Water Conditions:

Water is still clear but not crystal and getting a little warmer. No weed growth anywhere yet but hopefuylly soon as water warms.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches:

There are fish in many places on the lake . . . Beaver Cove, Whiskey Bay, Big Hilton/Pelican Point, off Sometimes Bay, Sandy Point, half way out to Alligator Point and Bart's Bluff all in about 12-13 feet of water. Bigger fish are in 20-25 feet of water in McGee so dredge or set up deep-water indicator system.
When it's windy (like all of May) try slow trolling behind the boat with full-sink lines and streamers. Drag a bucket on a rope (or a drag chute, if you are sophisticated) to get speed about 1 ft/sec like you are in float tube and make long passes testing different depths. Big fish are caught this way. -k

Recommended Flies:

Kind of the same old story . . start early with Blood Worms, go to #16 red/black Tigers mid morning and #18 red/black Tigers or #18 gray/black dubbed head Optimidges noontime. Use size 14 if fishing deep.
Slow stripping various colored Wooly Buggers with PT or Hares Ear trailers in size 14-16 seems to be working for the rubber Cherrio set. We have a new series of flies in the shop called Arctic Fox which trollers have been whacking the browns with. They have this little cup that precedes the fly and gives it realistic swimming action like I've never seen before.
Probably a little tough to cast but there is no way big fish won't go for these especially early in the shallows. There are about six styles but the Rainbow Trout and Tui Chub are reportedly the ones the trollers have been sucessful with.
On these windy days drag them behind your boat.

Guides Hint: Crowley, An Underwater Perspective is still available on DVD. . . Click Here