All of these things occurred along the Yuba River and its tributaries during the latter half of the last century, when the region was a center of gold mining activity. Today, little remains of the once-flourishing miners' camps but names on maps and perhaps a few ghosts. The towns where miners gambled and drank and paid fabulous prices for grub are now, for the most part, quiet communities of families and retirees. And although a small number of hobbyists still dredge for gold in the area's streams, those who walk the banks are much more likely to be seeking fish rather than fortune. The Yuba River drainage offers a diversity of angling opportunities for fly fishers in search of wild trout and challenging fishing.

Sierra County contains the most productive of the three forks of the Yuba River - the North Fork. The North Fork is a classic western freestone stream that, along with its tributaries, is characterized by deep pools, pocket water, riffles and runs - all amid beautiful West Slope country.

An entirely different fishery exists on the main stem of the Yuba between Englebright Dam and the city of Marysville. Here, the river flows out of the foothills and into the Central Valley, and although access to fishable water is not as easy as on the North Fork, the potential rewards are worth the extra effort, as this is a tailwater environment that contains runs of wild steelhead, shad, and salmon, as well as smallmouth bass.

North Yuba