I wanted to pass along an exciting fishing report for those guests and prospective guests who are fishermen…the fish are here, hungry and waiting for you right outside the front door of Crystalwood Lodge!

Our first fisherman of the season visited this week, and had “his best day ever in our area”.  This gentleman has fished our general area many times, usually putting in at Malone Springs which is about 3-4 miles below us on the spring creek system, halfway to Upper Klamath Lake.  This time he brought his float tube and put in here at Crystalwood, allowing him to fish Crystal Spring itself and the upper part of Crystal Creek.

What a day he had!  He landed 15 redband rainbow trout, which are our native trophy trout here in the spring creek system encompassing Crystal Spring, Malone Spring, Crystal Creek and Recreation Creek.  Many of them were good sized with the largest being at least 10 lbs!  That one also happened to be the closest one to Crystalwood Lodge, as Crystal Spring is just a few yards from our front door.  Here’s a couple of pictures:

Redband Rainbow Trout at Crystalwood Lodge May 2009

Redband Trout landed at Crystalwood Lodge May 2009

Most of the day’s successful fishing was done with a leech pattern custom developed for this area, although mid-day the fish were rising and he did get one on a caddis dry fly.  Another fish in the deep part of Crystal Spring was landed on a small chronomid.  Typically the really big wild trout in Crystal Spring and Creek respond to either leech or wooly bugger patterns, as they need lots of food to grow that big!

For those of you who haven’t had the thrill of being able to fish our area, it is one of the finest wild trophy trout fisheries in the West…and one of its best kept secrets!  We boast large redband rainbows, which are genetically related to steelhead with their size and fight, and although they are landlocked, they are highly migratory because of the extreme fluctuations in water temperature which occur in our waters.  This time of year and throughout the summer, they head up the spring creeks and rivers seeking our cold water — Crystal Spring is a high volume chilly 39 degrees year-round!  Locally we also have big German Browns on the nearby Wood River, lake fishing on Agency and Upper Klamath Lakes, and brookies in our local alpine creeks and lakes.

If this is your first time fishing in our area, we’d suggest a guided trip to maximize your chances of getting on the fish.  As mentioned above, the fish are highly migratory, and the guides are on the water daily and know exactly where the fish are.  We can hook you up with an expert local guide, and would be happy to provide Oregon fishing licenses here at the Lodge as we are a license sales agent.

Whatever your fishing preferences — fly or lure, bank or boat, dry or wet flies, self or professionally guided — the fish are waiting for you to take your best shot at them!

Western Trek Day 16 – Peaceful Valley, originally uploaded by emace.

Starting April 24, the 2009 season will open for reservations at Crystalwood Lodge bed and breakfast inn.

While the lodge is open year-round for event rental, the summer season will start on April 24, which corresponds with the opening of trout season on Crystal Creek, the Wood River and many of the other surrounding fisheries.

The Klamath Basin features one of the finest native trout fisheries in the Western United States.  Trophy sized redband rainbows and German brown abound the the cold rich waters.  Crystal Spring, on the southern edge of the property just out the front door of Crystalwood Lodge, boasts a large population of 12+ lb. redbands, thanks to the spring water being a brisk 39 degrees year-round.  Come prepared — the water is so clear, the fish can see you coming a mile away!  You can get them to bite, but you might have to go the extra mile to outwit them first!  Come try your luck and see what happens!!