Lower Yuba River Fly Fishing Report

Jon Baiocchi, Baiocchi Troutfitters

The Lower Yuba River is on fire right now with abundant hatchesof March Browns, and Pink Alberts! This is it, exceptional dry fly fishing but asusual on the Lower Yuba bring you’re A game, you’re going to need it. It was sointense at one point today we just stopped fishing, and watched the show. Observations can be the best teacher if you’re willing to take a break, and learn. Fishing pressure was light today, flows are at 576 cubes with a minimal Deer Creek factored in, and water temps have bumped up a bit to 53 degrees.

My guests and I started out nymphing today with very little action, then at 10 am all hell broke loose. Wild rainbows started to rise everywhere, and many in very skinny water. We hooked several nice fat rainbows 17-20”, landing them was an issue though. When hooked these superior athletes of a trout turn on the afterburners and rocket downstream. Sometimes you just can’t stop them.

The Skwala hatch is waning, but keep in mind these fish will still look for them in the afternoons in the side water foam lines. Right now it’s all about the March Browns and the Pinkies, whether on top, or a drowned emerger just below the film. Effective dries; March Brown Sparkle Comparaduns #14, Parachute Pink Alberts #14, and Quigley’s Pink Albert Hackle Stackers #16. 5x tippet will get more grabs but be easy on the fight, or you’ll pop the knot in an instant. One tip I will share is your dry fly presentation must be fly first, downstream, without any drag, while bump mending and paying out line for long drifts. It’s a hard presentation to master, but a learned skill that will decide success or failure. Yeah, this is it, now is the time on the Lower Yuba. Seek your quest.

Take care,

Jon.