Nymphing with caddis pupa, march brown nymphs, skwala stoneflies, and BWO nymphs are productive. In off-colored water, try fishing a red or orange San Juan Worm. Dry fly fishing can be OK with skwala stoneflies in the slower stretches along the bank. Good march brown hatch on warm days, but fish are not keyed on the dries. Try swinging an emerging pattern for best results.
Fishing pressure is moderate to heavy on the weekends.
Applicants should be computer literate and knowledgeable of flyfishing in Northern California. The Yuba River is one of the few Northern California rivers that offers good winter fishing. Strong hatches of Skwala stoneflies and march brown mayflies with sporadic hatches of BWOs and caddis keep the fish actively feeding through the winter into spring. This year's low water has created great wading opportunities and a chance to fish many stretches of the river that are normally inaccessible at higher winter flows. Floating the river in a pontoon boat is the perfect way to access uncrowded water, fish the best runs and riffles on either side of the river, and avoid that long tortuous walk out.