Quick Yuba report 1/20

[yubaman]

Fished the Yuba yesterday down around the island and lower to avoid any crowds. Nice day, great weather. Would have loved a few clouds. As has been seen in other reports, no shortage of people on the water yesterday. Only one guided drift boat all day . . . hard to believe.

The water is really low and absolutely gin clear. Your "A" presentation is required. There was a nice Mayfly hatch from about 1 pm - 2pm yesterday, with fishing rising to them in the usual places. NO Skwalas sighted yesterday . . . yes 0 Skwalas . . . who knows why? My winning fly was a Purple Haze, size 16. Personally, I like the Split Post Purple Haze, and that's what I threw for a dry that worked. No action on any Skwala dry that I threw.

I love these Yuba fish. 12" fish is peeling line off of a 5 weight on decent drag. These fish are always combat ready. I bet these rains forecast for the next 2 weeks will start pushing the river around. The river needs it, and God knows so do the reservoirs.

That's the short quick report!


Bob

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks for the complete report......

Sounds like 'matching the hatch' is very necessary.

[Mr T]

With the rain forecast I went out Sunday- fished lower and did not have the crowds as expected. Did get an olive hatch, plenty of bugs, and was able to get a couple to take on a 16 parachute bwo, including a very nice sucker. (I'm not proud!)

Pretty windy!

[Quinnphoto]

With the rain forecast I went out Sunday- fished lower and did not have the crowds as expected. Did get an olive hatch, plenty of bugs, and was able to get a couple to take on a 16 parachute bwo, including a very nice sucker. (I'm not proud!)

Pretty windy!

Any fish on the Yuba is a win :)

[PV_Premier]

A sucker on a dry?!? Hell, that is an accomplishment if you ask me.

[yubaman]

I agree. Any dry fly that can bring a sucker up should be in the fly fishing Hall of Fame . . . or maybe it was the excellent presentation by the guy on the end of the rod????!!!

[Mr T]

A sucker on a dry?!? Hell, that is an accomplishment if you ask me.


I agree. Any dry fly that can bring a sucker up should be in the fly fishing Hall of Fame . . . or maybe it was the excellent presentation by the guy on the end of the rod????!!!



I should be so good - pre hatch I started with a Walt's Worm and PT dropper, and got the sucker on on the WW - I think the hot spot caught his attention.

In 30 plus years, I don't think I've ever hooked a sucker on a dry!

[PV_Premier]

In 30 plus years, I don't think I've ever hooked a sucker on a dry!

On the SF of the Snake we occasionally see whitefish caught on dries, even that is an accomplishment in my book...though it's always strange to me that grayling will routinely rise while whiteys will not. I have been learning (unintentionally) how to catch them on the swing...not super proud of it...

[Ralph]

For what ever reason, the suckers in Martis Lake readily rise during a hatch.

[yubaman]

Whitey’s . . . You mean the Whistling Rainbow Trout don’t you?

[dave earl]

Fished the Yuba yesterday down around the island and lower to avoid any crowds. Nice day, great weather. Would have loved a few clouds. As has been seen in other reports, no shortage of people on the water yesterday. Only one guided drift boat all day . . . hard to believe.

The water is really low and absolutely gin clear. Your "A" presentation is required. There was a nice Mayfly hatch from about 1 pm - 2pm yesterday, with fishing rising to them in the usual places. NO Skwalas sighted yesterday . . . yes 0 Skwalas . . . who knows why? My winning fly was a Purple Haze, size 16. Personally, I like the Split Post Purple Haze, and that's what I threw for a dry that worked. No action on any Skwala dry that I threw.

I love these Yuba fish. 12" fish is peeling line off of a 5 weight on decent drag. These fish are always combat ready. I bet these rains forecast for the next 2 weeks will start pushing the river around. The river needs it, and God knows so do the reservoirs.

That's the short quick report!


Bob

thanks for the report Bob!! Let me know if I can join you out there sometime OK?

[PV_Premier]

Fished it Friday. On the water at about 10, was dead quiet the first couple hours. Scratched out 5 or 6 takes and hooked/landed 3, all on the “big” bug on top. Headed home about 3:30. I did some walking to non obvious spots so as to avoid others and that helped I’m sure. At least I was successful in getting some isolation except for two passing drift boats. I had not fished my 5wt glass in awhile so that was fun.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Over the years it seems like some streams are not very friendly to most fly fishers.

Hat Creek, the Truckee river and the Lower Yuba river all seem to be in that category.

Most are lucky to get a fish or two on these streams unless something is really going on.



Naturally, the top fly fishers would not see this as much as the average angler.

