Before buying our house in Yuba City my wife and I trailered around for two years. We'd spend three months at a time in Oroville chasing salmon, three months at Sugar Barge in the delta chasing stripers, three months on the coast chasing steelhead, and then three more back in the valley chasing stripers again in the spring. Two years went by fast.
But those streams on the coast were a challenge as every one of them is both different and similar in numerous ways. Rain is a key factor at all of them. As Darian mentioned the mouth build up sandbars and block the flows and entrance of fresh fish. If there is enough rain in that area then the bars open and allow fish to come into the system. Once the fish are in the rivers are they here following salmon or here on their own accord with spawning on their mind? How far upriver are you chasing them? How long have they been in the fresh water? This determines their diet and also what flies you'll want to use. What about the water itself? Is it clear or off color and muddy? All of these things need to be considered before you can get serious about going after steelhead.
Lastly, how much time do you have to pursue these fish? You could easily spend weeks on each river just learning the nuances of each seam or riffle or hole and any of these rivers.
To shorten the learning curve,,,,,,,,,,, hire a guide. Call several of the fly shops mentioned and ask them what's going on in their area, and if things look promising ask them if they can recommend a good guide to help you out. It'll be the best money ever spent when this pro puts you on fish, and most guides are willing to share information about where you might try on your own.
Call a fly shop first.
Tony
TONY BUZOLICH
Feather River Fly
Yuba City, CA.
(530) 790-7180
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