I am adjacent to Sandy Pt. running out with clients with our destination being the Green Banks area of the lake in the north arm when I get a violent series of taps on my shoulder from one of the clients who was to be guided that day on my 24 foot "Fish Magnet".?? I looked over my shoulder and there was obvious concern on his face and he was pointing his finger and dramatically trying to tell me that there was a fire starting in the brush by the clump of willows near Sandy Pt.?? I pulled back on the throttle and looked to see what he was so alarmed about?Ķ?? Some of you Crowley addicts already know what I am going to say, but for those who have never experienced a major chironomid emergence like we have been seeing the last week I will enlighten you.?? Those gigantic black columns that appear to be smoke rising up from the sage and rabbit brush are in fact thousands upon thousands of midges!?? These aquatic insects are the foundation of the food chain that makes Crowley so special and in years such as this we are enjoying some very consistent and good "catching" during the significant hatches of chironomids.?? By the way, they do not have a proboscis and will not "bite".?? Have some #18-20 Drifters "Gillies", #18-16 Drifters crystal tiger or zebra midges with copper and black beads to "match the hatch".????

The North Arm region has been the most consistent with fish being caught along both the north and south sides.?? Six to eleven feet depending on the day.?? The weeds are vanishing quickly this year as the water continues to drop a few inches each day.?? The Six Bays section has also picked up and we got into some large rainbow brooders here recently.?? McGee Bay has been spotty, however when it goes there are fewer boats and tubes and you can spank them all the way into four feet.?? The algae has not been a factor in any region of the lake for quite sometime now.?? Crooked creek has also produced some excellent fishing with a few monster rainbows coming to get their pictures taken.?? There has been a person(s) killing pelicans in here and several groups of people illegally bait fishing in this area.?? The DFG and the Mono Sheriff's are looking into the matter.?? If you see or have information about these crimes please call Mono Sheriff's dispatch 760-932-7549.

The streamer fishing has really picked up.?? There continues to be a good amount of damsel nymph activity along with a scattering of callibaetis nymphs near the inlets of the Owens and McGee.?? The new Drifters "Killa baetis" can be used as a trail fly behind a damsel or suspended on a still water nymph rig.?? During the low light periods you will witness the utter annihilation of the tiny perch fry by some of the huge browns patrolling the weed lines.?? Sierra Drifters Punk Perch patterns both light and dark versions, and Loebergs (I prefer the guinea or heavily spotted pattern for Crowley) #10-12 are sure bets when used with a medium to heavy sinking tip line.

The "Turtle" Mickey Baron guided San Diego Fly Fisher and Sierra Drifters veteran Art Reifman to a jumbo rainbow recently.?? This humongous bow did not miss any hatches judging from its girth!?? Dandy fish Art, well done in tight quarters.

Chris Reeder became the undisputed champion of the battle for Crowley and avoided the lowly position of sleeping on the futon (inside joke) by displaying some fancy rodsmanship to keep this two foot brooder out of the weeds and anchor lines recently.?? Its good to be king is it not Chris?