Crowley Lake Help! Please.

[Eat Sleep Fish]

Going up to the Sierras a couple weeks after the opener, mid-May. I'm planning on fishing Crowley Lake in my 13' aluminum boat. This will be my first time fishing Crowley from a boat. Just wondering if you guys have any tips, suggestions, comments, spots, etc. Is trolling a better bet or bait/lures?

[Marley]

Watch the weather. More specifically the wind. 13 feet is tiny to head out into anything more than a casual breeze up there.
My favorite bait is half a nightcrawler blown up and fished 16 inches off the bottom. It's deadly on trout wherever they swim, but especially at Crowley. Buy baby 'crawlers, or "dillies" as they're called. Use size 10 Owner hooks, or even size 12. M&M combosa re good, too.
If I were trolling I would drop back a Mirashad in flame.
Have fun!

[chummer]

I agree with the cautious advice. The wind can pickup significantly in the afternoon and produce white caps on Crawley within half an hour. The only times I have ever been nervous in my 15ft boat is on Crowley in a gale.

For spots, best to ask at the tackle shop and then go join the fleet ( look where other boats are fishing and go there. ) We generally use a 3foot flourcarbon leader with inflated nightcrawlers to nail them.

[SierraPeaks]

I've always had my best luck on Crowley trolling 3 to 4 colors early (6 a.m to around 8 a.m.) towards and into McGee Bay then 4 to 5 colors at Alligator Point from 8 a.m. on. Bottom line though...when Crowley's hot, you can catch fish anywhere on the lake. Like I said in another thread, I'll keep an eye out for your aluminum w/ a blue bimini.
If the winds do get nasty, hug the shoreline and head back towards Crooked Creek. It's usually calm enough back in there to fish out the remainder of the day if the winds persist...or just hang out and see if the winds die down.
By the way...my personal best on Crowley came out of Crooked Creek (7.2 bow) trolling an injected nightcrawler deep at 6 colors.

[909mario]

use lead cor troll 3-4 color with about 15 feet of mono behind that 10 lb line is good, then a 4/0 seps dodger in green silver or some other colors, then a 3-4 foot long leader with 6 lb line then a night crawler.... thats it, deadly and fish it real slow, adjust your speed to get the most kick out of your dodger along side the boat then let line out until at desired depth. remember crowley is not a deep lake so dont let to much lead out.