Went up and visited a friend whose family has some property in Nevada City. Got away for a bit of fishing on the M and N Forks of the Yuba. Not great, but not bad. River was in decent condition but probably what it looks like in July typically rather than end of May. Will probably be pretty ugly come late summer. Fish were eating golden stones.
Eric, my family recently got a place in Nevada City as well and I have also started fishing the North Fork Yuba as well. I have only fished it a few times in the summer and it was very hot. It can be a great dry fly spot using stimulator with pheasant tail droppers. Bill Carnazzo has a great website describing the good spots as he guides and does clinics on the Yuba. Did I meet you at Putah last summer? Do you use Sage FLI? Cole
That is great - that is a nice river that I think is underfished outside of the locals. I especially enjoy exploring the smaller tributaries - the fish are smaller in general, but it is a lot of fun. I like fishing small creeks.
It was actually not that hot by normal standards, but it was amazing because one day I forgot my cap (I pretty much always have a baseball cap on when fishing) and the direct sun exposure resulted in streams of sweat even though I don't think it was above 75.
I have also had some good success with gaudy stimulators, but last weekend I could get almost no surface activity. There were signs of stoneflies everywhere so I went with it and sure enough they were hitting the golden stones.
We maybe met? I actually usually use a Sage Z-Axis, but also have a bunch of other rods I fool around with, mostly Loomis.
I was up there a few weeks back. A lot water was coming down, but I saw many fish. It seems to be a nymphing river to me. I will investigate this place more this year. Eric I believe you are right about the place doesn't have much pressure. To me that is great. Especially if you think how much pressure the Truckee, both forks of the Walker & Carson rivers get. I like the NF Yuba a lot ;) This place is only second in my book to the MF Feather.
In past years when I was doing more spin fishing I'd hit the North Fork Yuba with Panther Martins after bike riding around Downieville, never got anything big but I remember picking up lots of rainbows and some browns up to about 10" or so. Some of them weren't much bigger than the lure. Maybe not my favorite creeks for fish, but overall that area is one of my favorite places to take a long weekend.
Windknots, you a mountain biker? Me too and there are some great trails supposedly along the Yuba. I was actually contemplating a mountain bike, wet wade trip next time I go up. Probably just hike the bike down to some spots if It's possible and fish along the way. I have only read about the trails but my fishing and bike instincts tell me it could be fun.
Hi Cole, Yeah, I ride a bit. Downieville is mecca for mt bikers, and it works out perfect for either camping or staying in one of the hotels up there or in Nevada City (or even Sierra City), getting in a ride, getting fed, and still getting 6 hours of quality time with a fishing rod. I haven't fished Lavezolla Creek or the Downie River but I've seen trout in the pools while riding by on the trails. Lavezolla and a section of the North Yuba are also designated wild trout fisheries.
I did the Shasta Lemurian this year and hit Clear Creek afterward. I got into a nice fish above Whiskeytown but he threw the hook, I picked up one below the dam. Ran into a few locals and got some good insights on the creek. He knew the 24 incher I was casting to by name, the fish has a bit of a reputation I guess. It stood out in that it had a bit of fungus on it's tail that was easy to distinguish from a distance.
Back to Downieville, if you head up there with a fishing pole and a bike you'd find yourself torn every day between which you'd rather do, ride or fish. Plenty of creeks, some still water up in the Gold Lakes basin (never fished it), and tons of trails.
Oh, one more thing, I don't think you need to worry about riding with your fishing gear, it's just not necessary. Plus once you get going on the bike you won't want to stop or even slow down. There's no shortage of pullouts on rt 49, though the steep banks are enough to discourage most from hiking down them. The smaller creeks also have access via dirt roads such that a short hike will get you to sections of the creek that in all likelihood see very little fishing pressure. The bigger thing is just to make sure you're friendly to the gold miners and respect their claims. There are a handful of crazies up there too, the locals use the phrase "Canyon Jacks" to describe miners that have spent one too many winters up in the canyons by themselves, I've only run into one over the years though it was memorable.
Thanks for all the heads up. Your right though,fish or bike but maybe not both. Wet shorts are hard to climb hills in. That area is also a launch pad for all the places I have neglected in the sierras. Within one to two hours from so many good rivers and sometimes closer. My in laws live next to some prime water in Burney and I simply have left many great rivers alone. Not anymore! Not to mention an old buddy just called me after two years who I used to ride with and he lives up in Quincy on the banks of SC. Thanks again.
