North Yuba
The flow on the North Yuba is 526 cfs at Goodyear’s Bar as of June 14, 2009. The flow is dropping slowly and the fly fishing has improved dramatically. The water is clear and water temperature in the late afternoon is in the mid-fifties. The wading conditions are still difficult and you should be prepared with felts and a staff. You will not be able to cross the river back and forth easily, so some spots are not going to be fishable. The larger fish are beginning to spread out into the shallower sections.
On June 13, 2009, we fished various spots on the North Yuba from Bassett’s Station thru parts of the special regulation section and took a lot of fish but with no real size to them. Plenty of quantity, but no quality! The weather was miserable! Rain, wind, hail and thunder and lightning was enough to make you wish for a nice warm bar and an Irish coffee. My guess is that the water was still cold enough to keep the bigger fish in the deeper runs and pools. As the water warms the fish should begin to spread out into the shallower runs.
On the North Yuba, I have seen a few Golden Stone adults in the evening; the fish are responding to the imitations. Hanging a small dark nymph off the imitation will improve your chances. Parachute Adams used in the shallower runs will give you a few fish. The caddis are out; both green and tan running in size from 12#-14#.
The most consistent method for taking larger fish is indicator nymphing in deeper water using generic nymphs such as the Hare’s Ear, B/H Prince, Turkey B/H and Copper John’s. The dry fly fishing is improving daily.
We also did some fishing this week on a small spring creek in the Grouse Ridge area. The fishing was good as the fish were hungry. It took a while for us to adapt to keeping the flies out of the trees and grasses along the stream banks after fishing on the Lower Yuba all winter and spring! Again rain and wind made the fishing difficult. We did take some small browns. Parachute ants, E/C caddis and Parachute Adam’s were the hot patterns.
FLIES:
NYMPHS: Green Rock-worm #12, Turkey Bead-Head #12-#16, Golden Stone Nymph #8-#12, B/H Prince #14-#16, Copper John #12-#16,Green Glass Bead Caddis #12-#16, B/H Hare’s Ear #12-#16, FBB/H Pheasant Tail #14-#16, Biot B/H #14-16
DRIES: Gold or Brown Stimulator #10-12, Parachute Adam’s #14-#16, Elk Hair Caddis (olive, tan, brown and black) #12-14, Flying Ant #12-3x long, E/C caddis #12-#16 in tan and olive, parachute ant #12-#14