day on Crane Prairie is the wind. Anything less than 10mph is manageable, 10-15mph is not ideal, but can be done, and anything over 15mph is probably going to lead to a very rough day on the water.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5/9/2025 – Crane Prairie is having a pretty steady season so far! As of yesterday, the Resort, Quinn Arm, and Browns Mountain boat ramps are accessible. Rock Creek is still gated.
Fish are keying in on leeches and micro mayfly patterns. Anglers will most likely see some damsels fly around with plenty of shucks on the surface, though the fish have not yet started rising to them. That said, given the number of adults flying around, fishing a damselfly nymph under your indicator or buoyant dry might get some action.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
4/25/2025 – Welcome to the first report for the 2025 season on Crane Prairie Reservoir! As some of you may know, the lake is open as of April 22nd and it’s been on fire! Anglers have been reporting massive midge hatches in the morning with lots of fish rising. Flies to try: Griffith’s Gnat (#18-22), Parachute Midge (black in #20-22), Spent Spinner (#20-22), or really anything that is tiny and black. While you may break of a fish or two, 6x is relatively necessary, but you still could catch fish on 5x.
In terms of action below the surface, you can’t go wrong with a leech: Mayer’s Mini Leech (black or olive, size #14-18), Hot Head Leech (olive w/ orange bead or similar, size #12-16), or a smaller Woolly Bugger (olive, black, wine, size #12-14).
Sub-surface midge flies such as Zebra Midges and Jujubaetis will also be of use.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
11/1/2024 – Crane Prairie will be closed until April, 2025.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/26/2024 – The 2024 season on Crane Prairie officially comes to a close on October 31st, so it’s your last opportunity at Cranebows until April of 2025!
While traffic on the lake seems to be slowing down, the eating habits of the fish haven’t! Much of the action at this time of year is sub-surface, so it can seem as though nothing is happening, but be assured they are eating to their heart’s content below the surface. #10-14 Balanced Leeches (olive, black, and wine) are a year-round killer, while #18-22 midge, bloodworm, and scud-imitations will produce fish, too. Don’t be afraid to move around if you can’t seem to find the fish! As stated in my last report, they seem to be reasonably concentrated in certain areas, so it might take a bit of work to find them.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
10/12/2024 – Crane Prairie has been pretty consistent as of late. The average-sized fish has been very solid, with many anglers hooking into 20+ inch fish. If you take a trip out toward Crane soon, don’t be afraid to move around! The fish seem to be fairly podded up, so it might take a few tries before you find them.
When you do, nymphing is primarily going to be the name of the game. Small leeches are always worth a go: #16 BB Micro Leeches, #12-14 Balanced Leeches (olive, pumpkin, wine, and black are good colors), and #10-12 BH Hale Bopp Leeches. Chironomids are also on the menu; size 12’s, 14’s, and 16’s in red are always a go-to as they can imitate plenty of aquatic insects like copepods, bloodworms, chironomids and more! Some chironomid patterns to check out include: #12-14 Ice Cream Chromies, Motor Oil Chironomids, and Chironomid Bombers.
For those who don’t like using indicators, a buoyant terrestrial can take its place, and will probably elicit a few strikes in the process!
