Crowley Lake is a big, rich reservoir below Mammoth with browns, rainbows and Lahontan cutthroat. It opens the last Saturday in April. Until July 31 the limit is five trout; from August 1 to November 15 it is artificial lures only, with an 18-inch minimum and two fish. Fly anglers fish midges under an indicator in spring, damsels in early summer, and perch fry streamers into the fall.
- Water type
- Stillwater
- Fish
- Browns, rainbows, Lahontan cutthroat
- Best months
- May, Jun, Jul, Oct
- Drive from the chalet
- About 35 minutes
- Regulations
- Last Sat. in April to July 31, 5 trout. Aug. 1 to Nov. 15, artificial lures only, 18-inch minimum, 2 trout.
- The one thing
- Hang three midges under an indicator at the depth the fish are holding, and wait. Patience is the technique.
The lake
Crowley is the reservoir at the bottom of the Long Valley Caldera, fed by the Owens and a handful of cold creeks. It is shallow, weedy and absurdly productive, and California plants hundreds of thousands of trout here each year to join the ones that grew up wild. The browns get large. The cutthroat are Lahontans. Everybody eats midges.
The midge game
The Crowley method is not complicated, which is why most people get it wrong. Three chironomid pupae, spaced on the leader, under an indicator, at exactly the depth the fish are holding. Then you wait. Then you adjust the depth a foot. Then you wait again. The take is a twitch of the indicator, not a plunge. The local Mammoth shops call this a technique. Your spouse will call it a nap.
Through the season
| Months | What is happening | Flies |
|---|---|---|
| Late April to May | Opener crowds, midges, callibaetis nymphs | Chironomids 16 to 18, callibaetis nymph 16 |
| June and July | Damselflies around the weed beds, fish moving to the cold inflows | Damsel nymphs 10 on an intermediate line, chironomids |
| Late July to September | Trout herding baby perch in the shallows | Perch fry patterns 4, olive buggers, tui chub imitations |
| October to Nov. 15 | Cooler water, fewer anglers, big browns hunting | Perch patterns, sculpins, chironomids in the deep bays |
Where on the lake
McGee Bay is the summer spot, near the cold creek water, and for a few days each July fish stack up in the channels there. Hilton Bay, Sandy Point and Green Banks suit float tubes and small boats. Layton Springs fishes well in spring and late summer. The Owens inlet is the biggest cold-water source on the lake and is choked with weeds by midsummer, so a float tube helps.
Crowley Lake Fish Camp at the south end has the launch and the rentals. The afternoon wind is reliable and serious; be off the open water before it arrives.
The one thing
Depth. If your indicator is not moving, your flies are at the wrong depth, not the wrong color. Change the depth first.
Common questions
When is Crowley Lake open for fishing?
From the last Saturday in April to November 15. Under current rules, the limit is five trout through July 31; from August 1 only artificial lures may be used, with an 18-inch minimum and a two-trout limit. The area within 1,800 feet of the outlet dam is closed.
What is the best fly technique for Crowley Lake?
Midges. Three chironomid pupae under an indicator at the depth the fish are holding is the classic Crowley rig. Strip damselfly nymphs around the weeds in June and July, and fish perch fry streamers from late July into fall.
Where should I fish on Crowley?
McGee Bay near the cold creek inflows in summer, Hilton Bay, Sandy Point and Green Banks for float tubes and small boats, Layton Springs, and the Owens River inlet if you can get through the weeds.