Feather Smallies?

[roostersgt]

I remember a local guide (Bill Adelman) once offered small mouth trips on the Feather River. Does anyone here fish for them on the Feather? I can't find much information on smallies for that river. I have been fishing the Cosumnes with my 2 wt and have been catching a lot of 6"-8" fish, but nothing bigger. Sure would like to tie into a bigger one. The lil ones fight pretty hard. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Darian]

You might try calling Tony Buzolich at Johnson's Bait and Tackle in Yuba City. He fishes Stripers/Smallmouth in the Yuba/Feather Rivers.... Altho he's a guide, he or someone else in that store would be able to give you some info. 8) 8)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Andy Guibord was just up there last Tuesday with friend Joey Lin from Texas.

They took Andy's 14' skiff up a ways from the mouth (near Verona) and did get some Smallmouth Bass to 3 pounds.

I did hear that if you launch in Marysville on the Feather River and run upstream till you find trees in the water that you might catch some there too. That was info from retired guide Jack Adin from Woodland, CA.

I talked with Bill Adelman about that trip before too. He drifted with a floating line and a big rubber legs nymph. The body was root beer crystal chenille with white rubber legs if I remember right?

Bill has officially retired from guiding now.

I have heard several times that August is a good time to be there for Smallmouth on the Feather so I am sure it would be good now too.

Jeff Putnam floated it from Star Bend downstream for over 20 miles to the mouth in 3 days one spring.

Andy is working on exploring Smallmouth fisheries in Nor Cal streams right now.

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi ? Rooster and all.

The Feather for the past few weeks has been doing great on smallies. I made mention of this on another post about all the different fish in the river now.

But, getting back to smallmouth, I have not been targeting them but they have simply been a plus when we're chasing stripers. And they've been eating the same 6 inch striper fly just fine.

Last week Jim May and myself took 9 stripers and a dozen smallmouth before going to work at 9:30AM. Every day on the water is sort of like this and we're not even targeting them.

They really like the faster moving water around the rip-rap. The trick is to cast in as close as you can to the rocks and let it sink before making short quick strips. Yes, you do hang up a lot but that's were the fish are too.

If you wanted to head up the Yuba you'd find a lot of smallies there too. Hardly anyone goes up there very far because of the low water and all of the snags but there is some great fishing to be had for those who explore a little.

Hope this helps,
TONY

[roostersgt]

Bill, Tony, and Darian,

Thanks for all the great info. I'll give the lower section a go in the canoe this week and let you know how I do. Chartreuse Clousers and a root/ beer colored rubber legged brindle bug sound about right?

Bill, does the shop have anything closely resembling the fly you described? Or is it a custom tie?

I'm floating the Yuba on Wednesday for the first time for trout. This will be between Hwy 20 and Sycamore. Should I even bother trying for smallies up that far?

Cheers!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We don't have that special rubber legs that Bill Adelman described to me but we have lots of other flies like crayfish, cone head buggers and Clousers that should work.

I think you will find the Smallmouth on the lower Yuba below Daguerre Dam.

[Ed Wahl]

Hey Tony, I'm always interested in dropping my pram in new waters, but being a pram it's a one way ride on rivers. Do you have any suggestions for a put in and take out spot(s) for a Yuba or Feather Smallmouth float? Ed

[Darian]

With the exception of one or two spots, there is little public access to the banks of the Yuba River below DaGuerre Point Dam. :( :( The only readily available access is at the foot of Hallwood Ave., where there is a short walk involved in reaching the river. Upstream from this point is a combination of pools, runs featuring wing dams and short riffles. In order to fish that area afoot, it's best to wade cross the river. Downstream is a long curving stretch that I've never done well in (....doesn't mean they're not there, tho). in the area of the city dump, the river makes a sharp curve and features slower water thru Simpson Lane. This area is best fished from a boat.

Drifting/floating the lower Yuba is one way to fish it. Requires a lightweight floating platform if you're alone. Seen quite a few pontoon boats in Shad season; none in the fall. When there's enough water, the best way to get up there is to run upriver from the mouth. If it's low, only a jet drive boat is safe.

SOooo,.... Unless you have a boat and are determined to fish the lower Yuba, I'd recommend staying in the Feather from Live Oak down to Shanghai Bend. 8) 8)

Good luck. :D :D :D :D

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi Ed,
Darian covered that area pretty good but I think it would be a great drift from Hallwood down to the mouth. I've got a 9' Lil' Drifter pram and thought about this a lot. It would be a little drag to the water at Hallwood but I think it could be done. From there it's an easy drift down to the Feather. At the Feather you could paddle over to the west side and then easily up to the boat ramp for take out, or down to Mosquito Beach for take-out.

Another option is to motor up (electric) from Shad Pad beach until your battery ran out. A lot of this water near the dump is very slow and you can easily paddle upstream and you should get up quite a ways.

My wife and I have done this several times on the American. We'd put our pram in at Sunrise and motor up until the currant stopped us. I'd then start paddling and combining this with the electric we could make it up to the top of the island at Sailor Bar. This was always fun for taking shad in that run and then we'd hit the bluffs at dark and target the stripers.

Prams a really great fun.
TONY

[Ed Wahl]

Thanks Tony, I may just give that a try. Ed