The New Lower Yuba River

[cyama]

The new Yuba is flattened out and in some ways better for the wading angler vs a drift boat. Riffles are longer and wider so the fish are spread out. Saw some redds, but no salmon. Fishing with dry flies was better than nymphing so I was pretty happy about that. Cover water with big dry flies and attractors!!!

[Troutstalker55B]

I had a trip yesterday above the bridge, it was the first time up since the high flows of last winter. We worked up to Cliff Pool and a little further. Great new water in opinion, and with a bonus new side channel. One area that in years past was redd after redd, now is a blank canvas, too big of material for salmon to dig into. Look for an article I wrote aptly named "The Newba" in the next issue of California Fly Fisher. It covers before, during, and after the 7 big water events of 2017 that ranged from 20 to 80K, and some insight on the habitat and fishery.

Fly anglers can always get a honest and detailed accurate report from my blog, like my last Yuba River update here; https://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com/2017/11/lower-yuba-river-fly-fishing-update.html

Feel free to message, email, or call me if you have any questions on the Lower Yuba River. I'll be on the river exclusively until the end of March before heading back up to the Northern Sierra - J

https://i.imgur.com/A9owbFr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Kl08pCL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/L0TW2BA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ZMzEWZ2.jpg

[TigerLilly]

Where did all the larger fish go? I've put in 10 days in the past 3 weeks and have been sorely disappointed by the average size of the fish. Drinks seem to be the rule, and not a whole lot of them either. Salmon are basically AWOL. Grim. I'm starting to think the hassle of getting up to the Y is hardly worth the effort. Putah is probably the better option for a while. Looks like 2018 will be a recovery year after the drought and then the flood. Hopefully this winter will be kind.

[Troutstalker55B]

Where did all the larger fish go? I've put in 10 days in the past 3 weeks and have been sorely disappointed by the average size of the fish. Drinks seem to be the rule, and not a whole lot of them either. Salmon are basically AWOL. Grim. I'm starting to think the hassle of getting up to the Y is hardly worth the effort. Putah is probably the better option for a while. Looks like 2018 will be a recovery year after the drought and then the flood. Hopefully this winter will be kind.

That's the question, and I don't have the answer. One theory I have is that the smaller fish were better able to hide in the nooks and crannies while massive amounts of material moved throughout the system. Was mortality an issue with the larger fish being crushed? Or did simply the big fish get pushed down into the lower reaches. Regardless, it's been fun making challenging presentations with dry flies, and for novices the Yuba River is still a graduate school for learning the ropes. The river is in recovery mode no doubt, but it will come back much quicker than we anticipate. You might be better off on Putah if large fish is your quest. Yeah, we'll have to wait and see what the winter storms bring. That's all we can do. - J.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think the high water can push the fish's food and the fish down stream?


We are so lucky to have this wonderful wild trout stream so close to Sacramento.

We are also very lucky that it has special regulations too.

Access has always been a controversial issue too.


40 years ago it seemed we had more Steelhead and more King salmon.

In low water years in early spring we would catch nice Steelhead on the Skwala and March Brown activity.




How do we feel about removing the Diegerra dam on the Lower Yuba River?





My first exposure was driving into the Yuba Gold Fields property with some old timers in the 1970s.

I was lucky to get to ride up there with veteran anglers Joe Patterson, Joe Shirshac and George Martin.

They charged $2.00 per car to go into the property so you could fish for Shad below the dam on the south side of the river.

The Lower Yuba River below Diegerra dam is a real treat because it is usually so small and so clear.

There are a few local guide who can get you in there today.

Having the right amount of water is an issue.

I think June is a top month......

.





.

[yubaman]

Daguerre does have 2 fish ladders, but removing the dam would be great! It's main purpose is for debris control as well as a hydraulic monitor to help regulate water distribution to agricultural uses. I would bet it would entail one hell of a fight with the rice farmers to make anything happen with a removal?

I have fished the private water above the UC property for a few years now. I was really disappointed in the changes up there myself. Some of the best water was just ground into these featureless, straight runs. The first turn out of the narrows was fantastic the last few years . . . not much there now. Below that about 400 yards was the section of water I liked the most. Again mostly ground out. It seemed like the area where the water has really improved, especially for wade fishing, is below the island, well downstream. The Foundation hole has lost most of the great riffle that dumped into the hole. The best section of salmon redds on the river were up here as well, at the Upper put-in on the private property. It was just packed with fish only a year ago. I was wondering what would happen up there as the gravel was replaced with large sized cobble. It's part of the life of the river unfortunately.

