Lower Yuba River Fly Fishing Report

Jon Baiocchi reports on 4.4.19

What a pleasure to back on the Lower Yuba River doing my thing, guiding, teaching, and fishing. After doing a few trips and a photo shoot with GuideBox the last few days, I’m surprised how good the river is fishing. Currently, the flows are at 4090 cubes, and Englebright dam bounces back and forth from spilling at 99% to 103% of capacity. 

The color of the river is a beautiful steelhead green with about 3 feet of visibility. As you may guess, fishing pressure is on the light side but I think more fly anglers will be out and about in the future. Finding the right type water is the key to success, undesirable runs are straight fast chutes while the better runs offer some slower side water with moderate depth, and a current at a perfect walking speed. Nymphing is the way to go whether you’re indicator fishing or tight line nymphing. Swinging streamers is also picking up a number of fish with a fast sinking tip of 5 IPS in these higher flows. 

There is a cornucopia of bugs out with minimal hatches of Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies, Caddis, BWOs, and still some Skwalas are out there too. PMDs and Pinkies have been pretty good in numbers, enough to get the birds interested, and a few rising fish, though the majority of trout are just not looking up yet. That could change if the water clears up more, or may not with these latest series of storms. Stones, worms, PMD nymphs, Military Mays, and streamers like Sculpins, and Olive Slump Busters are receiving the grabs. Putting on more split shot, heavier flies, and adjusting your depth makes all the difference. Don’t give up hope on the Lower Yuba River, those fish are super hungry right now and they got to eat. See you on the water…