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View Full Version : Lower Sac trout vs. Lower Yuba trout?



matt johnson
08-13-2006, 07:43 PM
So, I was on the Lower Sac in the middle of a good caddis hatch catching trout the other night and I got to thinking about the merits of Lower Sac trout vs. Lower Yuba trout.

My sample size of Lower Sac trout is definitely smaller than that of Lower Yuba trout, but I have come to the generalization that Lower Sac trout are not as hot as Lower Yuba trout!

I think the Sacramento trout have more girth, and there is the potential for larger size. Also, I think they are prettier. Some have few spots and some many. Almost all exhibit a lavender/rose irridescence. Surely Yuba trout are beautiful, but they seem to come in more of a generic silvery cast.

When hooked however, I think Lower Yuba trout kick butt over Lower Sac trout. They rip! I have had 15 inch Lower Yuba fish take me into the backing (at the end of a long cast anyway). Many of the Lower Sac fish I have caught simply "wallow" around, shake their heads, then roll over. There are exceptions of course.

What do the rest of you think? I may just be biased towards the Yuba. I experienced some very magical formative years on that river. I am interested in your opinions. Matt.

Bill Kiene semi-retired
08-13-2006, 08:55 PM
I think the lower Sac is colder than the lower Yuba.

Mike Mercer said October was his favorite time on the lower Sac. Maybe because the water is not as cold?

matt johnson
08-13-2006, 10:16 PM
I did not consider temperature Bill. You may have something there. The water temp is 53 degrees in the area that I was fishing. Anyone have temps for the Yuba around the Highway 20 bridge?

The water is typically warmer on the Lower Sacramento during the fall/winter. This sounds backwards but it is true. In the summer temperature regimes are managed to optimize Winter-Run Chinook egg incubation. The goal is to maintain 56 degree water temps all the way to Bend bridge in the event that Winter-Run stocks will re-build in great enough numbers to utilize all that spawning habitat.

I do not really care wether one stock of trout is better than the other, just curious about other angler's perspectives. We are lucky to have such quality fisheries so near. Imagine if we lived in Kansas or Nebraska! Matt.

Dustin Revel
08-14-2006, 12:26 AM
i'll agree the lower sac trout generally don't fight very hard but they are usually healthy and colorful.
i have had days where almost every fish hooked jumped and ran hard.
i guess it depends on the mood that the fish are in. here's a few specimens.



http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/IMG_6248.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/nicelookingfish.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/more%20fish/IMG_6260.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/more%20fish/lavenderishfish.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/more%20fish/IMG_5821_1.jpg

all of the above were caught during the fall/ early winter

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/more%20fish/readytospawn.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/more%20fish/IMG_5109.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j70/DustinRevel/other/_MG_2902.jpg

the last three were caught during the summer months.
Dusty Revel

Jgoding
08-14-2006, 12:57 AM
I have yet to fish the Yuba but I remember hooking up on the upper sac a lot. The one fish I remember most, I never saw it, but I set the hook and my reel proceded to meltdown as line screamed off so fast.... the fish came loose after about 3 seconds but my reel was screaming for about 5....

Jeff

andanb
08-17-2006, 12:00 PM
I think in most years the Yuba river fish are much hotter than any fish around. This year however they look to me to be stressed. They look skinn.ier than normal and not as vigorous as usually are. I have caught several this year upto 18" on dries that made one or two small runs then came right to hand. Usually a fish like this would be a real battle. Next year if all the bugs in the Yuba aren't blown in the delta the fish will be back to their rod bending selves.

Bill Kiene semi-retired
08-17-2006, 12:37 PM
I think the general consensus is that the aquatic insects were blown downstream in the high water this spring.

The Wild Trout devision of the CA DF&G did a snorkeling survey about a month ago from the narrows above hwy 20 down to Hallwood. They reported that most of the fish were between hwy 20 and Daguerre Dam then and looked thin from lack of food.

Adam Grace
08-17-2006, 03:23 PM
The last couple of years the Yuba fish haven't seemed to "HOT" to me. I remember catching fish before the high waters from the last 2 years and they would smoke my reel.

Based on my limited experience with the Lower Sac, the fish there have more girth bu lack the overall "SPUNK" of the Yuba fish. But there are many more BIG trout caught on the L. Sac than the Yuba, not to say that there are not big fish in the Yuba but the L. Sac usually produces more large trout.

Great topic Matt!

matooka
08-26-2006, 12:28 AM
I fish the Lower Sac approximately 30 days a year and I've only fished the Lower Yuba twice! One out of the two trips to the Yuba was extremely productive and I was quite suprised by the tenacity of the fish. At times I felt that I had torpedoes on when indeed they were only 12" fish. On the other hand, the same is also true on the Lower Sac! The Lower Sac is optimum in the Fall because the salmon are usually spawning in the upper reaches of the system. Also, water levels begin to decline, fish and food become more concentrated, and cunning thievery tactics are a must if a high protein meal is to be had!!! In the Fall, the rainbows become fat and very aggressive. Many times, a take is all you get......that is......a fiesty rainbow taking and ripping your egg pattern from your leader! In the summer time, I've also had Big Lower Sac Bows do nothing....and maybe it has to do with the 15 to 20K cfs summer flows. Up top, it certainly isn't because the water is too warm!!! I'm looking forward to October!