Fishing Buffalo/crooked Creek First Week Of May

[budman]

We will be staying a Buffalo Point the first week of May and plan of floating and fishing both the Buffalo and Crooked Creek a couple days each that week. We always use ultra light gear but this year a couple of us plan on trying out our new fly rods. Anyone got any suggestion on what the best flies to use and how to fish them. We hope the water stays alittle lower this year because last year the Buffalo came up 10 feet the first day there and we never got a chance to float and Crooked Creek was about 2 feet over Kelly's Slab and this made for some quick floating and not as good fishing. We still had fun camping and telling lies to each other. We have only fished hgher up the Buffalo and do not know this part of the river so any suggestions on the lower Buffalo would be great also.

[flytyer57]

We will be staying a Buffalo Point the first week of May and plan of floating and fishing both the Buffalo and Crooked Creek a couple days each that week. We always use ultra light gear but this year a couple of us plan on trying out our new fly rods. Anyone got any suggestion on what the best flies to use and how to fish them. We hope the water stays alittle lower this year because last year the Buffalo came up 10 feet the first day there and we never got a chance to float and Crooked Creek was about 2 feet over Kelly's Slab and this made for some quick floating and not as good fishing. We still had fun camping and telling lies to each other. We have only fished hgher up the Buffalo and do not know this part of the river so any suggestions on the lower Buffalo would be great also.

Clousers, clousers and more clousers. White over chartruese.

A few poppers might not be a bad idea either. Although I prefer Gurglers.

Maybe some crawfish patterns.

I'd try some Circus Peanuts too. Big streamers.

If the waters high, use a sinking or sink tip line and heavy flies to get them down.

[budman]

Clousers, clousers and more clousers. White over chartruese.

A few poppers might not be a bad idea either. Although I prefer Gurglers.

Maybe some crawfish patterns.

I'd try some Circus Peanuts too. Big streamers.

If the waters high, use a sinking or sink tip line and heavy flies to get them down.

Thanks for the information. What size clousers do you suggest. Also I read something that the poppers are best used early or late in the day, is this correct. Do these bait work on both the buffalo and crooked creek? I will post what we find and any pictures.

[flytyer57]

Thanks for the information. What size clousers do you suggest. Also I read something that the poppers are best used early or late in the day, is this correct. Do these bait work on both the buffalo and crooked creek? I will post what we find and any pictures.

I would go with 2-3 inch long Clousers. Tie them on any hook size you like so long as the fly is 2-3 inches long. Try sone olive/tan patterns also. This color has been pretty good to me lately using a steelhead tube fly called an "Intruder".

I've had luck with poppers any time of day. Give them a try and see if they'll come up for them. Fish the whole water column until you find the fish. They may be up, in the middle or on the bottom. You'll have to figure that out when you get there since the conditions change all the time. If it's been raining and the water is a little stained, I would fish deeper. If water levels are stable and the water is clear, I would not hesitate to try a top water.

Clousers and poppers will catch smallies anywhere.

Lately I've had my best luck casting to the shady banks as I've been fishing in the afternoon. Not too much luck out in the sunny water. Also, the best retrieve has been to strip the flies rather quickly. I've tried swinging flies in the current, but they don't seem to want them unless they are moving with fast 6" strips.

Water levels on both the Crooked and the Buffalo are starting to rise due to the recent rainfall and more rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow. Keep an eye on those gages and maybe change plans if it get's too high. I haven't fished it yet, but I hear that Sylamore Creek doesn't get as blown out as the Crooked and Buffalo.