[yubaman]

I do find myself fishing some new parts of the river this year, areas that did not typically hold many fish in the past. My desire to miss the zoo that can occur above the bridge also helps me determine where I will fish on the river. We say that damn near everyday on the river we should learn something new. I tried a new one last Thursday. A buddy and I headed up for the day last Thursday. Getting suited up, I suddenly realized that I had left my wading boots at home in the garage. Damn! I opted to see if my feet would fit into my New Balance Crossfit shoes with the waders on . . . Bingo, in luck. Maybe one year they will come out with a felt soled version? Anyhow, got through the day wading in my sneakers, albeit slipping and sliding on the cobble a wee bit more than I would prefer.

It was pretty slow for us, but did get into a couple of very nice ones and lost a couple more. There was a smallish BWO hatch around mid-day and a few Skwala's floating around. I have used a Bullethead Skwala as my go-to Skwala pattern up there the last few years, and had a lot of success with that pattern. This year, very little success with it??? In looking at the bugs that are in the water, I think that maybe the Skwala's are a bit more brownish/ tan in color this year, and that the Bullethead is a bit too green? Anyways, that is the excuse that I am using, and I'm not putting in the work to come up with a better, more scientific excuse.

Got some nice Steelhead trips planned in March . . . the OP, the Rogue and the Coast. Hopefully the weather does not knock us out again.


Bob

[PV_Premier]

I have used a Bullethead Skwala as my go-to Skwala pattern up there the last few years, and had a lot of success with that pattern. This year, very little success with it??? In looking at the bugs that are in the water, I think that maybe the Skwala's are a bit more brownish/ tan in color this year, and that the Bullethead is a bit too green? Anyways, that is the excuse that I am using, and I'm not putting in the work to come up with a better, more scientific excuse.

Sent you a PM about my hypothesis on this fly...

[E.Drucker]

[QUOTE=yubaman;201431] I opted to see if my feet would fit into my New Balance Crossfit shoes with the waders on . . . Bingo, in luck.

Still waiting on Simms/Nike to drop a Nano Flyfishing edition. Clean and Jerk them troots clear out of the run.

[Troutsource]

Any recommended flies for a potential mid-week trip to the Yube this week?

I assume Skawalas are virtually gone. March Browns? Caddis? Pink Alberts?

Thanks.

[PV_Premier]

I assume Skawalas are virtually gone. March Browns? Caddis? Pink Alberts?

Thanks.

Yes, but the fish have a memory for them. Yes, Yes, and Yes.

[Troutsource]

PV, thanks for the quick info. Any recommendations on the sizes? And from what I remember, the caddis this time of year have black wings and green bodies(?).

[PV_Premier]

PV, thanks for the quick info. Any recommendations on the sizes? And from what I remember, the caddis this time of year have black wings and green bodies(?).

No idea on the colors of caddis...certainly not to that level of detail...sorry.

I am not very sophisticated. On the Yuba I always throw a size 14-16 parachute or comparadun mayfly, matching(ish) the color of what bugs I see on the water, and I catch enough to keep myself entertained. Sometimes for a change I will fish a cripple.

I should give away or sell most of my flies because I never fish them even though I'm like 'that looks cool, I totally need that and will fish it'. Even when I am nymphing (ESN only these days) I fish a stonefly or jig streamer anchor and a roadkill-esque buggy nymph on top 95% of the time. Maybe I change the sizes, but that is about it.

[Troutsource]

I should give away or sell most of my flies because I never fish them even though I'm like 'that looks cool, I totally need that and will fish it'. Even when I am nymphing (ESN only these days) I fish a stonefly or jig streamer anchor and a roadkill-esque buggy nymph on top 95% of the time. Maybe I change the sizes, but that is about it.

I have developed a fly fetish and fly-tying addiction. I ESN 95% of the time and have found a few modern go-to patterns:
- Blow Torch (Devin Olsen) (I do the version with red wire ribbing which is in his book): https://www.flyfisherman.com/editorial/olsens-blowtorch/386182
- Butano Perdigon (Devin Olsen): https://www.tacticalflyfisher.com/blog/butano-nymph-fly-tying-tutorial/
- Rainbow Warrior (Lance Egan): https://www.flyfishfood.com/blogs/nymph-tutorials/egans-rainbow-warrior

I have to keep buying more fly boxes to store all the flies I tie but will likely never use. I haven't tried a jig streamer or balanced leech yet but it sounds intriguing. Tying them should occupy me for a weekend.

[PV_Premier]

I have developed a fly fetish and fly-tying addiction. I ESN 95% of the time and have found a few modern go-to patterns:

Good patterns for sure, I ESN when I nymph, but I only nymph when I have to. I have been getting spoiled by dry fly fishing and trout spey. Both of those work fine most days on the Yuba, and when they don't I just don't catch fish haha.