NorthYubaGuide – Page 5

And now for something a little different

First off, they bite.

The Hellgrammite is a nasty aquatic inset that lives in the North Yuba. They are not as common as the Big Three: Caddis, Mayfly, and Stonefly, but they are in there and the fish know it. They can be confused with a large stonefly at first. If you see a couple of big pinchers coming off the head- it’s a hellgrammite.

The hellgrammite is a big meal for a hungry trout. If you’re after the big fish, this is your key to success. A dark brown Wolly Bugger with crystal flash is a pretty close imitation. Dead drift these in deeper pools where there is some structure for larger fish to hide.

The hellgrammite can live as an aquatic for one to three year before becoming an adult. Their presence is a good indicator of a clean and healthy river.

The adult of this is the Dobson Fly is a large flying insect- the look like giant moths with large pincers. These can be found around porch lights in the Summer months.

Fall on the North Fork Yuba

husband and wife fishing North Fork of the Yuba River in Fall

Taking your spouse fishing in stunning beauty and solitude can be the perfect date. The North Yuba is a great place to introduce your partner to the joy of fly fishing. You’ll have success in hooking a fish while being surrounded by the most amazing river scenery in California.

Be prepared to hike a bit. Bring some good snacks and something to drink. Slow down and soak it in.

Short cast to the heads of pools are sure to produce strikes.

Took a walk around Downieville on a cool Fall morning

I took an hour and strolled around Downieville with my camera. Fall is an amazing time to be in our Sierra mountains.

Over the past five years, I’ve watched nature slowly reposes this front yard. That Maple tree is growing through a semi-truck that’s been sitting on the driveway for years. Across the street from this house is a beautiful section of river that holds wild trout. Looks like an opportunity.

Check out this great film on the Mountain Biking in Downieville

This is a wonderful film about the town of Downieville and it’s main attraction- the epic single track trails in the area. This film focuses on the famous Downieville Downhill. I’ve been mountain biking since the early days of dirt bike parts on bikes. This is still the best riding that I’ve experienced. Get some!

Play Video

The video was put together by Outsider MTB. You can check out their other videos here. The video has some sponsorship from The Carriage House Inn, a great spot to stay in town. It’s literally 100′ from the two shuttle services and sits right on the river.

Fall Fishing

It’s Fall and it’s wonderful. The color switch has been thrown. The Maples, Aspen, Dogwoods, and others are reflecting the colors of Fall. The trees took a cue from the cold air and have consumed that chlorophyll.

The fishing…it’s okay. The water is super low and the big guys have not entered the system yet.

A Waltz Worm with a hotspot has been very productive in moving water. Look for plunge pools and work the soft water at the edge of the flow.

The River is closed

smokey north yuba river near sierra city

The Forest Service is closing 9 NorCal national forest, including Plumas and Tahoe. The closure is Aug 22 through September 6. It’s a fire safety issue. Postpone that fishing trip. Be Safe!

Fishing Report

It’s not good. Give your lungs a break and go to the coast.

The smoke seems to have put the fish down. The flows are really low. Don’t bother until the smoke clears.

This fire season has already hurt so many people- truly sad.

An AQI of 509 is really unhealthy. The ash on the hood of the jeep tells a story.

Fishing Report North Fork Yuba

Yeah, it's hot.

The Dog Days of Summer have arrived. The river is fishing great, but you need to know where to go. The upper reaches of the river are the place to be. Specifically, fish from Sierra City to Bassets Station. You find cooler water, hungry fish, and solitude. Bring your light gear- 2, 3, or 4 wt rods. Short leaders are fine here. You be pleased to find these fish are more than happy to take dry flys. A dry/dropper will be more productive but if you want to keep it simple, just bring your favorite dry flys. keep em floating. Be ready to cover some ground. If you don’t get an eat in the first 10 casts, move on. You’ll see some mayflys on the water in the evening and some Golden Stones during the day. A sunken ant is money. Stay hydrated and have fun.

Know when to stop due to water temperature

North Fork Yuba River 1016 Martin Cleary

This crazy heat and low water flows are not good for our fisheries.

It’s time for a voluntary “Hoot Owl” closure for the livelihood of wild trout within the system. You can do your part by doing the following:

Carry a thermometer and take readings on the hour
Fish at first light until 11am
Use bigger tippet sizes to fight fish more quickly for a safer release
Stop fishing when water temperatures reach 68 degrees or higher
Educate other anglers on water temperature etiquette

With hot water temps, there are other alternatives when it comes to fishing for trout. Fish the high alpine lakes, tailwaters that provide cold water, rivers that are spring fed, or have numerous cold inflows of feeder creeks. Your actions dictate the future of wild trout in the rivers that you love to fish.

In the case of the North Fork Yuba, just head upstream to Sierra City or above. Look for side springs- they are always running cold.

Tie your wading boots so they stay tied

Even with a double bow, they come untied!!! They don’t need to…there’s a little secret. We’ve been doing it all wrong. Change one simple step in the knot and BAM- they stay tied. Tripping over your laces is no fun, doing it with a couple of $1000 rods in your hands in rocky terrain can ruin your day. Check out this video:

I took an hour and strolled around Downieville with my camera. Fall is an amazing time to be in our Sierra mountains.

Yeah, it's hot.

Quick Links