North Fork Yuba River Report

[Troutstalker55B]

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The wild trout are looking up on the North Fork Yuba River and it's all about the dry fly now. I've been guiding and fishing both below and above Sierra City with great clients and enthusiastic hungry rainbows. Water temps in the morning have been 56.3 rising to 61 degrees in the afternoon. Flows are near perfect conditions, personally I like the flows just a tad less which makes for better dry fly fishing. Fishing pressure remains light and those who are fishing are staying in one spot. My advice and Cyberfly's motto is "Stick and move, stick and move" which boils down to work your way upstream and cover a lot of water for big number days.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i424/moto55b/NorthForkYuba803_3_1.jpg

It's a banner year for the Golden Stone, I've never seen so many shucks on one rock before! Plenty of female adults ovipositing during the day. Overall Caddis flies ranging from #12-18 are the most prolific aquatic insects right now, Yellow Sallies are not far behind. PED spinners are out in the evening mating and laying eggs as well.

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Wild rainbows range from 5-12" and are very eager for anything on top. I have caught all my fish on my foam hopper, gray bottom with hints of yellow through the mid section, and a tan top size 10. For my clients I used the same fly but with a BH PT flashback dropper in a 16. We found fish in the usual spots, the deeper slicks and riffles. But many fish were in skinny shaded frog water, and when that hopper was drifted through they would dart out from their cave and attack! Some trout took the hopper so slow and confidently that you just knew they thought it was the real thing - I like that!

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The PCT does not provide good fishing access because of "The Gorge", it's impossible for an angler to navigate around. But it's worth the short hike down to see Loves Falls. While your down there check out the drift wood high on the rock walls upstream of the PCT bridge; That will give a picture of the huge volume of water that passes through here!

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i424/moto55b/NorthForkYuba816_13_1.jpg

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Drop everything you're doing, now is the time to fish the North Fork Yuba! The river will fish well all summer long but keep in mind as the weather gets hotter it's best to move up the water shed with an emphasis on mornings and evenings. Attractor flies like red and yellow humpys size 14-18 will be productive during the day when the hatches are sparse, or try the club sandwich hopper - Just keep it on the small side.

I absolutely love this river, it's loud, rough, and so damn beautiful! The best is yet come as the Seep Spring, Scarlet, and Lewis's monkey flowers have not even popped yet. I'll be back up this coming Sunday introducing some more fly anglers to this most amazing river, and at the end of the day I get to hear them scream "This place rules"!

[EricO]

Nice pics Jon. I love the NF Yuba....been fishing it for years. Just wish I had a place in Downieville to chill for multiple days. Love Downieville, Sierra City and that whole dang area!
I think I need to pickup a 1wt for the NF.

Those pics make me want to go for a swim...looks so refreshing!!!!!

Amazing that the small fish will take such a big hopper pattern. A little ambitious to swallow that thing.

EO

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

"...My advice and Cyberfly's motto is "Stick and move, stick and move" which boils down to work your way upstream and cover a lot of water for big number days."

Jon---Yes,...and "...float like a butterfly and sting like a bee"...:unibrow:

Your 5th image down...That's the area and specific pool we spoke about this morning...correct?

Per our conversation...let's start brainstorming the "Frankie & Jonnie Truckee River to Middle Fork of the Feather Tour"...this fall or next spring. :shock: It will be amazing!...taking sign-ups NOW.

Frank R. Pisciotta...aka CyberFly!

www.cyberfly.com

[Troutstalker55B]

Frank,

The 5th picture down is the pool downstream of the pocket water not the one upstream on the dog leg left. The boss will be home soon, I'll let you know if I can come up before Tuesday.

Jon.

[Adam Grace]

Nice Photo Report!! I love to see that many photos accompany a report :)

[Woodman]

Jon,

I agree. I fished it Monday on my way back from Lake Davis. Did well at several spots upstream of Downieville. Morning as great, after noon was tougher and I headed home about 2. Foam hopper was productive, as was a heavy nymph on a dropper.

I had almost forgotten how beautiful it is on that river.

[royewest]

A little off topic, but you did mention monkeyflowers ; )

There is a delightful and rare monkeyflower on the NF Feather you can see easily by parking in Pulga and walking downstream along the RR tracks and just before you get to the bridge, look up at the rock face: "Shield-bracted monkeyflower"

http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=5516

Probably in bloom now....

P.S. Thanks for the lovely pics. Can't wait to explore the NFY one day soon.

[left field]

I'm new to fly fishing but have fished this twice in the past month. Mostly between SC and Ladies Canyon with a trip up to the confluence of the Haypress and Yuba. It's a nice river for a novice.

Dropping down from SC it seems that you have to travel a quite a few miles before the river meets up with the road and there are pulloffs. Has anyone fished the river between? There are a few unmarked roads that lead down, but I wasn't sure if they were private so I stayed out.

Someone mentioned that the MF of the Feather is reasonable driving distance from there. Any tips as to where to fish?

I may head back there in August.

Thanks.

[Troutstalker55B]

Left Field,

Lots of private property on the NFYR below Sierra City, but keep this in mind; if you enter on public land you can walk for a long way as long as you stay in the high water mark.

