Post Memorial Day Reports...and What is coming up...and other dribble...
Well Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and that is the Official/UnOfficial began of summer in most peoples books and the weather here in Chico, CA is going welcome that in. We have 4 days of triple digits forecasted this week though the night time lows are in the 60s so that means it will be over 100 for like an hour or two during the late afternoon. Then it goes from triple digits on Friday May 29 to 81 on Saturday May 30th followed by a full week of weather in the low to mid 80s. Looking out over the extended forecast for June it seems we are in for a fairly mild June but who knows.
Lately I have been spending the last few weeks back to guiding on the Lower Yuba River rowing the drift boat. In the next few weeks I will be transitioning to my normal summer/fall routine of striper fishing through October. I have plenty of openings still for some late spring early summer Yuba Trout trips and Summer Striper trips. I will post those dates below as well as my “COVID Era” adjustments to my guiding that I am practicing for everyones safety.
OPEN DATES
May 29
June 6, 8-10, 12, 17, 22-27, 29, 30
July 1, 6, 9, 10, 13-17, 20-25, 29-31
August 5, 22
REPORTS
Valley Striper Fishing – Fishing has been getting going on a few of the valley rivers as others have seen some BIG flows jumps and mud with the recent rains. Also anytime it rains and the temps drop like it did water temps drop as well slowing the bite.
The Feather is starting to enter into its summer fishing program with some stripers, Bass, and Shad. The feather is a really cool fishery and one that not many people fish…it is VERY challenging to navigate in the jet boat and fishing can be pretty technical but rewarding.
The Lower Sac blew out with the recent storms and is just coming back into shape. Clarity and flows are fishable but the water temps dropped slowing the bite down a bit. There are also good numbers of shad around and that can affect the bite but also pull our resident fish back up river so things are shapping up for a GREAT summer out here.
Early June on lower water summers can be AMAZING fishing on the Sac and Feather and I am definitely looking forward to getting out there more!
Lower Yuba River – Fishing has been good to great. The last storms added some color and flow to the river and we had some pretty silly fishing with the off color water. Even before and after with flows around 1300cfs and the water bordering on gin clear fish were feeding and active. Hatches have been mixed and inconsistent with the wind and weather of a normal spring. The last few days the most prolific hatches have been flights of little yellow sallies in the mid morning but I am sure with the heat forecasted hatches are going to be pushed to the morning and evening. I did see my first few golden stoneflies flying around and there was plenty of dark caddis when the weather cooperated as well as a few late PMD’s but the fish were not up any of the days I was on the water…we managed a few fish blind casting caddis dries but there was no consistent risers that I could find. I am sure the bite will tighten up with the heat but consistant weather should get some hatches going even if they are early and late. Ounce the weather goes back to mid 80s next week I am sure fishing will be good again. The average size of fish on the Yuba has been very good as well. We are seeing numerous FAT 16-18” fish each day and then plenty of hard fighting 12-14” fish.
Most of our fish are coming on nymphs under the indicators but in spots we are blind casting caddis dries and pulling some smaller fish up. Rubber legs, Red Copper Johns, birds nests, Amber Wing Dictators, and Yuba Pupas have been getting the most fish. Fish seem to be caddis and atttractors that fit the “little Yellow Sallie” profile. Riffles have fished better then flats and that goes with what the fish seem to be favoring as there are not mayflies coming off in any number to pull them to the flats and mayfly nymphs are hard to get a grab on.
June can be a great month on the river and I usually spend a few days out there as long as it doesn’t get to hot so I am looking forward to throwing some big golden stone dries and nymphs myself.
Dribble… I have been desperately missing sports. Old games and replays just don’t do it for me. I need baseball, NHL playoffs, NBA Playoffs, College baseball…I need my normal spring early summer sports. I was so desperate this last weekend I watched NASCAR with no fans in the stands…driving cars in circles for miles upon miles does not usually appeal to me… I watched for a solid hour before turning it off.
I have no idea when sports is coming back…NBA locked into Disney world just sounds lame, and college football is a crap shoot at this point. Granted I have bought my season tickets and even some flights as they were DIRT cheap. I cant say that i have much confidence 100,000 people will be cramming into college stadiums in 3 mos…. but if there is any sport that needs to run to make money it is College Football…so maybe games on just TV no fans as that is what makes the money.
Music… Lots of good music coming out and amazing live shows on various social media channels but in the end when does live music come back…not for a while I imagine. I truly miss cramming into bars and clubs with my band mates playing our songs. I also had A BUNCH of summer tours/shows I wanted to go see this summer…Isbell, John Moreland, Built to Spill, and a few more, but who knows when all that will come back…Long road I imagine.