We’ve been waiting for algae to clear up on the Crooked, and hoping the river will provide the consistent fishing we’ve come to expect. The fishing is not necessarily bad, but it can be frustrating when the algae is so thick that it is difficult to get more than one or two drifts without accumulating a mess. Even when the algae is thick we are catching fish, it just requires a little stubbornness and determination to find little windows free of algae. On the positive side of things there are days that have provided lights out fishing, and the crowds have been tamed by the turbid water conditions. Most of the success we have seen has been subsurface with small Midge and Mayfly patterns. We have had decent success fishing Caddis dries in the evening, and surface presentations do tend to accumulate less algae. The bottom line is that there are fish to be caught on any given day, and on certain days the Crooked will fish as well as we’d ever expect. The average size of fish has been noticeably larger than in years past, and there are good numbers of quality, native fish.
Suggested Dries: Purple Haze #16-20, Parachute Adams #16-20, Tilt Wing PMD #14-18, Parachute PMD #14-18, Hackle Stacker PMD #14-18, Peacock Caddis #14-18, CDC Caddis #14-18, Foam Bodied Caddis #14-18, Cutter’s Caddis #14-18
Suggested Nymphs: Purple or Black Zebra Midge #16-22, Black Winker’s Midge #18-22, Black Beadwing Midge #18-22, Black or Red Rainbow Warrior #18-22, Black or Red Two Bit Hooker #16-20, Brown Micro Mayfly #18-22, BH Pheasant Tail #18-22, Tan Sparkle Pupa #14-18, Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear #14-18, Peacock Soft Hackle #14-18, HE Soft Hackle #14-18