Fishing Forum

I visited Glendale again on Monday morning. I think it was just to take the crappie and bluegill skunk off that I was feeling from last time, when I only caught trout and bass. The water is even a little lower. It is down close to the end of the boat ramp.

This time I worked my way east up the south side of the reservoir. I didn't catch any bass, but I did get lots of trout in the 12 to 14 in range. Once I got down east a ways I spotted a small group of crappie on the fish finder and was able to catch quite a few. I thought they were a little on the small side from what I remember catching out of Glendale, or maybe it was just that particular group that I found. They were about 7 or 8 inches long. I fished on down a ways more and tried different areas, flies, and depths, but no bluegill or bass showed for me. A good day though with little wind. Here is a typical Glendale trout:[inline GCWT8.jpg]

I also visited Lamont and Johnson which I talked about in a different post.

Condie was a blast! I caught several of the 14 to 18in bass, and had several more break me off. I was cussing myself for not having any heavier leader than 4 lb. with me. Condie still has lots of weed beds and the water is up on the boat launch, but low enough that the tires on the point are exposed. My biggest grip is that they don't have a porta-potty at Condie any more. What are they thinking? Either that or they need to plant bigger bushes!
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It was calm and many of the bass were in close and hitting the top water. I don't have any pictures, as I left my camera in the car and was too lazy to go back for it. I am regretting it now as I remember those nice fish! I did take a couple of picture when I got back to my car. Here is one of the tires on the point:

I was hoping for some incidental catches of bluegills or perch there, but I never found any. I am not sure where they hang out in Condie. I did catch a 5 inch crappie though. I didn't know that they were in there. Has anyone else caught any before?

On the way home I drove by Winder and Twin Lakes. I didn't fish at either.

Winder's upper half is a channel, but there is still plenty of water left, and the upper half looked good.
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Oddly enough Foster also had more water than usual. There was plenty there especially, it was the fullest of all of the reservoirs I saw. This is a change from them draining them in 2007. Is this an attempt to repair the fisheries there?

Twin Lakes is really low. The south lake is at the end of its good ramp. Here is a picture of the southern most old ramp that isn't used anymore (except by tubers)
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This is from the regular south lake ramp. It is hard to see but that is the end of the ramp. [inline GCWT5.jpg]

The north lake is deeper and there is still water on the end of the ramp.
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BTW the signs to pay are still up, but the hosts have gone. Do you pay or not?? Do they even collect it?
Just Curious.
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Do you mind sharing what you were using at Condie? You can send me a PM. I have had hit or miss luck there. It is defineatly harder for me fly fishing.

I hope everyone is releasing those 14-18ers so that they can become 20"ers in a couple of years.
Windriver
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I don't mind -- I think that I got an exceptional morning there. I was the only one on there. It was almost mirror calm and I could see the slurps of some of the bass that were up close to the shore. I had one small green popper that worked well and some poor bass is now wearing it for a lip ring. The next largest top water flies I had were grasshoppers and salmon fly stimulators. --- I know, stoneflies are no were near there, but the bass took them for large hoppers. LOL Both worked well, and I got some back and some were taken into the briar patch! It was a blast either way. I hadn't really planned on visiting Condie so I didn't have a heavier tippet with me. Next time I will though. Plus I didn't know that it was so weedy there. Usually 4 or 5 lb will do for most fish unless there are lots of weeds or structure to wrap things up in.

I also caught quite a few in the deep water just off of and barely in the weed edges. Those were easier to get to the net. There I was using a sinking line and a large black leech(some sparkle on it and abt 2.5 to 3in) and a red/chartreuse fly that I tie. It is like a wooly bugger but no hackle, just red sparkle chenille and a chartreuse marabou tail. Most of the bass I caught in the channel on these were a little smaller. They were from 10 inches to about 15, but there were more of them. I caught about an equal number on each fly. They wanted them fished slow with lots of stops. That is also were I caught the crappie. Has anyone else caught crappie there?

This was the first time I have fished Condie in a lot of years. Actually, I can't think that far back, so I am really just a beginner there. I think I had beginners luck, or the full moon does the opposite for the fishing there! I went with no expectations, and really was looking to see if I could find some larger bluegills or perch. I was surprised and caught everything but them!
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I guess I should clarify on my Condie post. All of the fish were released, some sooner than I wanted to as they still had my fly! Condie's 20 inch size limit for bass pretty much means everything goes back. From what I heard it is pretty hard to get a full 20 inches on a bass in any of our local reservoirs because of the short season we have here. So, I just figure it is catch and release on the bass, which is what I usually do anyway. That is why I am always asking about the pan fish too. I like to catch some incidental dinners when I am out catching bass or trout. Once in a while I will keep a few trout if I am having a nostalgic moment and crave them, but the pan fish just taste better. Although I do like a mess of brookies from a cold mountain stream!
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I agree on the panfish. Condie used to be the best. I was catching a really good average size until it was drained.

The biggest I have ever caught there was 21 1/2" I released her. She was huge. They drained Condie the next year.

Windriver
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Thanks for the report, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it out there again this year, but I think I'll give it one more shot. I have to say, I'm way jealous. Nothing like good bass on topwaters with your fly rod. I really need to get out soon, but I just haven't had the time with school and work. The last few times I have made it out it seems like it's always the day after a cold front and fishing is tough. If I do get out it sounds like Condie is the place to try.

I've never heard of crappie in Condie. It seems we have a bucket biologist on our hands as I caught a smallmouth there a few weeks back, and someone else said they know someone who caught a smallie there this year. I forgot to mention, the porta potty was there the last time I fished Condie, they must have just packed it up for the year. It wasn't very level though, so I ended up opting for the bushes anyway as it rocked back and forth when you got in it.

If you want some perch, I would give Weston a try again. I was there last week, and between all the little bass and trout, I caught about 10 decent to nice sized perch. A small purple mohair leech really seemed to clean up on the perch as did small deep running jerkbaits.
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