North Fork Yuba River Fly Fishing Report

Jon Baiocchi, Baiocchi Troutfitters

Fishing still continues to be awesome on the North Fork Yuba for small wild rainbows. Dry and dry/dropper rigs are producing great results, and you can’t beat this style of fishing because it is so much fun! Water temps have come way down, especially in the upper watershed where they have been running 56.7 to 64.3. Mornings have been cooler as well, and getting on the water a little later is best.

The same flies mentioned in my earlier reports have been very effective including Yellow Humpy’s #12-16, Stimulators in yellow and tan #10-16, Adams Parachutes #14-18, E/C Caddis in tan, gray, and cream #12-18, and Club Sandwich hoppers in tan/brown/yellow combos.  The two top nymphs that have been dominating as a dropper fly have been black ant patterns #12-16, and Zebra midges #16-18. Caddis flies still remain very active, especially in the evenings. There is a good BWO spinner fall mid-morning and using a spent wing pattern in a size 18 behind your main dry fly is the perfect set up.

As fall quickly closes in on us keep in mind that we can start fishing lower in the watershed, and by the time October is here focusing your efforts on the lower river near the campgrounds is where the best action takes place for targeting the October Caddis hatch. The lower North Fork Yuba is also a great place to find the bigger brown trout in the system making their way up from Bullards Bar Reservoir to spawn in late fall.