Feeling Optimism

[Harps]

Took two friends to Crane as we had been hearing good reports on the creek and needed some serious outdoor time to break cabing fever. Patfish had never fished there before and wanted to see a McCloud for himself. Sherwood Flycaster has fished there on occasion with me for a good number of years. We fished most of the day at the upper and lower conservation accesses and never hooked a fish. Only a few followers and lookers were spotted the whole day as well. I've had many trips to the creek where no fish were caught, so I was not discouraged. I really wish that my friends had caught something as they came from St. Louis to fish with me (we did OK at Taney the next morning to make up for it).

It did my heart good to see the creek full of water as better than half of the upper CA was bone dry on my last visit. I spent some time on this trip looking intently into some of the holes to see how many fish I could spot. On the upper CA, I could spot few to no fish in some of the holes. At one hole I was able to spot several fish, including a specimen I estimated to be 20 inches plus. I watched the fish as my friends cast to the hole for a good 15 minutes, but there were no takers. They were there, but simply not actively feeding.

The lower CA looked like the upper Current River the flow was so good. Water was just cloudy and high enough to prevent good hole spying. We did spot a few followers, but again, no takers.

With water in the stream again I'm going to spend more time there this year and really assess the population. I feel the population was really hit hard with the drought and will take some years of good water flow to return to glory days. Seeing a big brood quality fish was exciting, and I feel optimism for the creek again.

The trip was good overall despite no fish caught, with the weather really giving us a break from what we've had this winter. Can't wait to get back now!

[patfish]

Killer times with great friends, brother. Thanks for guiding us Harps.

Since I was skunked there, I have to go back... its personal now.

[duckydoty]

Crane is one of the toughest places I have fished. Stealth really pays off and when the water is up like it has been, you need to get deep fast. Real fast. Sounds like you got to bust the cabin fever a little bit, so im my book that makes a good trip.

Thanks for the report.

duckydoty

[tippett]

Killer times with great friends, brother. Thanks for guiding us Harps.

Since I was skunked there, I have to go back... its personal now.

I fished there on Sunday fished only the lower access. I caught 7 fish with the biggest going around 10". Water was perfect! I spotted a nice 18-20" fish but couldn't get him to bite. My favorite fly is a BH Evil Weevil. They seem to like that fly really well.

Goood Luck.

Tippett

[Sherwood Flycaster]

Harper, it's just good to get out there with ya after all these years- only difference being no Buck and Shannon on the radio for the ride home!

To have had the time to spend on a piece of water like that even without any hookups is a grand way to live a day with friends. We should all be so lucky!

And as PF said, we now are on a mission which insists we get back sooner rather than later.

Lookin' forward to our middle of May plans....

[Harps]

I'll have to look around and see if I can find those evil weevils or a close version at one of the shops around here. Have to buy, cause I don't tie (yet... and like I need another hobby). Know where I could find them in the Springfield area Tippett?

Patfish, we'll get you on some fish next time! Those McClouds are so pretty you want to have a couple in an aquarium just to look at! I wish I could find some my old photos of some of those fish, but you saw how good I was at finding photos at the house.

Yeah, we had a few trips with Buck shouting the exploits of the Wizard and the gang out to us on the way home for sure Sherwood.

I'm confident we threw some flies that would work, but the fish were just not on while we were there. Nothing was hatching and usually you see some fish working if you watch for them. Well I was watching pretty hard and there was just so little activity. Maybe getting a little deeper would have helped as duckydoty suggests.

Just make sure it's sooner rather than later guys!