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Thread: Has anyone fished the Lower Yuba lately?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    Good stuff PV

    30 years ago before Andy Guibord got a boat and started fly fishing for Stripers he was a very serious lower Yuba river "Rat".

    Andy knows all the bugs well there and the timings.

    Mid-summer I heard Andy recommend small Dave's hoppers fished along the edges on windy afternoons.

    Andy Guibord and Mark Kranhold kind of pioneered the Sculpin pattern and fishing technique on the American river, maybe 20 years ago.


    My friend Rich Plath fished the Yuba for a long time and I think he said he mostly swings an Olive Woolley Bugger on a sink-tip.

    Another old friend who did lots of raft trips down our West slope rivers always used a black Woolley Bugger on a sink-tip.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Grass Valley
    Posts
    174

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    The helmet head sculpin is pretty easy to tie. Using the helmet head was an experiment and I like the result. The head has a weighted keel design that helps to keep the hook from snagging on the bottom. I used mirabou for the tail, shaggy ice dubbing in a loop, tapered thicker towards the head then palmered over with a webby soft saddle hackle. I added a couple of barred olive hackles out the sides behind the head to simulate the pectoral fins. Finally, put the head on and locked it in. I only used 1 feather for the tail, the next tie will have two after seeing the fly wet in the water. The recipe on the package uses bunny strips and that works. It's pretty easy to tie too but I'm not a fan of casting wet and soggy rabbit hide. YMMV

    A tungsten bead, black and olive woolly bugger would work. I've used it in the past and it's still a standby for a sculpin imitation. The helmet head that I described above could qualify as a woolly bugger variant. The other suggestions for flies are probably just as good, just not what I use.

    Getting the fly on the bottom is key. Some sort of sinking line or tip really helps.
    Last edited by TahoeJoe; 08-02-2022 at 04:49 PM.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    306

    Default

    Thanks for the info. That sounds easy enough. I just bought some fish skull sculpin helmets to try out.


    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJoe View Post
    The helmet head sculpin is pretty easy to tie. Using the helmet head was an experiment and I like the result. The head has a weighted keel design that helps to keep the hook from snagging on the bottom. I used mirabou for the tail, shaggy ice dubbing in a loop, tapered thicker towards the head then palmered over with a webby soft saddle hackle. I added a couple of barred olive hackles out the sides behind the head to simulate the pectoral fins. Finally, put the head on and locked it in. I only used 1 feather for the tail, the next tie will have two after seeing the fly wet in the water. The recipe on the package uses bunny strips and that works. It's pretty easy to tie too but I'm not a fan of casting wet and soggy rabbit hide. YMMV

    A tungsten bead, black and olive woolly bugger would work. I've used it in the past and it's still a standby for a sculpin imitation. The helmet head that I described above is could qualify as a woolly bugger variant. The other suggestions for flies are probably just as good, just not what I use.

    Getting the fly on the bottom is key. Some sort of sinking line or tip really helps.
    ..."I'd rather be fishing..."

    Peter V

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Yuba City
    Posts
    135

    Default

    I fished it above the bridge right before it closed. I was in my raft and was able to cover some good amount of water and found the fish in the deep stuff below riffles and near structure like the rock walls. I sampled a few and they were on all sorts of bugs. I found mostly midges and small rock worms. I had takes on stoneflies, mayflies, and caddis nymphs. Hopper dropper was a bust.
    Keep Calm and Fly Fish
    https://keepcalmandflyfish.com/

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Antelope
    Posts
    384

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    Been killing it swinging meat on trout speys as well as hoppers/big stimis at the bank. While bobbers have been down right dirty for numbers, we are seeing good results with the first 2 so we only do the bobbers in the deeper holes. Rivers high, 1800cubes so wade carefully.
    And Always Remember
    Keep Those Line Tights
    Brian W Clemens
    Nor Cal Fly Guides
    530-354-3740
    norcalflyguides@gmail.com
    www.norcalflyguides.com


    "I have many loves and Fly-Fishing is one of them; it brings peace and harmony to my being, which I can then pass on to others."
    ~ Sue Kreutzer

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

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    Thanks Brian...we appreciate your great knowledge that you share freely.


    I know a little about fishing all over the World, but nothing to compare to the knowledge of a top local guide on his or her fisheries.


    Like the lower American river, we are also very fortunate to have the "pristine" lower Yuba river so close by.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Stockton
    Posts
    113

    Default

    I went on tuesday and it was tough. Swinging buggers and small zonkers didnt produce but I managed to tight line a solid fish out of a deep backeddy with a rubber legs

    Brian, please pass some swing mojo onto me, the fish never sniff my flies
    Last edited by Lucas Dement; 08-04-2022 at 09:30 AM.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    306

    Default

    Thanks for the update. Are you referring to last season regarding the closure? I thought it closed on August 31st from HWY 20 bridge on up.


    Quote Originally Posted by mattv-mcfly View Post
    I fished it above the bridge right before it closed. I was in my raft and was able to cover some good amount of water and found the fish in the deep stuff below riffles and near structure like the rock walls. I sampled a few and they were on all sorts of bugs. I found mostly midges and small rock worms. I had takes on stoneflies, mayflies, and caddis nymphs. Hopper dropper was a bust.
    ..."I'd rather be fishing..."

    Peter V

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    306

    Default

    Thanks for the report, Brian. It sounds like you are covering a good amount of water but making it worth it.


    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Clemens View Post
    Been killing it swinging meat on trout speys as well as hoppers/big stimis at the bank. While bobbers have been down right dirty for numbers, we are seeing good results with the first 2 so we only do the bobbers in the deeper holes. Rivers high, 1800cubes so wade carefully.
    ..."I'd rather be fishing..."

    Peter V

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Willows
    Posts
    894

    Default

    Barr's Slumpbuster in Olive Size 6 and the Scupzilla Olive Size 4.

    They are my top producers!
    Lance Gray
    Fly Guide
    530-517-2204
    http://www.lancegrayandcompany.com

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