This is Summer...

Summer is here and all the great things about it are in full swing…BBQ, striper fishing, Shad fishing, weddings, cold beer, great new music, anger at the giants, caddis and PMD hatches, wet wading, golden stones, sierra trout streams…you name it. I love June.

Lower Yuba – I have been on the Lower Yuba a few days in the last week and fishing has been great to good. The flows are hovering around 1300cfs which is a good flow, but I would like to see it higher. 1300cfs has a good current through the flats, but not enough water to come up into the willows on the bank which is going to make hopper fishing a bit more challenging this summer. The fish are spread out in the flats and deeper parts of runs and will move into shallower water or the riffles to feed in the evening. We caught fish on nymphs (jimmy leggs, birds nest, S&M PMD’s, Red copper johns, and a new medium size stonefly I am working on) and dries in the evening. There was decent caddis and PMD hatches along with a few golden stones flying around. We got fish to eat Cutters E/C caddis, the Yuba Emerger, Quigleys Golden Stone Dry, and Quigley’s hackle stacker. As long as the flows don’t drop any more I think it is going to be a good summer on the Yuba. Not sure how the hopper fishing will shake out but as long as the caddis and mayflies come off each day things will be good.

Yuba Double..one a few that day

Grip and Grin...sorta

Yuba ... survivor. Nice osprey talon scar on this guy...the fish not the angler

Lower Sac Stripers and Shad – The striper fishing for me really picked up over the last week. We hooked fish in almost every run we fished the last few days I have been on the water. The fish are on the smaller side with a mix of nice schoolie size fish and shakers. Though we have hooked a few bigger girls just not gotten them to the boat. I think most of the fish that can eat shad are still eating them. Shad fishing has been hit and miss…not a really strong shad year for me personally. I know people are getting into them at various times but there just doesn’t seem to be as many fish around as last year (that said last year was pretty epic).  Hopefully this will result in a good striper year.

Lower Sac Striper

Lower Sac Trout – Fishing remains good from what I have heard. I am going to start getting out on the lower river down below barge hole shortly. Summer is a great time to fish the lower river and can provide some of the best fishing of the year. I may be biased though as this is some really fun guiding and really a pretty and unique stretch of river.

North Fork Yuba River – I spent a day up out of Downieville fishing some old haunts this week. I started guiding up here over 15 years ago and it is always cool going back and seeing how little things have changed. I will say the water level is scary low for June. To me it looks about to be at August levels. That said fishing was good. We caught fish on dries and small nymph rigs. There was good numbers of golden stones, little yellow sallies, and what looked to be gray or brown drakes flying around. I would say if you like this piece of water get up there sooner then later as it is going to get pretty thin this year.

a Few goldens flying around

Beautiful Water up on the NF Yuba...get there soon though

Fall River – Word is the hex hatch has started…I will be up there soon to confirm.

The Rock and Roll Report – so with all the driving around I have been doing I needed some new music…Summer always brings some good releases.

Jason Isbell “Southeastern” – Jason was part of drive by truckers for a few years and wrote some of my favorite DBT songs. He then left the band and has released four albums, two solo and two with his band the 400 unit. This is a solo release and is seriously amazing song writing. For some reason every song this guy writes I relate to. This is a great sun setting on the way home from work or the river type of album, or just having a cold one on the porch.

The Wonder Years “The Greatest Generation” – Awesome and rocking earnest emotionally charged music…similar to Taking back Sunday but way cooler and way more relatable lyrics.  There are few bands that make me yell and pump my fist while driving like these guys.

The Front Bottoms “Talon of the Hawk” – the listeners also bought feature on I tunes continues to cost me $9.99 at an incalculable and painful rate. I found these guys while buying the new Wonder Years CD…they are just could rock. The singer is great and kinda reminds me of Pavement a bit but a bit more catchy and relatable…like I know what the song is about. I love pavement but lets be honest if anyone can tell me what any given song is about let me know, not just lines from the songs but the song as a whole.

That will get you through a few drives to the river or lake or mud puddle.

Cold beverages I drink past 12:30 during the summer report -  Any new device to consume beer is worth a review…the new Klean Kanteen 16oz Vacum insulated Tumbler is amazing. Not only does it look cool it keeps your beer colder then a frosted pint glass and doesn’t have the condensation that gets my wife’s various wood furniture things wet. I know a coaster would solve this issue but even then the condensation drips on my chest while slouched on the couch and while that is a cooling feature at times after a few beers I am just wet. I made it a point to drink all my daily beverages out of one of these the other day…iced coffee: ice lasted and drink stayed cold for a good 2 hours while I watched sports center, tied flies, and answered emails…much nicer compared to the 20mins my usual plastic souvenir cup I got at the giants game. I then made myself a smoothie and rode to the river with it in my cup holder and it stayed nice and cold through the drive…then of course when I got home I had a few summer ales out of it. I even fell asleep in bed with a half pint next to me and while I don’t make a habit of drinking beer in the morning I took a sip when I woke up and it was still a bit cold. Good stuff.

Liquid wise I have been rotating between the staples…Pale Ale, Summer Fest, and Torpedo. I did try a bottle of the Sierra Nevada Double Dubel brew. This is a Belgian Style Dubel that is aged for two years in Oak Casks previously used to age Brandy. It was good it was just a bit sweet for me. I would probably drink it again but it was

not my favorite.

Frosty and Cold...even in the morning.

Funny Things Clients' say…

Client: “So does the fishing get better in the evening?”

Me: “Well it would be pretty damn good now if you set the hook on a few of the half dozen grabs you are getting in EVERY hole we have fished.”

Client: “Good Point…does it get easier in the evening”

Me: “if you get better at this fly fishing thing”

Laughter

Still Plenty of dates in July for Lower Yuba trout, Lower sac trout, Lower sac stripers, Top water bass, NF Feather Trout, NF Yuba Trout, Small stream trout….. Either way go fish.

July 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31

August 1-8