Yellow Creek

[beachjumper1]

any info,advise,how are the roads,camping etc ??

[SLOwag]

I've been there once and will go back...it's a technical spring creek that you should fish while on your knees to lower your profile. The campground was fine with good spring water that was too cold to stick your head into. There's a shop in Lake Almanor that you should contact before going. Did I mention that it's a very scenic valley but can trap the smoke if there are fires in the area.

[joshfish]

read a nice write up on yellow creek in northwest fly fisherman. if i remember right they said 3wt rods and be sneaky. dont know about the camping but you can make a day trip from redding, redbluff or any of the nearby towns.

[JJ]

There is a campground at the meadow section of Yellow Creek and it is really nice. I would camp there so that you could fish the meadow section and then hike down and fish the canyon section.

[Randy B]

Fished it last summer for the first time. I agree with the other posts - small spring creek, 3-weight fishery and Humbug Valley is beautiful. Although I didn't camp, parked at the campground and fished the meadow section. Camp host was nice and only three campsites were occupied. A number of campsites back to the creek. If I recall correctly, there were roughly 7 miles of dirt roads to the campground.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

An old friend tries to fish it yearly during the Green Drake hatch in June.

[EricO]

I have fished Yellow creek several times. That is some tough fishing. One piece
of advice that I neglected....do not sleep in. The wind starts around 9am in the morning and blows thru Humbug Valley all day (at least it has every time I've fished it).

So I would fish it first light til the dang wind...then again when it stops. I could almost
set a clock to when you'd hear the wind a comin..........

EO

[Craig Nielsen]

Yellow Creek is the first place I took my wife fishing, a bit over 25 years ago and a place I love and have returned to often. It is an absolute gem. California Trout has done an incredible job restoring it by removing cattle from the valley.

It can be challenging and technical but can also be very rewarding for those who come to know it intimately. The meadow section has beautiful wildflowers and finicky Browns that sip mayflies with fairly predictable hatches. As Bill mentions the Green Drakes in spring are perhaps the best if you hit them just right. On the other hand the canyon downstream has fiesty Rainbows that are wild and eager.

The camping and scenery are exceptional, a magical place for a weekend retreat to gaze at the stars while you sit by the campfire and sip your favorite beverage.

I hope I didn't go too nostalgic on you ;>)

[michaeln]

I made several trips to YC in the 1980s. Yes, very tough fishing, but I remember Humbug Valley and Yellow Creek as the single most beautiful place I have ever been. I don't think I am a good enough fisherman for that place though.

[Adam Grace]

I have fished Yellow Creek enough to know that you fight to catch those fish unless there is a strong hatch going on. I've only hit 2 hatches in 5 or 6 trips there in the meadow section. It is beautiful but it can be VERY challenging. The trout are easy to spook, tread softly and don't stand up unless you are far away from the pool/stretch. The wild grasses and foliage will easily snag your fly due to poor casting or casting difficulties due to the wind.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/flyguyag/fishing/IMGP2377.jpg

If you are still a rookie or you haven't learned how to properly control your casting I would put this trip on the back burner until you have improved your skills. I've taken beginner friends out there without much of any success. But it's worth the trip through the logging roads because the scenery is worth it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/flyguyag/fishing/IMGP2378.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/flyguyag/fishing/IMGP2744.jpg

With some good casting along with good presentations there's a lot of little browns like these as your reward:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/flyguyag/fishing/IMGP2373.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/flyguyag/fishing/IMGP2372.jpg

I've heard of some big browns in there, have never seen any but they are very in clear water like that especially with deep pool and undercut banks there are plenty of places for them to find shelter and camouflage.

Good luck, if you go.

[Nick B]

Adam, nice fish and good advice. That bottom "brownie" looks a tad like a brook trout though...

[beachjumper1]

:DThank you all specially the pictures. catch fish or not I'm going,I can always take photos catching fish is a bonus. now its just watching the weather thanks again George

[Adam Grace]

Nick, now that I look closer at that picture I think that you're right.... no dark spots with halos.

[Troutstalker55B]

Adam,

Here is a tip for those big browns in Yellow creek. Find the deepest darkest undercut, then use a very heavy black zonker and put a split shot the size of a cannon ball right
in front of the fly. Just drop the zonker in front of the undecut and start jigging and let it bounce off the bottom - It may not be pretty fly fishing but it does get results.

JB

[fishinFed]

My wife and I fished Yellow Creek toward the end of last May with some good friends, and we had a wonderful time. Despite being a holiday weekend, there were very few people on the stream (once we got a couple hundred yards away from the campground), and we caught quite a good number of Rainbows, Browns and Brookies. I don't recall anything much bigger than 10", but they were all good fighters. It is indeed a beautiful valley, and the canyon section downstream of the campground, although a bit rugged, is lots of fun and full of fish. It's the kind of place everyone should see at least once.

[wineslob]

I've fished it several times just below the campground. I always found the fishing good, however no "big" fish. Now, if you go to Belden PH and go about 1-2 miles upstream...................:-D

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Adam,

Here is a tip for those big browns in Yellow creek. Find the deepest darkest undercut, then use a very heavy black zonker and put a split shot the size of a cannon ball right
in front of the fly. Just drop the zonker in front of the undecut and start jigging and let it bounce off the bottom - It may not be pretty fly fishing but it does get results.

JB

Jon----I thought the Maloney boys just did that....;-)

Does the kid, being the purist he is, have the necessary dry fly skills for success in Humbug valley?

I'm sure it is snowing at your place just as it is snowing in Truckee right now...the fish need it.

Frank

[thekid]

Grew up on that creek. Yes it is a challenge. However I was lucky to have fished with such great guys in my youth.

[Troutstalker55B]

Frank,

It was indeed "thekid" who showed me that technique. Yeah, still snowing and we are right about at 16" of precip for the season, the best in 5 years or so. Keep it coming as Lake Davis needs it, I only wish Eagle was getting the same weather. Keep blogging away, I'm enjoying it..........

JB

[Adam Grace]

JB, I've tried streamers out there before but only one grab from a smaller fish early in the season. I'll try a cannon ball next time ;-)

[Troutstalker55B]

Adam, just jig it until that big brown gets so pissed he attacks your fly due to sheer
hate. It's been about 10 years since I've been there, I sure would like to make a
few trips this year.

JB

[YEM]

I've fished at Yellow Creek a little bit, in the hottest part of the day, just in the meadow section. I want to go back when the sun is low and I'd like to check out the lower section too. In the few hours I've fished here I caught only one fish, a small brown. But I'm not an expert. Here is a picture of me with my dachshund. Am I standing back far enough from the stream?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4486548367_ebbe94c301_o.jpg

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Frank,
It was indeed "thekid" who showed me that technique.
Yeah, still snowing and we are right about at 16" of precip for the season, the best in 5 years or so. Keep it coming as Lake Davis needs it, I only wish Eagle was getting the same weather.
Keep blogging away, I'm enjoying it..........
JB

So "the kid" has amended his evil ways and is now a purist?

As for the snow; we received about 4" yesterday & none thus far today, Indeed, keep it coming.

I too am enjoying the blogging...let's share then www.flyfishingcalifornia.blogspot.com

Frank R. Pisciotta