Lower Yuba Fly Fishing Report

Capt. Hogan Brown reports on 1.17.19

Lower Yuba River 

 Spent Saturday guiding the lower yuba river. Flows were around 1100cfs, Deer Creek had dropped below 100cfs and clarity as we fished down the river went from about 2-3feet to gin clear … so river is clearing if not cleared from the last big bush of water down deer creek. We spent the whole day getting out and swinging flies on “trout spey” rods and my FAVORITE switch rod the 11’ 4wt glass Echo Rod. I have yet to get any of the new “Trout Spey” rods from echo but I am sure they will be solid as well. Also looking at getting one of the T3h 4wts or L2h 5wts for winter swung fly season on the Yuba and spring steelhead season on the Feather.

Most fish on the Yuba came on spun egg yarn head - olive over white streamers about 2” long swung on heavy sinking leaders in the more off color water and then switch it up to patterns with out the egg yarn head. I am sure a stonefly nymph or something in that vein would work as well as while my client was fishing I was turning over rocks and found a TON of stonefly nymphs under most of the rocks. Most were about 1.5” long and lighter in color more of a golden stone color but I am sure they are skwalas heading towards the banks.

Other hatches were BWO/Baetis and some larger dark orange mayflies in a size 14-16. Most of the baetis were in the 18 range and really only a few fish were up on the surface eating mays. I actually saw only a few fish up on the surface eating – much fewer then that last few times I was out on the river.

With the rain coming I am sure Deer Creek will blow out again muddying up and adding flow to the river but the good news is so far with all the rain storms we have had the flow out of englebright has not changed so the lake and up stream reservoirs are not full yet. So as Deer Creek may come up I am sure it will drop pretty quick and the river will clear quickly.