North Fork Yuba River Fishing Report 8/7/2016 ~ Got Ants?

Just completed a 5 day run up on the North Fork Yuba River and my guests and I had such an awesome time. Water temperatures are still cool ranging from 55 to 57 degrees in the morning, and topping out at 62 to 65 degrees in the late afternoon in the upper most part of the watershed. 

Location is everything, and locating where the deep subterranean springs flow into the river increases your chances as it provides ideal conditions for the resident wild trout. Flows have really dropped in the last week, but there is even more fishable water to be had. Deeper pockets, runs, and pools should be targeted now.

The wild rainbows are small, yet so gorgeous. Olive tops, and golden sides with a crimson stripe, purple par marks, and those beautiful orange white tipped fins. They’re like jewels that glimmer in the Northern Sierra sunshine. You must be quick on the take but keep in the mind the bigger fish will approach your fly more slowly before sucking it down. 

South Yuba River Citizens League Restoration Coordinator Cordi Craig plys the water of a big plunge pool. She had a blast!

What I like best about fishing and guiding the North Fork Yuba River is that it is an active style of fishing, stick and move, boulder hop, non-stop dry fly action, and wet wading in the cool water on a hot summer day. It’s absolutely the best.

Terrestrials are more important now and a main menu item for the trout. Hoppers and ants are getting most of the attention. The one dropper fly that has been doing very well is Lance Gray’s X-May in red and purple. There are some aquatics out like a few crane flies, a random BWO mayfly here and there, and a few summer stones. There are good numbers of small yellow sally stones still out, and the latest observation I saw is the meat bees are targeting them for lunch.

It was a very busy weekend in the canyon as the “Downieville Classic” mountain bike race was in full effect. I’ve never seen so many bikes. Still, my guests and I have yet to see another angler this summer. Again it comes down to location, the gnarlier the terrain, the less people you will encounter. Summer is winding down and I encourage you to seek out one of the most beautiful watersheds in the west.

See you on the water…

Lewis's Monkey flower mimulus lewisii makes its home among the cobblestones of the North Fork Yuba