I've loved Chopaka for thirty years, but hate the spring crowds, so we usually try to fish there on a cool week in the summer. It has always worked, until this year. Water surface temps were in the low 60's and there was a huge damsel hatch with thousands of adults in the surface film, and no fish rising.

In two days of fishing I caught one large bass, never got a strike from a trout, the worst outing I've ever had at Chopaka. Water levels actually appeared slightly higher than the last couple of years, so I don't think that's the problem. The bass are certainly not helping, but I'm a pretty good bass fisherman and I couldn't find any of them either.

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