The New Lower Yuba River

[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.

[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.........