Yuba Report 1/18

[amoeba]

What people? saw plenty of trucks with trailers, but only 3 walkers and 1 drift-boat above bridge, plenty of water for me. Multiple strikes, landed 2 fish, one small, one very fat female (22", ~4#). Small black/green mayfly beadhead (# eighteen), single fly rig, faster water (not tailouts).

Saw good number of very late spawning salmon. May try glo-bugs next time.

[easymends]

There was football on. Glad to hear about the Salmon.

[esummers]

Took a vacation day to head out on the Yuba for some Skwala action. Figured I'd play it smart and skip the weekend and head out on a weekday. Didn't expect to have the river to myself, but I wasn't prepared for the Obama like crowds that beckoned.

I hiked at least 2 miles upstream and every piece of good looking water had someone wetting a line. At one point, I counted 11 people in my sight (about 100 yards worth of water). I counted over 20 (no exaggeration) different people above the bridge. That being said, I'm also one of the 20, so I'm just as guilty as being part of the throng as anyone else. It's hard to believe how popular our sport has become. Good in some ways, disappointing in others.

Enough of the negative thoughts. Picked up a couple of 15" bows on a skwala dry and one on a march brown dry. Also had a couple false rises of much bigger fish. Left the indicators in the vest today.

All in all, a beautiful day with "a lot" of friendly, good natured fisherman just trying to enjoy the day. Made me feel proud to be involved in a sport whose participants are generally well mannered gentlemen who practice good etiquette.

[El Rey]

Hey esummers, I was one of the 20 or so that you counted on the Yuba. It was slow for me. Hooked and landed only one on a skwala dry. Had a couple refusals. Saw no mayfly hatches. Nevertheless, it was a nice day.

Cheers,
El Rey

[westslope]

Floated the Lower Yuba for the first time on Monday (bridge to sycamore). Picked up 4 rainbows (14"-17") and 1 sucker (~ 5-6 lbs) which actually fought pretty good. Saw a bunch of mayflies popping and several fish rises through the drift. Tried several different flies but ended up catching fish on a small copper john as well as a #18 green z-wing caddis. Something small and green seemed to work. Great float and love the fact that you can get out and work a piece of water then bump down to the next run. Only saw 1-2 adult skwalas. Couldn't believe the weather....great day to be on the water.

[craigfalk]

I was up there yesterday myself. You're right, there were at least 20 fishermen. Everyone was friendly, but most of the folks I spoke to had not caught anything. I managed to hook four and landed three throwing an indicator for five hours. I think one might have been a steelhead. It was well over 20 inches and much darker than the other trout I've caught on the Yuba. It also had a large wound on its back that I could imagine coming from a seal or at least something bigger than what's in the Yuba. Do beavers attack trout sometimes?

It was a fun day, but I do feel kind of sorry for the fish being pestered by so many of us on the same day.

[amoeba]

well: looks like there's only one more big football game left.....you guys can go watch it, I'm going fishing.