Lower Sac, Feather, Yuba Rivers Fishing Report

[RJSFLYTRIP]

Alright.......it has been a while since my last post. I have been on the water everyday for the last two weeks and below you can find what I have seen and saw. There are lots of people fishing out there but this is an honest and straight forward fishing report. Enjoy!

Here is the current fishing report:

Feather: The BIG news is that there are tons of salmon in the Feather. It looks like it did 8-10 years ago. Right now there are too many salmon in the way! So get pumped because it is setting up like a huge year over there. I have already guided it twice and there is fish in the system. One day hooked 14 fish and the other 10. A mix of adults and half pounders between 24-18". I am excited to see what November is going to hold. Hot flies are eggs!!

Lower Sac: The Sac has had an interesting month thus far. The salmon are really late. Fish are still moving into the system daily. It is setting up like the egg bite is going to happen the last week of October. Currently we are still fishing nymphs. I had a 30+ fish day today and never tied an egg on. Don't these salmon know that it is October? Wait maybe the 93 degree weather has them confused. The egg bite is going to happen it is just going to be later in the month. Hot flies have been tan pupahs, micro mays, birds nest, red copper johns, etc.

Lower Lower Sac: I have spent four days this week fishing below Red Bluff. The trout fishing has been solid with all days resulting in 20+ rainbows. Every day we are hooking steelhead. Once again it has been a mix of half pounders and adults. This week I had clients hook 2 big 8lb fish on this lower drift. One big buck just kicked our butt and the other hen we had right to the boat before we lost her. I was seriously heart broken. The numbers of steelhead has been good. Expect the numbers to keep increasing over the next month. The later you get into November the better this drift becomes. Hot flies have been rubberlegs, red copper johns, micro mays, etc.

Yuba: The Yuba is back to its normal self. For those of you that were lucky enough to fish this river from the middle of September to the first of October it was truly impressive. The Yuba had a big early push of salmon and it got all of those trout fired up. We were averaging 30+ hookups for three weeks. But now it is back to normal with my last three days out there giving up about 20 hookups. The hot bugs have been eggs and small mayfly nymphs.


I have several prime dates still open for November for anyone wanting to fish the Feather or Lower Lower Sac.

November 1, 4-5, 9-11 (PRIME DATES!)


Well that is what I have seen.....hope this helps you guys out.

Tight Lines!

[PMD]

Thanks for the report Ryan. Lots of good info. My buddy Al and I had a blast with you on the Yuba a few weeks ago.

-Taylor F.

[amoeba]

Been to all those places, recently, and it has been below average if not very slow. Some fish are being caught; but mostly skunks. Better than last year, which is not saying much, but the salmon runs are still way, way, down - as is the fish interest in eggs. I would wait for verifying reports from others before heading out again to the yuba, feather, lower sac. Aside from the slow fishing - the fishing pressure unusually high. There is some weather today and that may make things interesting, at least cut down on fair-weather fishermen, and on the sunburn.

Where I have been catching tons of fish (5-6/hr in hand) - is not in any of these places, mostly fishing the 1,000-2,000 ft elevation range. Excellent dry fly fishing from #20 PMD to #8 October caddis (after 5 pm). And no one else there. Elsewhere, the usuals are being pounded to smithereens (e carson/truckee) but are still producing decent action; but it's rare to have more than 10 minutes before encountering people.

[Darrin.Deel]

I have been focusing on the Lower Sac and Feather this week and I can pretty much assure everyone that this is a very accurate report. Yes, there are lots of boats and anglers but there are still plenty of fish.

[Hogan Brown]

Ryan that is about as accurate as it gets. I have been on 2 of those rivers this week as well and would say those reports are pretty damn accurate.

smack talkers remember as guides we cover 6-15miles of river and spend about 8-10 hours on the water. If you are just going into one or two riffles and wade fishing for a few hours of course your not gonna match numbers with guys floating and fishing 8-10 hours a day. Take from reports the information you can...flies, where fish are, etc.

Crowds...one boat on the yuba today (me) and 2 groups of waders...Fishing was fair like Ryan said.

[Seamus]

RJ's report on the upper lower sac is right on . I guided it on saturday and did not see many salmon redds, but we wacked them on one of Hogans patterns all day. Hogan I owe you a beer if I ever meet you. Guided that river that begins with a T today and there are more salmon on redds than in the sac, but there are no fish to be caught so you should forget about it until next year. :nod:

Shan

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I have heard of more salmon this year in some valley rivers.

[amoeba]

The only respondants thus far are guides; not a single client, not any other fishermen. That speaks legion. There are a few fish being caught, but not many. The salmon runs remain far below average. Until and unless that changes which there is no hint that it has, temper your expectations and plan accordingly.

1 boat and 2 waders yesterday? Huh? I saw quite a few people on the Yuba yesterday; many more than 1 boat and 2 waders. I saw that many before I got out of my car. Didn't see a soul hook a fish.

When fishing get's good, someone else besides a guide will let us know.

