Updates...
So, the weather is all over the place…imagine that it is
spring in Nor-Cal. Brings me back to days when we actually had a spring. 80 degrees
and gorgeous to 55 cold and rainy in the span of 48 hours. Makes for
interesting fishing this really optimistic attitude for May through September
to be honest. Last year about this time weather was gorgeous, and had been for
a month or so, fishing was amazing but I was feeling this incredible sense of
dread for what was to come in June-September with the impending drought…It was
hard to revel in the great fishing and weather when I know what the price was
going to be. This year I have a totally different attitude. Here is some
reports but keep in mind they could change any day…I will be on the water a bit
over the next week or two so if something totally changes stay tuned.
Lower Sacramento River – Trout fishing has been good
to really good…just depends on the day and weather. I have not been up trout
fishing much, but everyone I talked to has been doing really good. On over cast
days fish are eating the bigger rubber legs and eggs, on warmer sunnier days fish
are keying on March brown nymphs, caddis, and PMD’s…Best fishing is from about
9am to 2pm. From Hwy 44 above is closed and be cautious of trout spawning areas
as most of the trout are getting up on reds to make babies!
Lower Yuba River – Flows are back up to around
4000cfs and I have not heard any good reports. I had a trip or two over there
recently that I moved to the feather and Lower Sac. I have done really well in
previous years when the flows get down to about 3500-3000cfs, but the one time
I rolled the dice and went over the last few weeks we struggled to get fish. I
have no idea where the fish are or what is going to happen to the Yuba…I hope
for good things but it may be a tough summer as fish get reacquainted and
adjusted. Even when I was out there and the flows were around 4000cfs there
were hatches of bugs and bug life seemed to be decent. Just need to find the fish
and where they are holed up.
Lower Feather Spring Steelhead – Flows on the feather
are back down to around 750cfs in the low flow and about 1000cfs in the high
flow. There is a good amount of spring steelhead, both half pounders and adults
up in the river…spread out throughout the low flow and high flow. Nymphing and
swinging flies is catching about the same amount of fish to be totally honest
so what ever you enjoy do I would say do…nymphing with egg patterns and
attractor nymphs like princes, PT’s and such is catching fish. Swinging with
small bait fish patterns and attractor nymphs is catching fish.
Warm Water Fishing on Rivers,Lakes, and Puddles –
Bass and stripers are turning on in the lower sac outside of chico, clarity is
fair to good. Fish are most active on warmer days. On warmer days carp are up sunning
themselves and one can endlessly frustrate themselves trying to entice one…On
most foothill lakes the spots, large and smallmouth bass are getting going from
talking to some of my buddies that fish Englebright, Scotts Flat, Bullards,
etc. As soon as we get some stable 75-80 degree weather the bass fishing on
many of these lakes is going to go off!