When the river had another epic blowout, I want to say in about 2007(?), fishing was very tough for a couple of years, and then it exploded. Hopefully the same will happen here.

I cannot theorize on why the salmon have not returned to the Yuba. I heard the return was almost non-existent this year? I wonder what the final count was that went through the ladders at Daguerre? My educated guess for the trout is a severe depletion of food source resulted in mortality and a movement of the population. The streambed was really moved, and with it went much of the food in the system. In turning rocks when I have been up, the food source has become so minuscule right now, I am sure it would not support the previous population of fish in the river. I would bet the ranch that in a few years, the Yuba will be back as good as ever. I hope that is the case.

One good thing that has come of this for me, is diversifying my fishing locations. I got to where I was grabbing my gear and heading to the Yuba, Truckee or Trinity. This has helped get me searching out and fishing new waters once again.

[TigerLilly]

Dead on Yubaman. The UC stretch has lost much of its diversity and the fish along with it. The best fishing BY FAR this year has been the last few miles above Sycamore (no secret- it is already getting crowded).The higher you go in the system the fewer fish, the smaller fish, and most noticeably a diminishing load of bugs. I had hoped the salmon would spawn high this year and nourish the upper waters with eggs and carcasses but that utterly failed to transpire. This will be a multi year recovery. As the season progresses I expect the party will quickly move from the Yuba to the Trinity, Putah, Truckee, or Pyramid. It will require "fake news" for guides to convince their clients that it's worth dropping $500. for a day on the Y this season. Maybe the water downstream of Daguerre is where the fish are??

[Fly Right]

Daguerre does have 2 fish ladders, but removing the dam would be great! It's main purpose is for debris control as well as a hydraulic monitor to help regulate water distribution to agricultural uses. I would bet it would entail one hell of a fight with the rice farmers to make anything happen with a removal?

I have fished the private water above the UC property for a few years now. I was really disappointed in the changes up there myself. Some of the best water was just ground into these featureless, straight runs. The first turn out of the narrows was fantastic the last few years . . . not much there now. Below that about 400 yards was the section of water I liked the most. Again mostly ground out. It seemed like the area where the water has really improved, especially for wade fishing, is below the island, well downstream. The Foundation hole has lost most of the great riffle that dumped into the hole. The best section of salmon redds on the river were up here as well, at the Upper put-in on the private property. It was just packed with fish only a year ago. I was wondering what would happen up there as the gravel was replaced with large sized cobble. It's part of the life of the river unfortunately.

When the river had another epic blowout, I want to say in about 2007(?), fishing was very tough for a couple of years, and then it exploded. Hopefully the same will happen here.

I cannot theorize on why the salmon have not returned to the Yuba. I heard the return was almost non-existent this year? I wonder what the final count was that went through the ladders at Daguerre? My educated guess for the trout is a severe depletion of food source resulted in mortality and a movement of the population. The streambed was really moved, and with it went much of the food in the system. In turning rocks when I have been up, the food source has become so minuscule right now, I am sure it would not support the previous population of fish in the river. I would bet the ranch that in a few years, the Yuba will be back as good as ever. I hope that is the case.

One good thing that has come of this for me, is diversifying my fishing locations. I got to where I was grabbing my gear and heading to the Yuba, Truckee or Trinity. This has helped get me searching out and fishing new waters once again.

Per a fisheries person I spoke with the reason that the Sac and the Yuba had very low salmon returns while the Feather had a epic return is that the smolt were trucked from the Coleman and Feather hatcheries to the delta and released. They did not have an opportunity to imprint to their home waters. When they returned they followed water that felt correct to them with no instinctual sense of their natural home water which happened to be the Feather.
This makes sense for the low Sac salmon numbers this year in addition to the effect of the drought years but does not explain the Yuba which is exclusively a wild fish spawning area.

[Troutstalker55B]

Dead on Yubaman. The UC stretch has lost much of its diversity and the fish along with it. The best fishing BY FAR this year has been the last few miles above Sycamore (no secret- it is already getting crowded).The higher you go in the system the fewer fish, the smaller fish, and most noticeably a diminishing load of bugs. I had hoped the salmon would spawn high this year and nourish the upper waters with eggs and carcasses but that utterly failed to transpire. This will be a multi year recovery. As the season progresses I expect the party will quickly move from the Yuba to the Trinity, Putah, Truckee, or Pyramid. It will require "fake news" for guides to convince their clients that it's worth dropping $500. for a day on the Y this season. Maybe the water downstream of Daguerre is where the fish are??

No fake news here Annie, I call like I see it, just as my father did during his 44 year career speaking for and protecting the wild salmon, steelhead, and trout in California. For expert fly anglers like yourself I see your point, and it is respected, but for those who are learning, hiring a guide like myself who is into instruction not just numbers, goes a long way for them.