[pvsprme]

I had the pleasure of fishing with Ryan and found him to be the hardest working guide I've met. Very self-effacing, humble and a good guy. I'd take his report verbatim.
Robert

[Hogan Brown]

Amoeba .... wow man you are a real debbie downer ... just telling everyone what I saw on the river while I was out there sunday and standing up for one of my best friends. Also read my post. I didn't say 2 waders I said, "2 groups of waders" which consisted of about 6 people.

Also I didn't say fishing was good. It was fair and we had to work hard for our fish, but sense we spent 10 hours on the river and drifted from the bridge to the dam we were able to put up some numbers.

Furthermore, you are wrong about the salmon returns. Salmon returns on the feather and Yuba are up from previous years. Check the hatchery data from the feather river hatchery and counts over daguerre on the Yuba. Now if you are taking the average from a decade ago, or even two, no they are still low. Improvement is improvement though.

Just cause no one around you is catching fish doesn't mean there isn't fish to be caught fishing out of a boat makes a big difference.

If you don't like reports from guides, don't want to use the information in them to catch some fish, and want to maintain an over all negative attitude towards guides that is your business. Bottom line is there is going to be a lot more reports from guides than casual anglers, we are on the water a whole lot more, its your gig if you want to pay attention to them, but don't question mine or ryan's integrity and honesty just cause we are guide.

[Scott V]

Well said Hogan!

[bigfly]

Guys, I've noticed over the years, that the fishermen that need the most help, are least likely to listen. They've got it figured already.
Can't bear guides, the very people who could help.
Literally argue with you about setting, when their bobber goes down.
They have to fish a dry when no noses are showing.
Must swing a bugger during a rising storm of BWO's.
Won't have fun and, attempt to convince you not too as well..
I help those that want info, and ignore the rest.
More fun that way. Oh, and by the way, it's pretty sweet up here right now.
Contrary to unpopular opinion....

Personally, I've learned not blame the fish, if I'm not catching them.....(and certainly not a guide).

Thanks for the water reports, I'll sure be useing that info.

Jim

[PMD]

I posted earlier because I went out with Ryan Sept. 30th. and the last fish we caught for the day put us right at 30 hook-ups for the day. (Landed just over half of those). I was amazed at how many salmon were in the river. Also being my first ever guided trip, it was easy to see just how much more water you cover from the drift boat and how much longer your flies are in productive water.

-Taylor

[huntindog]

Hogan is a lieing S.O.S. worse, he is a giants fan. I would trust anything he says. :D

[medfly]

amoeba .... Wow man you are a real debbie downer ... Just telling everyone what i saw on the river while i was out there sunday and standing up for one of my best friends. Also read my post. I didn't say 2 waders i said, "2 groups of waders" which consisted of about 6 people.

Also i didn't say fishing was good. It was fair and we had to work hard for our fish, but sense we spent 10 hours on the river and drifted from the bridge to the dam we were able to put up some numbers.

Furthermore, you are wrong about the salmon returns. Salmon returns on the feather and yuba are up from previous years. Check the hatchery data from the feather river hatchery and counts over daguerre on the yuba. Now if you are taking the average from a decade ago, or even two, no they are still low. Improvement is improvement though.

Just cause no one around you is catching fish doesn't mean there isn't fish to be caught fishing out of a boat makes a big difference.

If you don't like reports from guides, don't want to use the information in them to catch some fish, and want to maintain an over all negative attitude towards guides that is your business. Bottom line is there is going to be a lot more reports from guides than casual anglers, we are on the water a whole lot more, its your gig if you want to pay attention to them, but don't question mine or ryan's integrity and honesty just cause we are guide.


oh snap!!!!!!!!

[sierraholic]

I have fished with RJ as a client the past 3 years (about 8 total days), and after every trip, I read his reports. His reports are exactly what happened that day. The latest report for the Feather River was my latest two day trip. It is word for word what we experienced that day. Lots and lots of salmon to fish around(and work for RJ), with some hook ups on quality steelhead. While not high in quantity, I would call 5 steelies between 20" and 24" on the second day (and several more half pounders under 20" both days), pretty awesome! Last October we hit a 60+ fish day(between two anglers) on the lower Sac from Sundial downstream to near Anderson. If I had told someone that, they would never believe it. RJ is by far the best guide myself and my buddy have ever used. This is coming from two guys who have fished with guides at Lees Ferry, the Lower Owens, the Snake, etc. Book him once and you won't be disappointed! Your great day will also end up in his factual fishing report!

Thanks RJ for another great trip!
Chad

[amoeba]

I posted earlier because I went out with Ryan Sept. 30th. and the last fish we caught for the day put us right at 30 hook-ups for the day. (Landed just over half of those). I was amazed at how many salmon were in the river. Also being my first ever guided trip, it was easy to see just how much more water you cover from the drift boat and how much longer your flies are in productive water.


-Taylor


2 people + 15 fish = 7-8 fish/per person/per day. If you actually counted them; which you did not. And, judging by the round numbers - neither did your guide.

