L Yuba R - Evening Hatch?

[Pupa]

Thinking about a surgical strike on the Yube this evening. Can anyone confirm if the caddis/pmd's are coming off like the epic hatches of yesteryear? Thanks!

[PV_Premier]

Did you make it out? What did you learn?

Usually late April-mid June are the best times for evening surface action on the Lower Yuba. With the high water this year maybe things are running behind. I haven't been on the river yet in 2017, sad to say.

[Pupa]

I did not make it out. However, given the deafening silence, one can only presume the fishing is dynamite.

Years ago, the summer evenings (into July if i recall correctly) were pretty incredible with caddis but I have not been back in a long time...

[Sheepdog8404]

I'm willing to bet that swinging a caddis pattern on a small trout spey would produce...

[PV_Premier]

I did not make it out. However, given the deafening silence, one can only presume the fishing is dynamite.

Years ago, the summer evenings (into July if i recall correctly) were pretty incredible with caddis but I have not been back in a long time...

I went out last Friday night the 21st. Got to the river at 5;30 and quit just before dark.

The changes in the riverbed are incredible and it is really a completely new river that we have to learn. Virtually none of the runs look anything like what they used to with the possible exception of the "washout" run. My general perception is that the river is wider in most places, but also that there are more deeper slots than in the past.

The fishing was so-so at best. I hooked several small fish early in the session on PT nymphs. Small fish were rising in side flats on very small insects, probably size 22-24 midges. Very sparse caddis hatch about 30 minutes before dark. I caught zero fish on dry flies and had one take on a hopper pattern that I did not hook.

I didn't observe a fish over 12-13" at all and all the fish I hooked were 8-12".

[VinnySteel]

That has been my experience as well, lots of first year fish. I haven't caught anything over 10" out there

[PV_Premier]

It is strange because prior to now (post-high water) I've never caught a fish UNDER 12" on the lower Yuba, and the average for me has been a solid 16-17"...and I've caught a lot of fish out there since moving here 5 years ago.

I don't think I believe that all the bigger fish got pushed over Daguerre or otherwise killed...maybe our longer term experts on the river have some perspectives?