The North Yuba River offers what should be a prime fishery in the local area! It offers an absolutely wonderful and beautiful stretch of water along its twenty-plus miles of roadside access in the Downieville and Sierra City area. Sadly, it’s been more than a bit frustrating watching the fish population noticeably deplete over the past few years, and it just hasn’t fished as well as it has, or should, in the recent past. Not sure why, but there are numerous explanations floating around out there… impact of recent drought years, banning of dredging along the main section of the river, hard to tell for sure!

Gave it another try a couple of weeks ago, and happy to report that even though the fishing wasn’t fast and furious, there was definitely more action in one morning than in several days combined over the past few seasons! Water was still a bit high and fast, typical of the runoff in early summer, but a beautiful morning on a beautiful river…!