After a week of high water and off color conditions, Blake Larsen, Frank Rinella and I made it out to the Lower Yuba. The flows had dropped to 2400 cfs +/- and we were hoping that the water clarity had improved. It was a beautiful spring day with blue sky, a few billowy clouds and with no breeze to speak of, that is until about 11:30 or so. We set up our shuttle and got our first view of the river. It was high but out of the willows and a light greenish blue color. The visibility looked perfect for nymphing. It looked like using dry fly presentations would only be possible in some of the tailouts and runs where the current wouldn't be too pushy.
We rigged up rods for indicator and straight line nymphing. I also rigged one rod up with a dry line just in case we got the opportunity. To start Blake rigged up with a rubber leg stone, sucker spawn and HBI nymph. Frank rigged up with a San Juan Worm a black copper john and a Hogan's pattern mayfly nymph.
As soon as I rowed into the flow of the river, I could tell how pushy the current was. I felt that that the fish definitely would be looking for places outside of this big pushy current so we started targeting the areas where a trout could comfortable hang out. Some of the areas we fished were;
- Areas of a run below riffles, but further down stream than usual, where the currents could spread out and the current speed would get to be about a moderate walking speed.
- In tailouts, but to the edges where the current was softer.
- Eddy pools below the riffles.
- In the flats below riffles
Flies of the Day
- Black Copper John
- Red Copper John
- Sucker Spawn
- Red San Juan Worn
- HBI Nymph
- Hogan's Spring Fling
Frank with the first fish of the day.
Blake with a deep colored rainbow from a big eddy pool
Fish on with Frank taking a turn on the oars.
A bright bow that had taken a black copper john in the flats
looks like a hit and run type of river... hit a sweet spot, stay as long as you want,, then zoom!! to the next..... nice pictures
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