Reports, Winter Bass Fishing, Appearances, and Stripers...
2016 has moved out and 2017 is roaring in with a huge week long storm (thats what they are saying)...Most rivers are blown out and heavy flooding rampant. The second to last storm that hit a a week or so ago was incredibly cold with LOTS of low elevation snow...that last storm that hit this week not only dumped a TON of rain it melted much of that low elevation snow...
The Lower Yuba River was fishable for a few days at most, but with all the rain there has been massive amounts of water coming down the Lower Yuba...flows reached over 80,000cfs this last week. Check out John Baiocchis blog http://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com for some great pictures of the high water. Who knows when the river will be fishable again...My best guess is it will take a good month for flows to drop to anywhere near fishable and then any storm will blow the river out again so who knows consistent flows may not come until May/June. No matter when it is going to be a completely different river when the flows do drop.
The Lower Sacramento River was kicked back up to 15,000cfs only after being down around 5500cfs for only a week at most and then the rain came....and flows are now up over 21,000cfs out of Keswick with flooding throughout the water shed down river. The Sac outside of chico reached over 100,000cfs cresting at about 115,000cfs on Jan 10th....flows over 20,000cfs out of Keswik are not unfishable but I am not sure what the clarity coming out of Shasta is...I can't imagine it is very clear. Not sure when flows will clear and drop
Butte Creek is blown out and will need a week or so of dry weather to be fishable again. May get a week or two of fishing in before it closes Feb 15
Feather River...I have not heard any reports sense the upper stretch above Hwy 70 opened Jan 1 but I did drive over the river this afternoon (Jan 7) and the river was starting to color up meaning that lake oroville was getting muddy.
The Lower Yuba River was fishable for a few days at most, but with all the rain there has been massive amounts of water coming down the Lower Yuba...flows reached over 80,000cfs this last week. Check out John Baiocchis blog http://jonbaiocchiflyfishingnews.blogspot.com for some great pictures of the high water. Who knows when the river will be fishable again...My best guess is it will take a good month for flows to drop to anywhere near fishable and then any storm will blow the river out again so who knows consistent flows may not come until May/June. No matter when it is going to be a completely different river when the flows do drop.
The Lower Sacramento River was kicked back up to 15,000cfs only after being down around 5500cfs for only a week at most and then the rain came....and flows are now up over 21,000cfs out of Keswick with flooding throughout the water shed down river. The Sac outside of chico reached over 100,000cfs cresting at about 115,000cfs on Jan 10th....flows over 20,000cfs out of Keswik are not unfishable but I am not sure what the clarity coming out of Shasta is...I can't imagine it is very clear. Not sure when flows will clear and drop
Butte Creek is blown out and will need a week or so of dry weather to be fishable again. May get a week or two of fishing in before it closes Feb 15
Feather River...I have not heard any reports sense the upper stretch above Hwy 70 opened Jan 1 but I did drive over the river this afternoon (Jan 7) and the river was starting to color up meaning that lake oroville was getting muddy.
Winter Bass Fishing
Fellow Guides Ryan Williams and Chuck Ragan have been doing some winter spotted bass fishing on Lake Oroville and having some pretty epic days. Ryan is really one of the pioneers of this winter spotted bass fishing as he has developed a system fishing indicators and suspended bait fish patterns. Very similar to the Float'n Fly method many conventional bass anglers use. It is not summer or spring bass fishing where fish crush stripped flies, but it may be the only game around for a while....Spotted bass fight much like smallmouth bass and make up for what they may lack in size with their fight. Average fish is about 1-3lbs.
email: chuck crguideservice@gmail.com or Ryan rwguideservice@yahoo.com
email: chuck crguideservice@gmail.com or Ryan rwguideservice@yahoo.com
UpComing Appearances
Lots of stuff happening over the next few months...Here are some events that I will be at if you wanna stop by and say hello.
Jan 22 - I will tying flies at the ISE Show in Sacramento in the Fly Fishing Building. Come by I'll tie you a fly.
Feb 18 - Yuba River Jubilee at Hamond Grove Park in Browns Valley - I will be there with the "Hogan Brown Fly Fishing" Booth as well as the "Cast Hope" booth. Chuck Ragan will be there helping me with both. I will tying, selling some flies, talking guiding, cast hope, and all things yuba and fly fishing.
Feb 25 - I will at the Cast Hope booth at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show and Cast Hope will be hosting our 3rd annual "After Party at Gastros Pub" that evening! Come to the show, stop by the booth, and then head over to the after party for beer, food, auction, raffle, and more!
Jan 22 - I will tying flies at the ISE Show in Sacramento in the Fly Fishing Building. Come by I'll tie you a fly.
Feb 18 - Yuba River Jubilee at Hamond Grove Park in Browns Valley - I will be there with the "Hogan Brown Fly Fishing" Booth as well as the "Cast Hope" booth. Chuck Ragan will be there helping me with both. I will tying, selling some flies, talking guiding, cast hope, and all things yuba and fly fishing.
Feb 25 - I will at the Cast Hope booth at the Pleasanton Fly Fishing Show and Cast Hope will be hosting our 3rd annual "After Party at Gastros Pub" that evening! Come to the show, stop by the booth, and then head over to the after party for beer, food, auction, raffle, and more!
Striper Season
While storms are hitting the North State Spring and Summer Striper season will be here before you know it. Last season I was booked up through Sept by April so this year I have added two additional Licensed Coast Guard Captains to take my over flow and accommodate 2-3 boat trips. I had to turn away a lot of people last season so hopefully this will help get more people out. I will be releasing my March-Sept Trout, bass, shad, and striper dates here in the next month so keep an eye on your email or the blog for dates if you would like to get on my calendar for striper season.