Creek Fly Fishing Tips

North Fork Yuba wild trout location by Martin Cleary

Here are a few tips that will keep you in the game and be more successful while playing the creeks fly fishing game:

1)These creeks are primarily dry fly action. It’s heaven.  Keep your fly high and dry.  Start with floatant.  If it starts to sink, use some desiccant to extend it.  If it gets saturated, change it to a new one.  Add a dropper to go after the larger fish in the darker water.

2) In these creeks, you need to be quick on the hook set.  Don’t over do it!  Just quick.  Think 1 o’clock to 11 o’clock

3) Get your short cast dialed in.  You’ll want to work each section with precision.  Get the fly just ahead of the where the fish are, don’t ‘line’ them with your fly line

4) The terrain is rough.  Bring a wading staff to help getting up and down the steep slopes and when navigating the rocks and boulders.  You’ll want to get into the water to get a clear back cast, a wading staff will keep you much more stable in the fast water.

5) If you can, hike in from the access point.  Most people tend to fish pretty close to the car.  Even if you are short on time, invest in some distance and reward yourself with more fish and solitude.

Downieville Fly Fishing Creek

The North Fork Yuba and it’s tributaries

North Fork Yuba wild trout location by Martin Cleary

The North Fork of the Yuba river is an amazing river.  It hold loads of wild Rainbow Trout as well as some Brown Trout.

Some of the tributary rivers include : Lavezzola Creek, The Downie River, Pauley Creek, Butcher Creek, Haypress Creek, Milton Creek, and Salmon Creek.  These creeks are full of small and hungry wild trout.

Fishing these small streams is generally best done with a light and short fly rod with a short leader…something like a 8 foot 3 weight rod with a 7 1/2 foot leader on a floating line.  The name of the game is to keep moving- cast a few times and move to the next pool.

North Fork Yuba wild trout location by Martin Cleary

Haypress Creek Fly Fishing

Haypress Creek

Haypress Creek joins the North Yuba just above Sierra City. Haypress offers small rainbows and, in its upper stretches, small brook trout. Above Sierra City on hwy 49 take Wild Plum Road to access Haypress and a nice section of the North Yuba. There are lots of small trout in Haypress.  There may be planted fish at the campground but wild fish can be found upstream via Haypress Creek Trail. The trailhead is located on the north side of the bridge at Wild Plum Campground.

North Yuba

We believe in taking care of our wonderful watershed. We practice catch and release and fishing. If you want to eat some trout, I can point you to some spots with planted fish that you can catch and keep on your own.

We will be using barbless hooks that are easily removed from the trout’s mouth.  Barbless hooks are Much easier to remove from your skin as well. Very rarely do trout try to swallow the flys that we will be using. You’ll be taught how to land and handle a fish to prevent injury. Fly fishing is a joy. In order to make it sustainable, we need to protect our wild fish.

Get on the Water!

37 miles of river that follows highway 49 from near Bullards Bar reservoir to the high altitude of Yuba Pass near Bassets Station. Lots of wild trout reside in this river and its tributaries. Off the beaten path, you’ll find beauty, solitude, and California history. Visit this amazing place on your own or join me to learn about the river, it’s amazing resident trout, and how to easily catch them.