Lower Yuba River - Flows are around 690cfs and are rumored to be dropping down to 500cfs soon. This is incredibly low, I have not seen the river below 700cfs sense I was a kid back in the early 90's. Clarity is about 1', about as clear as I feel confident I can catch fish. Englebright lake is blow out and as a result I imagine the river will be colored up for a few weeks. That said fishing was good yesterday. We hooked fish on Rubber legs, egg patterns, and 12-14 attractor nymphs like copper johns, prices, and various rubber leg nymphs. There were good numbers of skwala stoneflies around and a few areas where fish were actively eating adults in swirls and coves. Fishing the water along the banks blind with a skwala dry did rise a few fish but we had much better luck fishing to rising fish. Fishing on the L.Yuba should continue to be good as the water clears a bit but hopefully it keeps a bit of color as the river at 500-700cfs and gin clear could be pretty tough. 





Break In - If you live in Northern California you probably know of the fly shop Fly Fishing Specialties in Citrus Heights. Unfortunately they were broken into over the last weekend and a bunch of high end gear was stolen. From what I have heard it was a pretty pro job and one done by people that knew what to steal. So, if you see any of the following items on craigs list, ebay, classified bulletin boards, or on the inside of a guys trench coat on the corner or your local river access let Rick at Fly Fishing Specialties know and he will send the the goon squad out after them. 

Stolen Items:
Abel Products:
Brown Trout Super 3
Rooster Fish  Super 11 
Tarpon Super 12 all pimped out

Matte black spey
Grateful dead spey 128 of 250
a few sets of pliers
Hatch Reels
4 plus
7 plus
  Hardy Reels;
4 inch bugle
fortuna XL1 X2 X3
  Sage Products:
Evoke LH retrieve
Sage Rods
            12 XI3
            Peacock Bass Rod
            6 and 7 wt One series Switch Rods
            5 and 8 wt One
Dyna King and Regal vises

Tying Flies...
It is a rare time when I feel my boxes are full to the point that I can divert from the normal grind of guide, tie flies, guide, tie flies, guide...and work on some flies or experiment with some new materials and such. I bought some of the new spirit river UV2 dubbing. I got the tan scud/shrimp and an olive one...both looked really good in the bag and Tom Page at Reel Anglers showed me a cool amber wing caddis pattern he used the dubbing on so I was sold. Buying dubbing is the equivalent of buying a new flavor of potato chips...the cost is minimal and the purchase has the chance of changing your life for ever. 

yummy new dubbing

Usually when I get a completely new style of dubbing like this I tie a few standard patterns with it that I know fish and see how they fish tied with the new dubbing. Then if they fish well or better then I know the dubbing is good.  So, with these two I tied some basic olive and tan birds next to see how the stuff works. So far so good, we will see how the fish like the stuff though. One  thing with these dubs I have been doing is chopping a clump of it up before I use it. It is a blended dubbing and has some really fine synthetic material in it blended with some long stiff angora style fibers in it, so by chopping it the angora gets a bit shorter blending with the shorter fibers a bit better. 

I buy music not drugs...
I am addicted to music and buying music. I got into a few bands on the record label "Top Shelf Records" and it has resulted in my pretty much loving every band on the label. The latest one, Chamberlain is GREAT. Good american rock and roll. Singer sounds a bit like John Mellencamp to me...which really who doesn't like.  Also discovered Dave Hause, another great song writter and his new CD "Devour" on Rise Records is great. 

Greatest Game...
Pitchers and Catchers have reported and the giants have had their first full team workout. They open up the Spring schedule on Feb 26 against the A's and then start playing everyday for the most part that Friday. I am pretty excited about the season and the new additions of Hudson and Morse. I think Hudson is going to be a great mentor to Tim L. and with Tim L's new off season program I am curious to see how he shows up to camp and  how his spring goes...considering he is usually terrible during the spring. either way I will going to the mall this coming week and taking part in a spring ritual of buying by giants cap. I will wear this cap all season, almost everyday on the water and off, through thick and thin for the whole season. Kind of a big day for me.