The Middle Fork Feather is only fishable morning and evening, Water temps are 74 degrees during the day in the upper river. It's about 35 minutes from Sierra City to the MFFR at the 89 bridge outside of Graeagle.

Jon.

[left field]

Thanks, Jon. I figured it was private but most is unmarked so I wanted to be sure. I'm sure if I start at the first pulloff and work my way up I'd hit water that rarely gets fished.

MFF sounds good for the afternoon. If I hit that bridge do I move up or down? I can't find much info online.

By the way, I'm considering your Yuba entomology class if I can make the dates work.

[flycast]

Left Field,

The Loganville Forest Service campground west of Sierra City is a good access point. There's a marked miner's trail down to the river at the back end of the campground, and you can work your way up or downstream from there.

Am enjoying this thread and Jon's pictures, the Yuba North Fork is a gem of a river, my favorite since the dredge miner's are gone.....miles of great fishing, wildlife and great areas to explore and discover. Was up there yesterday, and had a family of river otters playing in a pool above me. Have fun!

[left field]

Stayed there one night, but didn't think to fish it. I'll check it out. Thanks. Prefer the Wild Plum campground for camping.

I agree, it's a really pretty river and for a novice a great river to cut your teeth on.

Heading to the USac this weekend, but the weather looks better for swimming than fishing.

[Troutstalker55B]

LF,

MFFR - Way too warm to fish in town now, 74 degrees is bad! Go below Two Rivers where Jamison creek enters the last two hours of light.

Jon.

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Jon
The 74* temp I took on Saturday was below Camp Layman. The MF Feather is done until fall. Go elsewhere.

Jay

[Frank R. Pisciotta]

Jon---You started this thread with images/commentary of the NFY. I hope you don't mind I'd like to share some more images with the BB.

Please visit www.flyfishingcalifornia.blogspot.com and go to the two following posts:

1---8/25/2010; Photo Essay...North Fork of the Yuba

2---9/6/2010; NF Yuba II

Frank R. Pisciotta

[Woodman]

Jon
The 74* temp I took on Saturday was below Camp Layman. The MF Feather is done until fall. Go elsewhere.

Jay

I didn't check the water temperature, but I did quite well on the MFFR below the LaPorte bridge last Friday during the heat of the day noon - 2 or so.

[left field]

Heading back to the NFY this week for two days. Like to try and work my way into some smaller streams with a light fibreglass rod - up Haypress and the Y north of Sierra City.

Is there access along Haypress or do I wander up from Wild Plum campground?

Anything else to check out in the area - other than the Truckee?

Thanks.

[left field]

So...

How best to get up Haypress to the brook trout? Walk up from Wild Plum or is there a drivable access?

Love some ideas about smaller streams in the area.

For my last day before heading back should I hit the MFFR or lower Yuba?

Thanks.

[John Sv]

Hi,
Haypress and Milton are accessible from Wild Plum. Haypress should be super low right now. Milton has tiny tiny bows in it. Haypress in the mid section (take Haypress trail up from WP) has some foot-long bows. Upeer Haypress (from Fibreboard Road, then the 12 road) has some fun pools with little brookies in it.

Skinny water right now though, for sure. The upper N Fork Yuba (above the Salmon Crk confluence) might be a better bet right now for a small stream-fix.

[left field]

Thanks. Salmon Creek is below Bassetts isn't it? How's the Yuba between SC and D-ville right now?

I have three days to fish from SF and will drive in any direction for some small to mid-size water. Kennedy Meadows is now looking pretty tempting.

[Troutstalker55B]

Salmon creek is below Bassets. The bridge on Wild Plum road offers good access both upstream and downstream on the NFYR. The entire river is fishing good right now, I've been spending most my time between Downieville and Sierra City and BWO's are out in mid morning. Bigger fish in the deeper pools are being a little more receptive to flies as well, bobicate small copper johns, and military mays at different depths for best results. Hard not to have a great time in one of the most beautiful watersheds in California!

Jon.

[left field]

Damn. I just started researching the MF Stanislaus which looks beautiful.

But if it's fishing well I may head up to the yuba and have some fun. Have the brown trout moved up yet?

[left field]

So I've decided to try the Truckee on Thursday since I'll be so close. Check out Mountain Hardware and see take their advice.

How hard can it be, right?

[ICE]

Any one have any experience fishing the section above New Bullards Bar and below 49? I've always wanted to check it out in the fall.
P.M.'s welcome.
ICE

[Ralph]

I've fished there a lot, not because the fishing is very good, but because it is a beautiful and wild stretch of real estate. BB reservoir is very steep walled and low productivity. Good for spots and small kokes but that's about it. In the fall there is a kokanee run, but very few browns. Smallish resident rainbows, but fewer than you'll find above Downieville. Water temps in the lower stretch get very warm in the summer.

Big pot growing scene. Since the suction dredgers left the only people I've run into are growers. If you see fancy pick up trucks at the trailhead, probably not a good idea to leave your car parked there and even less good idea to wander around the watershed.