Are there any fish in the Yuba?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Those fin clipped fish are probably strays from the Feather River hatchery?

Guide Bill Lowe is a class act......

[Ryan]

I would just like to add that the "said guide" is no joke, and I highly doubt that guide is putting out any BS. If he states he's having 20 fish days I personally would believe him 100%. I've had some pretty incredible days with him before. He is definitely a class act and one of the better fisherman I know. I think bad mouthing his business and livelihood is a bit harsh for sure. Furthermore judging his guiding ability due to some open days is laughable. Nobody can independently guide 7 days a week year round here. If a guide has a fly shop behind him or the fly shop behind them, that person might get booked quite a bit more, yes. But to assume an independent guides abilities are limited because he has some open days is insane. Not looking to start a riot here, I just think this guide is not one to discredit. Sounds like maybe one of his clients had a bad day? Some days can be better than others. We all know that... Rivers can shut off sometimes on random days. Nothing is for certain when you get out there. And Hogan was nice enough to share some knowledge on the Yuba a few posts back, definitely not a guy to write off.

[GreggW]

As someone who has only been on this board for a few years, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by most of the guides that post here. Rather than using it just as a forum to sell their services, a lot of the guides here provide information on what's working in the waters that they fish. I really appreciate this and am much more likely to hire one of them than one of the guides that just posts what he is doing this coming season or how great a day he and his sports had w/out providing any real information of value. Same goes when I am fishing and run into a guide - one that, when asked, shares information on what is working is one that I would be more likely to hire. Also, I love to see when a guide offers discounted days. If I can take advantage of one of these, I consider it a win win situation. I get to fish with a new guide and he gets to showcase his skills. Then I can decide if I want to go with him again.
Do guides embellish their reports? Most probably do, but then they wouldn't really be fishermen if they didn't.
Bottom line: the guides that are comfortable enough with their skills to share useful information are the ones that I am much more likely to hire. The other ones, I don't even look at their posts anymore.
Gregg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

There is a certain kind of person who like to bash guides, fly shops, manufacturers and even other anglers......

As I said before, they probably were not breast fed.

.

[Mark Kranhold]

Never a dull day on the water with Bill Lowe ! Awesome guy with a great sence of humor and will have you in stitches all day!

[Hogan Brown]

Thanks for the kind words Bill and Ryan. Also Bill thanks for making me laugh, that was pretty funny.

The Yuba is a great river with a bunch of great guides working it. The beauty of the Yuba is Ryan Johnston, Bill Lowe, Myself, and Keith all guide the river very differently and have very different styles and we all catch fish. Some days I do better, some days Bill does better, some days Ryan does better, and some days Keith does better…some days we all do great or all do poor as well….but we all catch fish and that shows how many different ways there are to catch fish on the Yuba and that they all can work on any given day, on any given run, at any given time. That is the beauty of the Yuba.

I guided it Sunday and Monday of this week and fishing was fair. Low and clear is no bueno. Sunday the fish were eating small baetis and midges so my guys were struggling setting the hook and keeping them on but we had our opportunities. Monday the fish were eating eggs so we had a much better day.

With regards to fin clipped fish I have not caught any this year yet but the last 3 or so years I have been seeing a lot more then previous years. Usually one or two a day during the fall and winter in previous years but just haven’t run into any yet this fall/winter.

TigerLilly feel free to email me at hoganbrown@hotmail.com and I would be happy to give you up to the date info on what I am seeing while guiding on the Lower Yuba or check out my blog www.hgbflyfishing.blogspot.com as I update it pretty regularly with honest reports and random dribble. Amoeba you have a free seat in my boat any time you want and all it will cost you is that you stop talking down on guides, I will even buy you a turkey sand which and a bag of chips. You can see our boats are not “sinking in bullshit”, you do catch fin clipped fish on the Yuba, and it is possible to put 20 or so fish in the boat in one day for two anglers floating roughly 6 miles of river.

Here are some fish pics from this weekend






And some Yuba pigs from years past...

[steveg137]

Great post Hogan.

I've been giving yuba a go via my pontoon last 2 seasons, will definitely be getting a trip with you this winter to fast track my learning.

Been using the RHS fair bit this season, nice work!

Steve

[Jed Peters]

I've fished with Ryan Johnson. He can put anyone on fish. 20 fish days, floating, on the Yuba, are possible if the fishing is "on".

When it's tough, a stick would have a hard time getting a dozen, from a boat.

When I fish the yuba on foot, I'm stoked to just catch a couple fish in a session (not all day).

And yes, there are clipped Feather strays that follow the salmon up river, and yes, there are pig wild steelhead (albeit not that many) that make it up the yuba to spawn in the YOA area.

[bigfly]

Hogan, you are a class guy.......
It's always easier to bring others down, than raise ourselves up.
Especially when it comes to not catching fish.
As guides, we see the "Fish Hero" syndrome a lot.
"If I can't catch 20 fish, then anyone who says they do, must be a fibber"... (Just one style as an example...)
(and not that we count anyway.....)
I say, get some game..Hire a pro, check ego at the door (the crux), and start learning..I believe an IPA pairs well with humble pie..
More than 20 yrs ago, I remember telling Ralph, that there were no fish in the Truckee.
The Yuba is one of my favorites, from shore or boat. Dryfly, Bobber or Streamer swing.
When I need a break from the Tuffy, the Yuba's my first choice.

HB, I may come for a ride with ya sometime....maybe pick your brain!
And I'll bring the sandwich/beverage.
Keep up the good works.

Jim

[matt johnson]

Folks,

You may have noticed in the 2013-2014 freshwater fishing regulations that you can now harvest 2 hatchery trout/steelhead per day on the lower Yuba.

All hatchery steelhead released in CA are marked with a clipped adipose fin.

Hatchery steelhead in the Yuba are likely strays from the Feather.

I personally don't really like to "hassle" with retaining/cleaning fish, but taking hatchery fish out of wild systems like the Yuba is good river stewardship and a good way to get some healthy protein.

Keeping fish is easier if you are prepared: Keep a small ice chest in your rig or boat. You can pick up a bag of ice at a mini-mart for the drive home if you actually end up harvesting. If you are wade fishing stick a trash bag in your vest or pack. Also keep a small sharp knife on you (the knife on a Leatherman works well). Good-eating fish all starts with proper handling. Fish taste best if bled out immediately. It works best to cut the gills when the fish is still alive. I find that step to be a little brutal for my taste, so I like to cut the gills immediately after whapping the fish on the head. The heart will keep beating for a little while and that will pump most of the blood out. Once the fish is bled out you can quickly gut the fish, stick it in your trash bag, and keep fishing. Bled out and gutted it will keep fine until you are done fishing for the day. A fish that has not been bled and gutted will not be fine at the end of the day and the fish gods will be unimpressed.

Note that once you have harvested your second hatchery fish for the day you must stop fishing. Perhaps that is not such a bad thing? We fly-fishers tend to want to squeeze every drop out of the day; catching as many fish as possible (well I do anyway). Having to quit early might provide more opportunity for quiet reflection. You will definitely be reflecting on the many tasty options for preparing your fresh-caught hatchery trout/steelhead!

Amoeba you have a free seat in my boat any time you want and all it will cost you is that you stop talking down on guides, I will even buy you a turkey sand which and a bag of chips. You can see our boats are not “sinking in bullshit”, you do catch fin clipped fish on the Yuba, and it is possible to put 20 or so fish in the boat in one day for two anglers floating roughly 6 miles of river.

That is such a wonderful offer, sure to melt the heart of any scrooge during this Holiday Season! Matt