Heading To Crane Creek This Evening (Report Now Inside)

[timsfly]

I fished a bit down below town yesterday, caught seveal 12" trout on a #14 stimulater and

one nice 14" er on a red san juan worm, didn't fish till about 11 and was done by 2:00, it was

hot.

When those fish are laying deep like you said they were last night, a bugger very heavily weighted

might have done the trick, I fish buggers in the 1/16 ounce size often when

fishing crane and other small creeks in the area.

[Trout Commander]

Yeah I realize the heat is definitely against me, but the fish did seem to be actively feeding on the bottom. When they would get real tight together in their pod and roll to the side to snatch something off of the bottom and give that little shimmer it was a thing of beauty really.

I feel that I could've had decent success in faster water or if my technique was more refined but will definitely be back after the weather breaks.

[Trout Commander]

I fished a bit down below town yesterday, caught seveal 12" trout on a #14 stimulater andone nice 14" er on a red san juan worm, didn't fish till about 11 and was done by 2:00, it washot.When those fish are laying deep like you said they were last night, a bugger very heavily weightedmight have done the trick, I fish buggers in the 1/16 ounce size often whenfishing crane and other small creeks in the area.

I will tie some buggers for my next trip for sure. I just started tying and actually don't have everything I need for a bugger yet but I hope to pick up a few more materials and spend a couple of hours tying tonight. If you don't mind sharing, what colors seem to work the best at Crane?

[timsfly]

Brown, olive and black seem to work best for me most of the time

I use a lot of the Mike's Mohair leeches also, they will

catch any game fish in crane and in most

of the waters in Missouri and arkansas

or just about anywhere else for

that matter, eaisier to tie than a bugger also.

[ozark trout fisher]

Rolled into Crane about 6:30. Decided to start in the City Park after driving to a couple of other accesses. I parked back on one of the RV hookup sites and fished a fast little run that had a couple fish in the 10-12" range. !st hang up on the big limb going across a portion of the limb came on cast one. 1st really solid bite came on cast two. I killed the mosquito before cast 3 but could not kill them fast enough. I think they actually liked my cheapo off brand repellent. Cast 3 brought the first lost rig of the night.

I am nothing if not persistent. Sometimes to a fault. Last night I was persistent to a fault. I spent around 45 minutes fishing at those same fish. I think I was being stealthy enough since they were in fast choppy water, I just couldn't get a hook up and only managed 2 or 3 strikes.

Next I moved down below the red foot bridge and found a TON of fish, with a few thumpers, holding in a nice wide, straight, slow stretch of water. I threw everything I had in my box (those that survived hole #1) but couldn't get a presentation they liked. They were definitely feed on the bottom and I had a couple #6 split shots on but if I cast far enough upstream as to not spook them I couldn't get a long enough drift without mending and the mend would spook them. If I cast close enough to still have a drag free drift to the fish without a mend it would spook them.

I need some serious help in how to figure that part out. I should have headed for faster water that I am competent in fishing in but I am nothing, if not persistent.

I don't know Crane Creek, but I do fish some similar wild trout streams quite a bit. One thing to think about... If you can see the trout, they can probably see you. That's not a problem for stockers in some places, but for wild trout in a heavily pressured stream at low water-if they see you, you are probably not going to catch them. You have two choices on the little wild trout creeks when the water is low- you either sneak up on the pool on your hands and knees and get close (that's the way I like to do it because it's easier to get a drag-free drift) or you walk upright and make really long casts, which is usually pretty difficult and ineffective on the little brush-lined creeks where wild trout live in Missouri. So you really got to sneak up on them-even in fast choppy water. And by the way, the fast choppy water is usually the best place to fish on the wild trout creeks I fish (it could be different on Crane). They like the added oxygen that riffled water provides especially in the summer.

August is a tough time to fish for wild trout anywhere. You'll do better in fall, winter, and spring.

[Trout Commander]

Thanks Tim and OTF.

I will look into the mohair leech pattern also. I didn't have the opportunity to add any additional materials or tie last night. Hopefully next week.

[Browningrodandreel]

I fished a bit down below town yesterday, caught seveal 12" trout on a #14 stimulater and

one nice 14" er on a red san juan worm, didn't fish till about 11 and was done by 2:00, it was

hot.

When those fish are laying deep like you said they were last night, a bugger very heavily weighted

might have done the trick, I fish buggers in the 1/16 ounce size often when

fishing crane and other small creeks in the area.

And other small creeks?