Crowley Lake Current Fishing Conditions
Birds gather for a meal as fish are planted in Crowley Lake.
The general consensus in the area is the fish population in Crowley Lake is in trouble. Many local guides pulled their boats out of the lake early and/or have stop taking clients on the lake. Some are finding no fish for the first time in years of guiding the lake, most often only a couple fish per client per day is what they are seeing.
It seems like several factors might be at play over the past few years to cause this decline in fish, some obvious, others not so much. An article in a local paper called The Sheet discussed the issue in detail last year. It only seems to have gotten worse since then.
During the 2020 season the region was loaded with folks escaping to the mountains and traffic was high on the lake. It is likely the number of fish taken that year was far greater than an average season.
Bacterial infections at local hatcheries in the past three years have impacted the number of fish being planted. The number of fish planted every year has seen a dramatic decrease since then.
This year’s heavy snow and ice on the lake may have caused a fish kill. We are discussing this with a Fish and Wildlife Biologist to determine the likelihood of this phenomenon.
There are also natural losses that occur with planted fish. Birds know it an easy meal when the stock trucks arrive and they tend to congregate in the area for a feast.
Your input is welcome. We are asking all interested parties to mail a letter stating their personal experience as to how bad the lake has been depleted of fish and asking for emergency action by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to:
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
3602 Inland Empire Blvd.
Ontario, CA 91764
909-484-0523
R6lsaqwildlife.ca.gov
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