Great report JT. Way to fish.  I think you have the makings to be the next Andy Burk.
Thanks again for the those two flies you gave me.  Im heading back to the Feather tomorrow morning to try to land a Steel Head.  Im hoping the rain will really turn on the bite.

It would be nice if they increased the flows.  It makes the fishing tough.  You definitely have to modify your tactics.   

Captain everything you are saying is correct.  This is why I think Bono is trying to correct the problems on Putah.  I believe that the water district is required to keep the flows above 50CFS.  When I saw the flow chart on Friday I decided it would be much better to go out motocross riding.  The problem I see is how the flows are regulated by Solano water district and the glory hole.  This should be our primary focus as a group.  If you look at the flow charts from last year the flows were over 5000 cfs.  The eggs and the smolts were all washed away.  I actually tried to save as many minnows as I could at the access #2 parking lot.  The minnows were trapped in shallow water as the water receded.  I think the flows should be regulated much better.  I would like to see the minimum at 100cfs and to close the glory hole.  The glory hole drops water from the top of the lake and is unregulated.  When the dam at shasta was regulated the fishing on the lower sac took off.  Water is now released from the bottom of the dam.  I think we can all make an effort to help the fish.  I don't know if everyone noticed, but the fish spawned early this year due to low rainfall.  This was good, but it will not happen every year.  I remember about three years ago when I saw at least 50 fish spawning in one area between access 2 an 3.  There were so many fish that you would have a hard time not stepping on one.  I think the big problem here is that uneducated fisherpeople are scaring the fish.  One other objective of the fly fishing organization would be to post spawning areas and to make these areas illegal to fish.  I suggest steel poles with signs at the top.  The signs could be posted upstream and downstream of the spawning areas.  The most complicated part would be dealing with fish and game to get approval.

-- Edited by Otter at 21:36, 2007-02-11

I think a minimum 100 cfs would be pretty nice! 75, 80 would get my approval as well, though. Anything lower, I'm sitting at the tying bench instead of fishing.

Here's an idea,any of you with a camera who frequent the creek take pictures of anything that may be concieved as a spawning bed that has been left high and dry due to low flows.I noticed this about a month ago near the deer sign area when the flows were hovering around 40cfs,unfortunately I forgot my camera that day and didn't realize how important a picture of this sort could be.A very reliable source told me that proof of these kinds of conditions could be all thats needed to have some impact on increasing the flows during the spawning season.If you happen to take a picture make sure you can recognize the surrounding area so as to prove where you were at.Don't forget about the meeting on Feb 24th at access #5 @10am.  Thanks Bono

Thats a great idea. I fish the creek alot, and for my own personal reference i keep a log book of all my trips to putah, just to keep track of hatches and fish activity, this year i also kept track of all the redds i have seen, I counted 18 redds on the creek this season. and i noticed by access 2 right as you pull in, there are a few redds there but now they are exposed due to low flows. I'll be out on the creek tuesday so i'll bring my camera and take pics of all the exposed redds. Hopefully with this and other research we can get those flows maintained in the spawning season so this deosnt happen again. I'll post the pics after i head out on tuesday.

    - Nic -

How long does it take to get to the Yuba or the Feather from Dixon?  I never thought about making the drive when I lived in Vallejo, because it just seemed too far.  With school and work I didn't really have the time to drive that far.  I know it's closer to Dixon, but how close is it? 

Takes me about 2.5 hours from the bay area to the yuba, alot more if its foggy, and it can be very foggy heading towards marysville, you should make it in no more them 1.5 hours. You have to try the yuba at least once its a pretty cool river, its totally different then something like putah, its alot bigger, and all river rock, i find it a little diffacult to read the water and identify fish holding water, theres not much structure in the river. Your gonnna wanna make sure you have some stonfly nymphs and dries especially this time of year, if its sunny they most likely willl be hatching, if it's overcast you ussually get a midday caddis hatch, also midge dries. When i go i go up hwy. 80 to sac. then 5 north to 99 to 70 into marysville then follow the sighns for hwy. 20 towards grass valley, park were the hwy. 20 bridge cross's the river, park at the parks bar area and head upstream. I'm not sure how its been fishing latley, havent been there since december. I read reports yesterday that said it was flowing pretty high and muddy so your gonna wanna give some time and check the flows and reports. Me personnaly i love that place. I ussually head up at about 4 a.m and am home no latter then 8 p.m. But hey i'm the kinda guy who dosent mind fishing sun up to sundown without getting anything. As far as the lower sac. goes you need a driftboat theres very little river access, never tried the feather.