Here's what I see: round numbers, no verification by anyone other than the guide and his client, no specifics - nothing on description of the flies, nothing about the depth, the water temperature, the technique, the rod.

Then we get to the advertisement about open dates. Real specific there. And plenty of them. After a couple dozen of the same thing (a bunch of fish caught with no information -plus the advertising) - it gets more than a bit old. This website already has rules - which just aren't being followed.

I'm not saying all guide reports are useless - but this one doesn't have much in it.

Hogan, you are right about the salmon runs being up - how could they not be? There were ~1,500 fish on the Yuba all last year, a near historic low. What you are looking at is low, clear, water, at a return so far of roughly 2,000 Yuba fish - that's somewhere around 15% of the long term average. 5-6 thousand? PPPFFFFTTTT.

When there are 10-17 thousand fish coming back, let me know; until then, the only reason to fish the Yuba would be to get a burger and watch the game at Pre-Game in Marysville afterwards. Go Giants!!!

[amoeba]

http://www.yubaaccordrmt.com/RMT%20Data/RMT%20update%20all%20(3-2-10).pdf

Just in case you thought I was low-balling; this year ain't no great shakes neither. The device is just fish which pass the ladder, doesn't include fish that spawned below Daguerre and never entered the ladder. There is also a carcass count estimate that is similar, I believe (those are the fish you see which are chopped in half - which is done by a survey crew).

[bonneville54]

Yuba: The Yuba is back to its normal self. For those of you that were lucky enough to fish this river from the middle of September to the first of October it was truly impressive. The Yuba had a big early push of salmon and it got all of those trout fired up. We were averaging 30+ hookups for three weeks. But now it is back to normal with my last three days out there giving up about 20 hookups. The hot bugs have been eggs and small mayfly nymphs.


I have several prime dates still open for November for anyone wanting to fish the Feather or Lower Lower Sac.

November 1, 4-5, 9-11 (PRIME DATES!)





2 people + 15 fish = 7-8 fish/per person/per day. If you actually counted them; which you did not. And, judging by the round numbers - neither did your guide.

Here's what I see: round numbers, no verification by anyone other than the guide and his client, no specifics - nothing on description of the flies, nothing about the depth, the water temperature, the technique, the rod.

Then we get to the advertisement about open dates. Real specific there. And plenty of them. After a couple dozen of the same thing (a bunch of fish caught with no information -plus the advertising) - it gets more than a bit old. This website already has rules - which just aren't being followed.

It seems you hold an interesting opinion in regards to the meaninglessness of round numbers. (although 15 isn't round)

The OP did say "about" 20, so it might have been 19, which, I assume, would make his report more believable to you. He did mention flies, i.e. eggs and small mayfly nymphs. Not enough? You're right, no mention of the rods used, water temp, etc. Omitting those facts seems to have the same effect on you as do round numbers...hmm?

Now...are you complaining about advertising on the DB in general? Or just those adverts that are specific? If it's allowed, why would someone generalize about his or her services?

" I have some dates...sometime in November" Is that better?

Amoeba, (fascinating nom de guerre, btw) I guess I don't get your consternation. If you're upset with some transgression of the DB rules, why not take it up with moderators? Or perhaps, you've taken it as your duty to protect us gullible types from unscrupulous guides and false advertising.

Speaking for myself, I don't need it.

[Hogan Brown]

Amoeba this is what I said:

"Furthermore, you are wrong about the salmon returns. Salmon returns on the feather and Yuba are up from previous years. Check the hatchery data from the feather river hatchery and counts over daguerre on the Yuba. Now if you are taking the average from a decade ago, or even two, no they are still low. Improvement is improvement though."

Pretty much exactly in line with the numbers that YCWA released earlier this week...I get those emails to when the data is released ....Still low but better than the previous years. I tend to be more opportunistic. Improvement is improvement.

Also I encourage you to stay home. There is no fish in the L. Yuba and me and Ryan totally make up all our reports. They are all lies and we are just trying to get people in our drift boats to sell them on this pyramid scheme we have along with this religous colony we are starting in Browns Valley. That feels good to get that finally, after 14 years of guiding, off my chest.

[Sturmer White]

Amoeba
I have fished with Ryan several times and he is a top guide. I have always caught many fish when with him and he works very hard. I recomended him to my friends in the fly club and all were happy going with him. Try it you might like it!

Sturmer White

[huntindog]

the not catching fish amongst no spawning salmon sure was alot of fun yesterday...i highly recomend everyone stay home...amoeba is correct...there are no fish. (think i need to go ice my arm and take an advil or 4)..

[WinterrunRon]

Talk about raining on a parade! Begeezers... what's the point? :confused: Should he have submitted a draft for editing and approval prior to posting? C'mon man.

[WinterrunRon]

In other words, let's try and keep it positive... plenty of opportunity for negativity over in the Steelhead Forum (where it usually resides) and the season is just beginning! ;)