Howdy friends and Sierra Drifters.?? Best fishes to all for this "Hogust Moon" fish report from the Eastern High Sierra.

The management of the Crowley Lake Fish Camp and I would once again like to thank the 119 participants and numerous sponsors of the First Annual Sierra Drifters Crowley Lake Still Water Classic.?? The event was a great success and we will be able to put at least $10,000.00 worth of brown trout in Crowley this season.?? We have been receiving some additional donations and the proceeds will of course go to additional fish this year.?? We have added a link to the website at www.sierradrifters.com/fish.htm so you can check out the scores of all the contestants that participated in the Classic.?? You may also check out the sponsors of the Classic and we encourage you to support those businesses and companies that generously donated to the enhancement of Crowley.??

The DFG is expected to begin the post August planting of sub-catchable rainbows soon. ??We will evaluate what would be best for the fishery with regards to size or numbers at the end of this stocking period.?? We promise to keep you posted and how your "fish bucks" will be utilized.?? We have been informed that Crowley will receive a full allotment of fish this season in addition to the surplus catchable rainbows and brood stock that were planted in June and July of this year due to the NZMS issues at the Hot Creek Hatchery facility.

The guide team at Sierra Drifters would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Rick Gunby who passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer on August fifth 2007.?? He was a young 55.?? Rick was the owner and lead guide of Fish395.com a local guide service that he started in 2004.?? We have been told by Laurie Gunby his wife, that becoming a guide had been Rick's lifelong dream and that he had been the happiest in his life after starting his guide service.

Rick shall be remembered by us as a humble and friendly man who cared deeply about the Sierras and who loved fly fishing in his local waters.?? Rick always went out of his way to be friendly and courteous both on and off the water.?? His clients adored him and were very loyal, the true measure of a guide's personality, skills and character.

In respect for Rick Gunby's love of Crowley and the deep passion he had for sport of catch and release fly fishing we are naming Rick as an honorary judge and sponsor to the Still Water Classic for as long as the event is held.?? In a recent conversation I had with Laurie Gunby she stated Rick was very excited about the Classic and hoped to participate when he felt better.?? You will be missed and with us on Crowley always Rick.

Because of his great love for the outdoors and fishing, memorial contributions may be sent to Hot Creek Hatchery Foundation, P O Box 100 PMB 129, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 93546; or to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P O Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.

For the first time this summer we are beginning to experience some of the negative impacts that below normal snow packs and precipitation can cause in the fisheries here.?? Many of the freestone creeks are currently flowing at levels that look like late October.?? Fishing has become tougher in several of the more popular areas and we suggest you do not remove fish from the water during the release process in several of these fisheries due to high water temps and low dissolved oxygen content.?? Please do not overplay the fish; they are far more stressed this time of year with the current conditions in some areas.