Crane Update
September 27, 2017
As we get more and more into the Fall, the Cascade Lakes continue to transition. With water temps on Crane measuring between 45-51 degrees, the fish are scattered and getting ready to gorge for the winter. If you find the fish, it will be a great time! We have still been focusing our efforts on fishing dry droppers or a double nymph rig in the channels. Our go-to dry has still been the size 10 black chubby or size 12 Adams. We have still been searching for fish in the channels as the channels are highways for fish to cruise around the lake. So if we know fish are moving, we know that targeting these areas could make for a successful day. However, we have been able to pick up fish in the flats just as well. The flats are about 7-9 feet of water. The lake is clear and mostly free of algae. It seems that the fishing in the afternoon has been much better than the morning bite. The callibaetis hatches are tapering off but we have still been seeing a small hatch with the colder weather. If we get a little bit warmer temps, the hatch should get going again. Getting a little bit of surface break (wind chop) is ideal for targeting fish right now. If you are fishing under the indicator, fish with size 18 dark assassins, size 16-18 pheasant tails, size 18-20 zebra midges, size 18-20 black tailwater tiny or size 18-20 black two-bit hookers. We have been doing well with small black nymphs! We are fishing 5x fluorocarbon tippets and longer leaders.