The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I just heard from Joe Contaldi, owner of Performance Anglers in Mammoth Lakes, that the road into Greenbanks, McGee Bay, North Landing, and 6 bays has been made a fee entrance!!! (just like the road into the Hilton Bays). Arrgggggh!! For now, road into Leighton Springs,alligator point and the east side of the north end of Barts bluff are non fee areas, but probably will be changed next year. Damn. I don't think the merchants that rely on the fishing community will be happy about this. It now makes fishing that lake an expensive proposition and it may keep folks away somewhat. I wouldn't mind so much if the fees were going to maintaining the fishery. But this is LAWP doing this and it is their coffers that will be benefited. They say it's to keep people for driving off roads and creating new ones and ruining the land. In all my years driving into Crowley, I have NEVER seen anyone driving off the roads. Bummer.
Betty

My mistake. It is not LADWP that is charging the fee. It is the Crowley Lake Fishing Camp. They lease the lake from LADWP. The reason for the fee has to do with those nasty mussels. They have gated off the McGee/6bay/greenbanks/northlanding road so that they can inspect all watercraft heading into the lake. Not many boats launch in these places, but some do. Fees are to pay for extra manpower required.

It is $5 per vehicle (not per person)to enter at that gate. $10 if you plan to camp. Or, you can buy a season sticker for your vehicle. Since the season is more than half gone, they said they would sell that for $50--half price.

Still, it's a bummer.
Betty

They are using the infestation problem as an excuse to deny free entrance to the lake in the same way Bush used 911 as an excuse to invade Irac. Crowley Lake Fish Camp's goal from the beginning has been to close off all free access to the lake. They've always complained about not making enough money. They would also like to do away with the fall catch and release season and turn the lake into just another put and take fishery. Plain and simple, they just want to make more money.

Yeah, I have real problems with this. What I most object to is that our tax dollars are being spent to stock the lake, and that a private concern is making money off of it. Doesn't seem right/legal to me. It is LADWP's land and their water and they can do with it what they want. They lease the lake to the Crowley Fish Camp, which again, is OK by me. I just think some of the new proceeds should go to Fish and Game and the stocking program. I agree, that they are using this mussel problem as an excuse to do what apparently they have been wanting to do for years.

Betty

Hi Betty.....

So, if I go over there, it's gonna cost me $10.00 a day? How about if I move around the lake during the day?

This is a bunch of crap. Given the money I spend towards the local community, I am offended by this. Soon every other lake/stream will catch on to this.

Sucks.

I spent a bunch of time on the phone with the Crowley Lake fish camp folks. Here's what they said:

If you just go in for the day, it's $5 at the gate that leads to McGee/6bays/greenbanks (the secondary road into greenbanks has been gated off--no entrance). If you want to camp, it's $10. If you go in at the marina entrance (the Hilton Bays), it's $9 for the day, $12 to camp. Once you have your receipt (even the $5 variety), you can then move around, including going into the marina entrance. They said they would not charge you the extra $4. The road into the upper end of Bart's Bluff and also to Leighton springs is still NO FEE. These entrances are both on the east side of the lake.

If you plan to fish the lake a lot between now and season's end in November, you can buy a season pass for $50. This is half price, since the season is mostly gone. They give you a sticker which must be affixed to your bumper.

That's what I have been told.
Betty

Hi Betty

Thanks for the research on this.

It appears they must be simply looking to generate more revenue and not really concerned with the mussel problem. Unless I am missing something, you could only beach launch small alum boats in those areas (which I have never seen anyone do) so not sure how it could be a boat/mussel issue. I haven't heard where anyone considers pontoon or float tubes as issue. If they start inspecting them, what about all the other lakes on the east side???

If they close that side it will probably be only a matter of time before thay get Leighton Springs as that area much easier to access for day use. In either case, based on what I saw on my last visit, with this low water year they will be hard pressed to pay a gate keepers salary as no one was in either area. Someone will be a little bored and dusty sitting in a gate for the north landing!!!

Darti

Darti:
Actually, I have seen an occasional aluminum boat launched near Sandy Point. I guess it's conceivable that mussels could be attached somehow. I gather these will be inspected like any boat. Float tubes and pontoon boats have never been checked that I know of.

According to the folks at Performance Anglers, the east side roads (Barts Bluff and Leighton Springs) will be closed off next year probably.

Not sure about other lakes on the east side. As far as I can tell, these inspections are being done at lakes that are part of water supplies and have things like dams and pipes (i.e., not natural lakes). Could be mistaken about that.

Betty

I only go to Crowley a few times a year at best. If somehow I wanted to go more often, i would need their bumper sticker?? How about something I can hang from my rear view mirror and put away when I'm not using it. I have never been a person who likes attaching anything to the bumper of my car, except perhaps an occasional politician.

Beerfly

Betty,

Thanks for the info.

Sorry for going off like I did. I am just tired of getting nickeled, dimed, and dollared to death anymore.

I'm headed over to Crowley the first weekend of October. An annual 4 day trip with some old time friends. This is a "Condo" trip...so lots of food, friends and poker at night after a long day of fishing. Guess I'll bring a few dollars more...

Thanks again. See you soon.

You have two choices:
Buy a daily pass for $5 at the west entrance (McGee/6 bays, etc) each day you go in. That you do not have to attach. The season passes ($100, or now $50 since most of the season is over) they said has to be attached to car since they had problems with folks loaning their passes to other people. That's what i have been told.
Betty

Take the sticker, attach it to one of those thin magnetic sheets. Put it on and take it off the bumper at will. Will work fine and just looking at it you can't really tell it's not permanent.