I have to disagree a little with some of the comments made about the Yuba specifically. I hesitate a little because no one has been able to give me a clear cut identification of the bass that "I call" smallmouth. I still think they're smallmouth and shall continue to call them such until some one can give me a better identification.
The smallmouth in the Yuba are for the most part ,,,,,,,, small. A two pounder would be quite a trophy but most seem to be under or around 12 inches.
They are definitely NOT largemouth and have no horizontal dark bar along their lateral line. All seem to have the characteristic gold hue to their color and definite vertical bars or stripes across their face and gill plate.
I've caught them while fishing for stripers with large clouser patterns, on shad flies while fishing for shad, and even on streamers while fishing for steelhead. This I have done all the way up to De Guarre dam and above on the Yuba. Above De Guarre I believe the water is a bit colder for them but I have not doubt they are there too.
A few years ago I wrote a small piece for Bob Clouser's new book at the time "Fly-fishing for Smallmouth in Rivers and Streams". I mentioned then about the Yuba and the gold field ponds upstream of the mouth.
As for boats on the Yuba, Bill's boat or any small jet would be perfect for most of the river. But with these low water conditions even a jet ski will draq bottom in some places.
Here's a couple of what I call "smallies" taken on the Yuba in the above pictures.
These last two pictures I believe to be either juvenile largemouth or spotted bass.
Tony
Last edited by Tony Buzolich; 08-27-2014 at 03:01 PM.
TONY BUZOLICH
Feather River Fly
Yuba City, CA.
(530) 790-7180
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