The dog days of summer…It’s been hot but at least it cools off in the mountains at night. Now we have fires to contend with. A big one near Loyalton, and another big one in Colorado that will affect my hosted trips come the beginning of September. There are so many aspects of our lives right now that are so far out of whack, and really not normal due to our current world wide situation, that is unless your wet wading in the cold bubbly water throwing dry flies to eager small wild trout. My trips on the North Fork Yuba River and the creeks have been the saving grace for my guests during the pandemic. To totally escape into a remote wilderness and not see another angler while taking in the sights of an amazing watershed and the therapeutic sounds of gurgling water is priceless to them. They get it, and love every minute of it, as I do.
Fishing has been really good despite the fact the river is low, which really doesn’t make a difference on the NFYR due to the big plunge pools, slots, and pockets that have a vast amount of depth and cover for the trout to feel comfortable in. Now more than ever, fishing the tiny nooks and crannies that are often overlooked by other anglers will yield some nice fish. Another angle to think about is searching for “dark water” next to boulders or long walls of granite that are in the water. The right water will look as black as sin, like a halo wrapping itself around a big chunk of polished rock. More than just shade, the trout feel really secure next to the structure. During the right conditions when your dry fly is drifting through the dark water, you can actually see a trout come up out of the darkness and grab your fly. It’s beyond cool when you get to see that.
Another great tip is to keep moving upstream at a quick
pace. When you get to a new section of water you will have your greatest chance
to hook into a fair number of trout. Cover the entire area from near to far,
and once you wear out your welcome, just move upstream to another fresh
section. Stick and move…Stick and move.
It’s all about the springs when it’s Africa hot out. The
upper watershed has the most deep subterranean springs that bring in 44 to 48
degree water. Currently the water temperatures are 58 in the morning reaching
64 in the late afternoon.
We’re still running dry dropper rigs, or just a single elk hair caddis. Both are effective. It’s that time of year for terrestrials though, and hanging a submerged ant pattern is crushing them. The takes on the ant are so ferocious! When your Stimulator gets jerked back half a foot during the grab, you just know they slammed it. There are some hoppers out, just not as many as the last few years though. Other than a bunch of caddis, not much aquatics out except a small hatch of Little Yellow Sallies around 10am for a few hours, and the occasional mayfly.
Life is good, I’ve been as busy as I want to be as far as guide trips. I could fill every day of the year if I really wanted to, but 5 days a week is plenty. As I age, I realize that your quality of life is more important than making a dollar, so more Jonny B. time it is. I got the writing bug again, so look for upcoming articles like my next one in California Fly Fisher on the October Caddis – everything you ever wanted to know about the big bug. During Covid, I’ve had more cancelations and rescheduled trips than ever, seems like every week I’m tweaking my schedule and adjusting to my guest’s needs. That’s to be expected. At this time these are my available dates up to November: 8/26, ~ 9/28, 30 ~ 10/26, 27. Shoot me an email at baiocchistroutfitters@yahoo.com if you want aboard. Until then…See you on the water.
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