I stand by my statement that the water from the Parks Bar bridge to Cliff pool is pretty awesome, especially the new side channel. Speaking for myself, I will continue to share the positive outlook on fly fishing the Yuba River, and working with NGO's to enhance and restore what has been taken away. - J.

[cyama]

Did you guys and gals even read the part about how it is better fishing with dry flies than bobbers? The big fish in my limited knowledge of where fish go is that many of them are chowing on eggs and caddis on the Feather. Even last year I noticed that there were many Yuba looking fish on the Feather. I think they get blown over the Daguerre Dam end up in the Feather and may miss the right turn to get back to the Yuba. Same thing for the Salmon flows were higher for the Feather so that's where the salmon went. Most people don't know, but many of the salmon on the Yuba are from the Feather hatchery.

[PV_Premier]

at least they are taking dries. that's a lot more fun than the normal yuba thing at this time of year, but it'd be great if they were 20" instead of 10". i keep saying i need to bring my 3wt out there, but the minute i do that i'll tie into a 25" fish of course. last time i was out there was about 5 weeks ago during a blizzard pinky hatch. actually had a decent size fish absolutely blow up on a dry, but didn't connect. did tag 3 or 4 fish of 10-14" which were plenty fun even on the 5wt.

[amoeba]

FYI, an update (12/10/17 10am-1pm):

Dead as a doornail. No hatch. No rise. No fish caught. None reported caught by others, of which there were some when I started, and many, many others when I left. Tomorrow is another day but, the weather forecast is the same.

[Troutstalker55B]

FYI, an update (12/10/17 10am-1pm):

Dead as a doornail. No hatch. No rise. No fish caught. None reported caught by others, of which there were some when I started, and many, many others when I left. Tomorrow is another day but, the weather forecast is the same.

Fished around the Hammon Grove area with Obi Wan, raised 9 hooked 6. Light hatch of psuedos, a little bigger bwo, and a few pmd's. Some fish rising in rhythm in slack water near the banks downstream of riffles. Never went subsurface, half the fish rose for #18 sparkle dun just blind casting with no previous rise forms. Found a few fully mature skwala stones staging in the side water. There is more bugs than most anglers think. - J.

https://i.imgur.com/r04PhIx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cx0Ezi5.jpg

[amoeba]

What day? My intel says you were out Friday, I was out yesterday...did you fish Saturday, or today? BTW, I didn't rub elbows at Hammon...twas a zoo.

[Troutstalker55B]

What day? My intel says you were out Friday, I was out yesterday...did you fish Saturday, or today? BTW, I didn't rub elbows at Hammon...twas a zoo.

In the last week I've been out on Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and yesterday ( I walked far away from the Hammon Grove access area). If you would like to fish with me (not a guide trip), take a long hike, and make some observations, just PM me. - J.

[cyama]

One observation that may help some people is stand on the rocks and cast before stepping in the water. I saw several people yesterday just wade into areas where I have rose fish. Most of fish seem to be in the shallow water right next to some deeper water. See Jonny B photo above where he is standing on the rocks and casting downstream. The other thing is don't be afraid to throw larger attractor flies in size 12 to 14. Low floating flies like an emerger or cripple tied with CDC wings. Harrop type flies.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The Lower Yuba River gets everything from beginners to experts and everything in between.

That said, the daily experience can be dramatically different for everyone.

I think that the Lower Yuba River can be just as fickle for many as the Truckee River can be.

.

[EricO]

Hey Jonny B,

My wife and I fished below the bridge yesterday (Sunday) from 1-4pm. We also experienced the
same as you did.

Found a good half dozen trout rising in slack water and I'll be damned if they would take my offerings.
Had a few rise within 15 feet of me, so it was definitely my fly or tippet. Probably needed 6x.

So went down to a nice riffle and found some sporadic risers. My wife rose up two and missed 'em both, and I
rose up three, missed two (the 'ol not paying attention take), and hooked up with one feisty rainbow
that promptly spit the hook after one leap ("lower the rod tip when the fish jumps idiot", said myself).

We used bwo's and pmd's, size 18 the entire time. There was a nice little hatch of bwo's the fish were keying on in
that slack water, and they were getting slurped up.

Couple cool "neva seen that before" happenings. A guy in a single prop plane with large tires was buzzing around
the river, then he landed on a long gravel stretch Alaskan bush plane style. He got out, perused the area and
then took off again. Then another guy was buzzing up and down the river in a powered parachute. He was zig zagging
over the large gravel mounds and over the river. On our way back up towards the bridge he came along the side of us
and landed it gently on his four tires. I think I want one. :)

Thanks for the info!

