Anglers at Crowley Lake, the Eastern Sierra's largest fishery, were treated to great weather and even better angling during the Sierra District's opening of the 2006 fishing season last Saturday, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announced.

"This is perhaps the best opening day, in terms of fishing quality and accommodating weather, in the last 20 years at Crowley," said DFG Biologist Curtis Milliron, adding that an estimated 7,000 anglers fished the lake on opening weekend.. "Both catch rates and average trout size were well above average, and most anglers fishing from boats brought in bag limits of five trout."

This year's larger than average fish are the result of exceptionally good growing conditions at the lake, including an early ice-free pre-season and high lake water level.?? "Crowley is an amazing fishery," said Milliron, "because it supports substantial harvests of quality trout during the first half of the season and then converts over to an acclaimed catch and release fishery on August 1 each year."

Anglers fishing during the second half of the season must release all trout less than 18 inches and may only use artificial lures and barbless hooks. High catch rates on larger trout attract many anglers seeking a trophy angling experience.??

Milliron said Crowley attracts so much attention because the management of the lake, which is called "put and grow," allows the richness of the Crowley watershed to provide the food and environment necessary to grow large fish in abundance. DFG's hatcheries stock approximately 400,000 rainbow trout each year after the regulations change to catch and release. These are relatively small fish, Milliron said, averaging only three to 10 fish per pound, or about 5 to 8 inches each, depending on which of three strains of rainbow trout are considered. In the eight months between stocking and the next fishing season, these fish grow to an average of almost one pound each. If they survive through another year, they weigh one and a half to two pounds, and can be up to five pounds in several years. Another species of trout that is sometimes stocked is the Lahontan cutthroat. Cutthroat trout are becoming very popular and can grow to a large size.

"We have six pound cutthroat in the lake and plan to utilize this fish more in the future," stated Milliron.

For more information on fishing and camping at Crowley Lake, contact the Crowley Lake Fish Camp at (760) 935-4301.