YOU WILL NEED A VALID CALIFORNIA LICENSE, STEELHEAD REPORT CARD AND BAY-DELTA ENHANCEMENT STAMP TO FISH THE LOWER YUBA.

On June 13, 2009, the flows on the Lower Yuba were 2025 cfs which includes the flow from Deer Creek.  The water flow should remain around that level for the rest of the month.  The water is clear with the temperature in the mid-fifties.

We floated the upper section on June 11, 2009.  There was a sporadic hatch of PMD’s and a few Little Yellowstone flies but the wind kept the hatches from really materializing.  We did pick up a few fish nymphing with large stonefly nymph imitations and a dropper with a B/H flashback P.T.   The fish would rise to a dry PMD imitation if you could get it directly over them.  You will find most of the fish in the slow water along the bank or along the current lines.

FLIES:

Dries: BWO Parachute#16-20, BWO emergers #16-#20, Adams Parachute #14-#18, PMD emergers #16, PMD Parachute #16

Nymphs: San Juan Worm #12, Green Rock Worm #10-#12, FB PT #16-#18, Turkey Bead-head #14-16, Fox Pupa olive #14-16, Black AP #16-18, Hare’s Ear soft hackle #16, green soft hackle #12=#14 Hares Ear (dark) #12  

Brown Trout

After reading JERUSALEM CREEK Journeys into Driftless Country by Ted Leeson, I began to research the area with the idea that someday I might get a chance to fish the area he writes so eloquently.  I finally got my chance during May of 2009.

The upper Midwest contains more than 600 limestone spring creeks.  In the area bounded by portions of southwest Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, and northeast Iowa is one of the world’s greatest concentrations of spring creeks comprising over 2,500 miles of water.

The region was an “island” of land untouched by the glaciers leaving the sedimentary rock undisturbed rather than bulldozed.  The layers were eroded by streams resulting in “bluff “country or “coulee” country.  The name “Driftless” refers to the absence of glacial deposits, or “drift” in this area. 

      This is an area of beautiful farms, with wooded ridge tops and outcrops of bedrock.  You notice the smells of new mown hay and wild mint as you move along the streams.

      Miles of public water are accessible either by fishing easements or government owned land.  The streams are concentrated and at times little more than a couple of road miles separates one stream from another, a far cry from our western fisheries which can be hundreds of miles apart.

Habitat improvement and stream restoration is 

Pat on Duschee Creek

ongoing in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.  In Wisconsin alone up to three miles of stream are improved yearly by the DNR.  The results are impressive with some streams boasting of over 4000 trout per mile with browns and brook trout the predominate species.

We made Rochester, Minnesota our fishing base of operations at the beginning of the trip.  We spent time on several creeks as we tried to get a feel for both the fishing and the area.  Lodging and dining is easy in Rochester with all the usual motels, hotels and restaurants available plus you are only 20 minutes from being on a stream.  

In Wisconsin we made Westby our base of operation although the town doesn’t have the amenities of Rochester there was a good restaurant and decent accommodations.  Several spring creeks were within a twenty minute drive including Timber Coulee Creek which was included in Trout Unlimited 100 best trout streams in the United States.

The fishing in both Wisconsin and Minnesota was excellent with good numbers of browns in the streams and decent hatches throughout most of the trip.  The fish are wary and spook easily so careful stalking is the rule.  Most of the flies are small (#14-#18) but you can take your California patterns and be assured you will be able to catch fish.  Bring everything you need with you–there are few fly shops in the area and those are in the major population centers away from the main fishing areas.  If you run out of leader material, floatant, or leaders you will have a long drive!

Limestone Cliff-Spring Coulee

We used the same techniques as here in California including dries with droppers, dries, and indicator nymphing.  You do need to adjust the techniques to take into  account shallower water and spooky fish.  Take rain gear with you as spring time in the Midwest can be wet, although we had only one bad weather day during our trip (fished anyway!).

All I can finish with is that we will be going back, probably next year, to enjoy some of the best spring creek fisheries I have ever had the pleasure of fishing.

RIFFLE

My best fishing buddy and four legged friend died today.  She loved to go fishing and the countryside around the streams.  As I sit here and type this I wonder if fishing will ever be the same without her.

Welcome to C & R Guide Service’s new website!

