Weekend Report and Open Fall and Winter Dates

Still some great Fall/Winter Trout and Steelhead dates open on the Lower Sac, Lower Yuba, Feather, and Butte Creek 

Oct: 19, 26
Nov: 17, 24-27
Dec: 27-31
Jan 2-12, 18-20, 25-26

Lower Sacramento River 
The egg bite is on and fish are gorging themselves on eggs in the upper river. Like most times, some days are great, some days are good, and some days are average. Fishing usually depends on the crowds, weather conditions, and just the day. I have had some great days and some fair days over the last week or so. The egg bite should continue to be good through October and into November. There is still good numbers of salmon entering the river and the spawn should move down river through October. There are fair numbers of steelhead spread through the lower river and I have heard of a few fishing being caught on most trips below Barge Hole. Fall/Winter fishing will last through Jan as long as the river stays fishable and some of the biggest fish of the year are caught in December and early January. 

Lower Feather River 
The Low Flow 1000cfs. The High Flow 1529cfs
There are a fair number of steelhead spread throughout the high and low flow. Best fishing is during low light conditions when steelhead are up in the shallows where there are actively spawning salmon. Ounce the light hits the water fish will move off of the reds into deeper water or look for reds that sit in deeper water. Most fish are coming on egg patterns, but in riffles that don't have as many salmon fish will eat bugs. Best nymphs have been caddis pupa and mayfly nymphs. In areas where there are a lot of salmon fish egg patterns and more then normal weight to get below the salmon...it is cheaper to go through egg patterns on snagged salmon then nymphs. 

Yuba River 
Flows are up to 946cfs sense October 3 where they were 783. 
The egg bite is going strong on the Lower Yuba where there are spawning salmon. I have found that riffles that have salmon spawning at the top in the shallow water have fish that will eat eggs and during lower light conditions fish will be right up in the reds. Riffles or runs that do not have many salmon fish will eat stonefly nymphs, small may fly nymphs, and general caddis patterns. For the most part by Yuba standards there is a good number of salmon in the river with a fair amount of fish up on reds. The even better news is there are bunch of salmon in the upper river above the bridge. I walked up from the bridge this week to scope things out and saw a lot more fish on reds then previous years and there is still fish holding in deep water staging in the lower river, so the Yuba egg bite should last much longer then normal this year. 

There is a bunch of good to great fishing going on right now so get out and fish! If you are looking to get out I still have some dates in Oct open and a few in Nov and Dec. Winter trout and steelhead fishing on the Lower Sac and Lower Yuba can be very good so if you can't get out this fall don't miss out on the winter fishing. 

Have a great weekend!