Yes, for the first time in about 3 years, I pulled a skunk, a blank on the Yuba. I worked Saturday, so took the opportunity to avoid the weekend crowd on the Y. With temps going over 70 degrees, I expected a decent Skwala hatch. Man, I saw 2 Skwalas all day, several mayflies and a bunch of baetis in the early am. The river is getting a very serious case of rock snot unfortunately. I wonder if it's didymo, I'm afraid it is. I can't see how bugs would ever hatch through this stuff. Between the high December flows rolling all of the rocks around, and this circumstance, I'm afraid it could be a very bleak spring bug hatch on the river.
A further sign, only 1 drift boat on the river all day. The water is gin clear. I did get 2 grabs on Skwala dries, but missed both of them. Sadly, I only had 1 Fosters to drown my sorrows at the end of the day.
Sat was my second time to the Yuba. I worked up and down the entire day and didnt get a single grab. It was a tough day of fishing but beautiful weather. Cant wait till i bring one in. I hear Yuba trout are some of the prettiest in Nor Cal.
I fished 3 hours and had two LDRs on Saturday. First time in a while I got none to hand at the Yuba. Saw tons of anglers — more than I saw all last summer. I think it's the pressure that's putting them down.
Ive been fishing a fair amount on the Yuba this year, including last friday, and it has been SLOW on the dry fly front. I can count the amount of skwalas i have seen in my last few trips out on one hand. I've caught a few on skwalla dries, but most fish have been alot of work. No real hatches to speak of, even in the 70 degree weather we were having. The area I've been fishign doesnt get a lot of pressure, and its still been this slow. IMO, as others have pointed out in other threads, the high water has put a real damper on this river. I remember last year the fishing was fantastic up until the high later winter early spring run-off we had in (march?), the river never had any decent hatches to speak of after that. Before that blowout, every rock you would turn over was crawling with life, after, nada. Same thing happened this year in December. Because it happened earlier, and doesnt look like we will get too high spring conditions, I'm hopefull for the development of some caddis mid summer. Turning the rocks over last time I was out they were devoid of life, for the most part. Pretty alarming, but typical when this river sees high water. You would think that with less food supply that these fish would be more opportunistic feeders (e.g., slamming any streamers and attractors in sight) , but for the most part, I think what actually happens it that these fishes metabolisms slow down, and they feed less, to preserve more energy due to the lack of energy producing bug food available. One thing is for sure, the fish you do catch on the yuba right now, like last year, are mostly skinny--which certainly confirms they are not eating abundantly.
Like all rivers, they evolve, or develove, durring stages of high water, and I think the Yuba is extra sensitive to it. Just my opinion, and certainly not a novel one. I think this day and age that if you want to throw drys on the yuba, you have to lower your expectations accordingly. A four or five fish day is a great day, a one or two fish day is good, and a skunk on dries is average. A skunk without a streamside beer to drink---poor fishing.
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all of a man's addictions end and begin when he learns to fly fish
Drifter, I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. The rock snott seems to further compound anything that is happening, for the worse. The nymphs just aren't going to get up through that gunk when they are there. The only bug life I saw when turning rocks was a single stonefly and a few very small green bugs, maybe mayflies? Most rocks were empty, which is what you usually do not see there.
I did have a couple of decent days there a week and a half ago, but Friday was pretty vacant. Just very little activity at all.
According to the USGS, however, the current Yuba River flow of about 1,600 cfs @Marysville is well below the median rate of about 3,200cfs this time of year. Accordingly, this cannot be considered a high flow year, at least at this point. If fact, it should be considered a low flow year so far. It is hard for me to believe that the current is the problem so maybe it's the muck that Bob mentioned.
Since I am hopeful sort of person, I am going up tomorrow and hoping to avoid the skunk. Will be looking for rises, but probably mostly will be nymphing.
If anyone has any pointers about where to fish, I'd appreciate it. Was thinking about starting above the bridge and then checking down river if it's dead up there. tks.
-- Edited by iamamultitasker on Wednesday 20th of February 2013 12:56:06 PM
What the flows are now has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. 3200 is nothing, in December, it got up to over 60,000 CFS (or something like that). Those are the type of events that move heaven and earth. Because the YUba is composed of mostly small cobblestone to smaller gravels, big flows blow out everything down stream, and litterally change the course of the river. If you fish the river enough, over the years, you can see jsut how much the river changes in high water years---and by high water, i mean, big, sudden, flooding events.
Years ago, i want to say in the late nineties, there was huge water coming down, and the fishing was terrible for a couple years after that---same thing seemed to happen after last years huge late winter/early spring flows. Anyone who fished last year could attest to how skinny the fish were. Seems like we are seeing the same thing again this year. Again, just a theory, but that shouldnt keep you from going out there and trying your luck.
My piece of advice would be to not be so fixated on the riffles, and fish the edges and the swirly stuff.
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all of a man's addictions end and begin when he learns to fly fish
Now I see what you're saying. You think much of the insect life got washed out in the high water last year. In fact, I wonder if many of the fish got displaced.
I live near the Russian River and have caught some fairly large carp and smallmouth in there. I often wonder how awesome a non-steelhead fishery the Russian would be if the flows didn't get wildly out of control every few years. Somewhere in the ocean there are carp and smallmouths looking for fresh water.
December pushed a ton of gravel around in the riverbed. Just look at how the area under the HWY 20 bridge has changed in the last 12 months. I think the river has really improved in terms of habitat for the longer term, but hopefully hatches occur in March and April moreso than we've seen from the Skwala's so far.
The Yuba has been slow after the good start in early December. Ralph Cutter the "Fish Food Expert" says the fish are feeding on size 26 to 28 midges and a few skwalas. Break out the Putah Creek flies on 7x!!!
