Just fished crane today for the first time. Used a small rainbow rapala the entire time, caught about 10 with only two being over 12" I also got to see something I had never witnessed before. I was just above the railroad bridge fishing downstream in a large slow pool area. The pool was crystal clear, had a cut bank on the far side, and looked absolutely empty. I hooked into one on the downstream side of the pool and as I was reeling it in the pool came ALIVE. Two fish over 22" darted from the bank and began to chase, and then an absolute monster appeared from out of the cut bank and gave chase all the way up to my feet until he spotted me and retreated back to the bank. Absolute adrenaline rush. I work in SW Springfield so its only about a 20 minute drive, and I'm going to be returning.
I didn't read this forum until I got back, and had no idea about the snakes. Kinda wished I had because I was crawling around the brush banks trying to keep stealth. It pushed the mid 90's today and I didn't see a one. Are the venomous snakes that big of a problem? Last thing I wanna do is get caught a mile back into the creek and have to figure out a way to suck poison from my own butt.