We have just gotten back from a fishing trip to the “driftless area” in southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin. What a great area to fish in the spring!  I will write more on the trip later.  However, now that I am back, I can start to play with this new website which was designed by my youngest son, Jeff.

The North Yuba is flowing at 900 cfs as of this morning (5/31/09) and is slightly discolored.  The river appears to be about two weeks away from prime fly fishing condition.  The Lower Yuba is flowing at 2300 cfs as of 5/31/09 and according to the powers that be the flow will remain at this level through June.  I will update the conditions on the rivers as soon as I get a chance to fish them.

Bill Sunderland has published a revised and expanded edition of his popular book FLY FISHING THE SIERRA NEVADA.  The photography by Rick Martin is outstanding.  I tied the flies that are illustrated in the book. There is an excellent chapter about the North Yuba River with pictures of me and my significant-other Pat Holtan.  You can pick-up a copy in your local fly shop or you can order your signed copy directly from Mosca Loca Books, 13973 Hidden Valley Road, Grass Valley, CA. 95949  (530-274-9909).  The cost is $29.95 plus $4.00 postage and $2.20 CA. sales tax for a total of $36.15. 

I will be posting the dates for the North Fork clinics shortly.  These clinics will be hosted at the Lure Resort in Downieville and presented in conjunction with Nevada City Anglers in Nevada City.  The clinics are four hours of intensive on-stream instruction on reading water and fishing techniques (including nymphing, pocket water tactics and dry fly fishing).  We will also do some stream insect sampling.  Seasonal hatches and fly patterns for the North Yuba will be discussed.  We will place the emphasis in June on stoneflies and September on the October Caddis.  Casting skills, waders and a 4, 5, or 6 weight rod are required.  A valid California fishing license is necessary for each participant. The cost for the clinic will be the same as last year ($65.00). 

If you are looking for fly fishing tackle in the Downieville area, stop by Sierra Hardware at 305 Main Street in Downieville.  Cindy, the proprietor, carries a good assortment of flies, leaders and other assorted goodies including, Keep It Up, my favorite paste fly floatant.  Check it out!

If you are looking for a place to stay in the Downieville area, give the nice folks at the Lure Resort a call at (530) 289-3465 or go to their website at www.thelureresort.com.  Recently remodeled, the resort makes a great place to stay right on the river.  

If your club is looking for a speaker, I am booking dates for this year.  Since I have recently gone digital, I have only one program available right now.  The program deals with the North Yuba River and the creeks and streams that flow into it.  I gave this program on 3/31/09 to the Fly Fishers of Davis. You can contact me about rates and dates for your club at (530) 346-7065 or via e-mail.

Welcome to the new C&R Guide Service web site. Our domain move should be completed by Friday, 5/8. Until then you may have periods of brief outages or see the old site.

The RW Pupa is intended to serve as an easier-to-tie alternative to Gary LaFontaine’s Deep Sparkle Pupa, which itself is a highly effective fly for California’s caddis-filled streams. The RW Pupa is not so much a new pattern as it is a combination of two different dubbing methods. The first is Gary LaFontaine’s “touch dubbing” technique for the abdomen, and the second is Gary Borger’s “long fiber” dubbing procedure for the thorax. The touch-dubbed abdomen allows the fly to retain tiny bubbles as it sinks, and the long-fibered thorax gives motion to the fly and represents the pupa’s sheath before emergence. A collar of Hungarian partridge hackle provides both addition motion and a semblance of legs.

The RW Pupa can be tied in any combinations of colors to match the natural insects. A light brown abdomen and dark brown thorax seem to work best for me, with a combination of bright green and dark brown coming in second. Whatever the variation, the pattern has proven productive on both sides of the Sierra and on waters that range from the Upper Sacramento to the Owens River.

I fish this fly under an indicator, drifting it through runs and pockets, taking care to adjust the indicator up or down to keep the fly on the bottom of the stream. It has also proved sucessful early season at lakes, where I fish it, again with an indicator, in the moving water at the mouths of tributaries.

When fishing a lake, try different depths until you begin to get strikes, I’ve gone as deep as nine feet between the fly and the indicator. If you feel you are not getting deep enough, add a very small split-shot 12 to 18 inches above the fly.

I use a 9-foot, 5x leader for most of the water I fish.