Quick Yuba report 1/20

[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.