opener report for Crowley and Lower Twin

[Matt44]

Wild weather and wild fish made for a great opener this year. Headed up Friday and dropped the boat in Crowley so it was ready to go sat morning! Fished PVR Friday for a real slow bite a few rainbows one of which was pretty solid. Sat morning we got on the water at about 515 am got my top line and lead rods ready to go. The bite was pretty good all morning up top down to 3 colors. We had multiple double hookups, Browns and rainbows no cutts this year for us! Productive baits were bouyants and speedy shiners and other spoons in firetiger and tui chub patterns. We were off the water by 1 pm and heading to Bridgeport lower twin. Got word of an 8 and 9 lb browns already checked in, unfortunately not released. Boat was in the water by 3 pm and I had a nice chunky 4.5 brown in the boat (released) by 4pm on our first pass. I was fishing a 5 inch rapala floater in a custom painted chub pattern. Fished it hard with bigger baits but could not buy another bite the rest of the trip. A 7, 10, and 11 lb browns have also been checked in this week. The browns are definitely feeding on the right presentations. To score one brown at twin these days you are doing something right, the lake is tuff. I'll try and get some pics uploaded soon, Tight lines!! Also pictured is the 11.8 caught Tuesday night!

[seal]

Fantastic report! Thanks, I'll be headed for a week on Crowley early June. Will definitely be doing some trolling when not on the fly. Looks like I should pick up some tui chub patterned baits.

[TroutOnly]

great fish matt...............

[etucker1959]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[billy b]

GREAT fish Matt

Every seen a Speedy Shiner ... that copies their best selling TBuoyant in the red & gold? I have some but couldn't find one like the red&gold which I believe is the best How deep did you have to troll. Seems like they're at 40-50 feet whenever I've been trolling there.

Thanks for sharing!

[Matt44]

Thanks guys, it was definitely a zoo out at Crowley but the fishing was good if you braved the nasty weather. I'll be back for round 2 when I'm on vacation in 3 weeks!

Billy, I have seen that gold and red shiner its slightly different than the bouyant spoon gold/red but there is one. I was using a firetiger pattern that was producing. I paint the back ends gold along with the hooks it increased my catch rate significantly!

[billy b]

What part of the back end needs painting? Ever put any scent on the hook(s) I remember buying about the biggest Rainbow Trout Rapala and spraying the hooks dark green ... just like the buy who caught the state record on opening day many moons ago. I still have his picture. Have you touched up your Rapalas too? Gonna pull a Shiner or 2 on Crowley May 12-14. Film at 11

[Matt44]

Yeah my buddies and I paint our own patterns on rapalas,rebels, smithwicks. Even ac plugs. That pattern pictured with one of those browns is a custom chub pattern with custom eyes drilled in. I'll be on Crowley the 15th if I don't end up heading to twin!!

[Beancounter]

Great looking fish!
Good job.

[brn2fis]

Nice fish!