Yuba River Fly Fishing Report

Jon Baiocchi / Baiocchi’s Troutfitters reports on 3.9.2016

Mother Nature has been kicking our ass up here in the Sierra foothills with voluminous amounts of precipitation, and it’s not over yet. On Sunday the 6^th I made my way down to the Lower Yuba River to see the high flows in the morning, at 8am it was humming at 19,633 cubes. Hammon Grove and Sycamore Ranch were both closed due to flooding, and at Sycamore I could see that the campground was under water. There was heavy debris flowing down the river like logs, and willow bushes. As I made my way down Hammonton road on the south side of the river I came upon a man in need of help. For unknown reasons he set up his tent near the river on Saturday night and camped out in the strong storm only to wake and see his truck and camp surrounded by water. I called 911, and the Smartsville Fire Department came and pulled him out. Making my way further down the road I stopped at the washout where once again a seasonal creek carved out more of the road. If you have a high clearance vehicle you can get through but some heavy equipment will still be needed to smooth things out. The power and force of high water is amazing.

The Yuba is currently flowing at 3,990 cfs including the inflow of Deer Creek, but more heavy rain is forecasted for Thursday and Friday, then again on Sunday into Monday. Nobody I know has been on the river fishing. The river was fishing tough before the last high water event, so I can only imagine it will be even tougher after all this weather is over. With more cobble and material moved the aquatic insect populations will be even lower. It may take many months, but the river will come back. My dates for the upcoming season in the Northern Sierra are filling, and the prime month of June has only 2 days available. July and August dates are mostly open, where I guide extensively on the North Fork Yuba River under Thy Rod & Staff’s USFS Tahoe special use permit. I hop you can join me in the months ahead in the great outdoors.