Skwala stones out on the Lower Yuba River

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Andy Guibord was on the lower Yuba River this week trying out his new Canon Macro lens.

He said the Skwala stone adults we out in the afternoon.

If we get any sunny afternoons you might head up there.

YouTube video clip by Red's Fly Shop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeFzMN6xVQo

[koffler]

I was out last week 3x and didn't see hide nor hare of them but if they're out that's good. Thanks for the update -

jv

[Hogan Brown]

keep in mind the Yuba Skwala's are a much different color than the Yakama skwala's. Yak's are olive and gold. Yuba's are black and gold and usually bigger.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Look for them to be out on sunny afternoons.....

Thanks Hogan

[RJSFLYTRIP]

I was on the Yuba yesterday and didn't see any Skwalas. Yet that is to be expected with the cold weather. There was a small baetis hatch during the middle of the day. Fish were rising in the slicks and tailouts. Fishing was really good in the morning and then the afternoon completely shut off. We had hooked 9 fish at lunch, but after 1PM we didn't hook another fish.

[Paul B.]

Got there late today, Around 11:00. There was a thin BWO hatch and a few fish rising. Lost one then as RJ noted everything stopped. I tried swinging a half a dozen different flies later on but no luck. There were a lot of cars by the bridge when I arrived. Paul

[medfly]

good, the skwalas arent supposed to come off until i return from maine in a couple of weeks anyways

[esummers]

No stones this past weekend - not a one. Not surprising with the weather - cold, clammy, cloudy, foggy.

[Jaybinder]

Any skwala patterns you guys might recomend? I am new to tying so the easier to tie the better.

Jason

[bclem81]

was out last week saw one golden stone, took a pic of it. also saw several skwala shucks but no nymphs. i have also noticed fishing is good in the morning till about 11ish, then shuts off till about 2pm then picks right back where it left off at 11ish.

[Rich Leonetti]

Any skwala patterns you guys might recomend? I am new to tying so the easier to tie the better.

Jason

I would try a Stimulator with yellow or olive body...and rubber legs.... otherwise depending on what materials you have. Some of the foam bodied ones might be an easier buy than tie...simply because the foam flies float for days and don't get too munched after a couple good takes...I tried to tie some for last years hatch....but by the time I had them the way i liked them ... that hatch was over...

[Ralph]

Sloan's Paralyzer is easy to see and works well. Madam X is harder to see, but sometimes works when other patterns don't. The skwala females are slightly larger than the males and when an egg case is attached they are noticeably longer. There are two species of Skwala (americana and curvata) on the Y whose emergence overlaps towards the middle of February (usually). Some people think a golden stone is starting to hatch - it probably is a skwala and not a real golden. Again, slightly different sizes and colors among the subspecies and the sexes. Carry a good mix of bugs - those fish get really critical, especially after they've seen a few thousand flies. If you haven't had a grab after drifting over a rising fish a few times, take the time to tie on a different bug. Better yet, use two different adult skwala imitations on the same rig and see if one isn't getting bit more than the other.

[bigfly]

I fish the adult subsurface since they are the only stone to return into the water to lay eggs. Try presenting it under an indicator, or like a drowned hopper with a split shot on a floating line with a small swing at the end. I think the best floating pattern rides very low on the water, just check out the real thing. The two fly rig Ralf mentioned is a great way to give them a choice, One dry,one drowned!
Just a thought.

[RobK.]

Sometimes they will be under some of the loose rocks around the rivers edge , turn a few rocks over and you may find them , but not see any moving around . Many times i have found the adults there .

[ycflyfisher]

I've had great success fishing a flat wing as opposed to a fluttering wing dry pattern. Dark upper, lighter under, black hair wing flat, not flared as a prospecting pattern in moving water.

There are also definitely not two species of Skwala in the Yuba basin. Only S. Americana is present here and S. Americana is largely indistingishable from S. Curvata. Can't say I've ever seen any stones emerging in mid Feb on the Y that fall in the Skwala size range, that wasn't S. Americana.

Never have I ever really seen a lot of Skwalas on the water, but tons on the sunny side of streamside vegetation. They're lethargic on the wing at best and the females likely don't often make it out of the film after deposition. the fish definitely can be looking for 'em. Never tried the subsurface dry method that has been suggested but can see where that could be very effective on the Y.