Eric

[Gregg]

It will require "fake news" for guides to convince their clients that it's worth dropping $500.

Honestly if you’re only hiring a guide to go trophy hunting you probably aren’t going to the Yuba anyway. I’ve logged hundreds of days on the Yuba over the last 7 years and felt like I had it pretty wired and had never wandered above the bridge. Spending the day exploring and learning the new water upstream with Jon was incredibly fun and rewarding. I’d call myself an intermediate angler and really dialing in presentations and rigging with a guide, especially on something that you have to work for and isn’t as much of a shoe-in like the Lower Sac, is worth every penny. If I just want a picture with a big dumb fish I’ll go sit on a ladder on a lake and wait my turn. In a weird way I actually like the Yuba even more like this. It’s humbling and challenging, and we still managed plenty of fish underneath and on top to make it a super fun day.

[bigfly]

Guiding isn't about consumerism to me........do you want to learn to fish, or just catch one.
I look for clients who burn to learn.....not just scratch the itch for a fish pic.
Seems hard hearted to me, to see a fish as just a commodity, or your temporary fix.
Waded with a spawning pair of Salmon a few weeks ago.....I stood there until they forgot me and went on with their coupling. I felt humble to see something they've done for millinia, and now depend on us to survive....we should work on our attitude....
Maybe feel grateful we have water....and a river to stand in.....with a few fish survivors of our continuous abuse, to admire..
As opposed to giving them a death squeeze while ya grin for a digital hero photo for FB.

The Yuba is a little like the Truckee....it doesn't give it away easily......but if you study, they are there......
I'm finding some risers too......even well below the bridge.
And I miss rowing the island hazard, and the straight shot-slot on the right.
A river is constantly changing.........

[EricO]

I agree, the Yuba and Truckee are the rivers that have skunked me the most since I've
been fly fishing over 12+ years. Humbling. Yet sometimes, they give up some nice fish.

I have to remind myself that these fish are quite educated and see a lot of flies. So when
you can hook up with even a couple fish, yer doing quite well. Especially on the T.

I don't fish the Yuba much, but one thing....you cannot beat that easy wading! What
a cakewalk when compared to the Truckee, Upper Sac, Pit, NF Feather. Cake!

Eric O

[Rossflyguy]

Went out yesterday. Caught a decent amount and even a couple half pounder steelhead. With the amount of small fish there has to be the larger fish in there somewhere. It was my first trip back to the Yuba since last year. Saw one dead salmon carcass in the area I was in. I think the Yuba will fish well.

[Bob Loblaw]

I hit the Yuba yesterday for the first time since the flood. I fished above the bridge I have to say there's a lot more fishable water than there used to be. There are a couple of new runs and a nice side channel just above the cliff.

As always the Yuba was reluctant to give up her fish, but I did get a couple in one of the new slots, one about 14 inches.

Saw a decent amount of bug life too. There were a few what I thought were grey drakes coming off...Troutstalker55 later informed me they were brown duns...it was a bad light day, what can I say. BWOs were coming off sporadically throughout the day but there wasn't much surface action until after 3pm. I had fish rising in the first big flat above the bridge, but I couldn't set my hook quick enough with 50 feet of line out and a big mend.

Saw just one salmon carcas and one skwala.137981379913800

Great to be back on the water after a couple of months.

[Troutstalker55B]

I hit the Yuba yesterday for the first time since the flood. I fished above the bridge I have to say there's a lot more fishable water than there used to be. There are a couple of new runs and a nice side channel just above the cliff.

As always the Yuba was reluctant to give up her fish, but I did get a couple in one of the new slots, one about 14 inches.

Saw a decent amount of bug life too. There were a few what I thought were grey drakes coming off...Troutstalker55 later informed me they were brown duns...it was a bad light day, what can I say. BWOs were coming off sporadically throughout the day but there wasn't much surface action until after 3pm. I had fish rising in the first big flat above the bridge, but I couldn't set my hook quick enough with 50 feet of line out and a big mend.

Saw just one salmon carcas and one skwala.137981379913800

Great to be back on the water after a couple of months.

Great seeing you on the water Bob! I was wrong, those were indeed Gray Drakes. The secondary wing is the clue to distinguishing the two apart. On the brown dun there is a notch near the tip, the Gray Drake does not have that.

https://i.imgur.com/omD4he5.jpg

For an accurate report on current conditions click here; https://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com/2018/01/lower-yuba-river-fly-fishing-report_16.html

-J.