Nor Cal Fly Guides
The Yuba River
Nor Cal Fly Guides
The Yuba River – Technical water, prolific hatches, and strong wild rainbow trout
The Yuba offers wild trout on dry flies, steelhead on the swing, stripers you can sight-fish to, and shad that will leave your arms aching and your soul full. It is technical. It is demanding. It is incredibly rewarding. Once you truly fish this river… it never lets go of you.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Lower Yuba River Fly Fishing
East of Marysville, California Designated Heritage Trout Waters• Wild & Native Trout • Steelhead • Striper • Shad Booking well in advance is highly recommended
The Lower Yuba River is not just another fly fishing destination—it is one of the last truly wild and native, self-sustaining anadromous river systems in California. There is no hatchery here propping up numbers. Every trout, every steelhead, every salmon is born in the river and survives on its own. That alone makes the Yuba incredibly special. What elevates it even further is the diversity of species, the year-round fishing, the technical nature of the water, and the sheer power of the fish that live here.
We guide two very different sections of the Yuba, both of which offer completely unique experiences. The Lower “Upper” Yuba, which stretches from the Highway 20 Bridge down to Daguerre Dam, and the Lower “Lower” Yuba, which runs from Daguerre Dam to the Feather River. Together, these two sections create one of the most dynamic and exciting fly fishing systems in the entire state.
For Captain Brian, this river isn’t just another place to work—it’s his backyard. Less than fifteen minutes from his driveway and only five miles as the crow flies, the Yuba has been fished, studied, respected, and loved for decades. With that closeness comes deep understanding… and a healthy respect for how unpredictable and demanding this river can be.
A Rare, Self-Sustaining Trout and Steelhead Fishery in Northern California
Lower “Upper” Yuba
The Lower “UPPER” Yuba River is one of the most special fly fishing rivers in Northern California and one of the last truly wild/native, self-sustaining anadromous fisheries left in the state. Flowing out the bottom of Lake Englebright and through Marysville, this river has no hatchery support and relies entirely on natural reproduction, creating strong, intelligent fish that demand skill and precision. We fish the Yuba from Highway 20 down to Daguerre Dam for trout and steelhead, and from Daguerre Dam to the mouth at the Feather River for trout, steelhead, stripers, and shad.
Booking well in advance is highly recommended.
What makes the Yuba so addictive is its unpredictability. One day it can give up fish after fish, and the next it will humble even the most seasoned angler. That challenge is exactly why having a knowledgeable Lower Yuba River fly fishing guide matters. The river supports an incredible abundance of aquatic insect life, making it one of the few rivers in California where dry fly fishing can be productive year-round. While steelhead and salmon pass through at certain times, the true stars of the show are the wild/native rainbow trout. These fish are powerful, aggressive, and incredibly strong for their size, with trout over 20 inches calling this gin-clear river home.
Pound for pound, Yuba trout are in a class of their own. They fight harder than almost any trout you will encounter, ripping line off the reel and testing both gear and angler. The river also sees runs of wild Chinook salmon in the spring and fall, along with some of the most beautiful and hard-fighting steelhead you will ever see. Though smaller in size than some neighboring systems, Yuba steelhead are true river unicorns, showing up in mid-summer and again from October through April.
The Yuba’s bug life is unmatched, with consistent hatches of BWOs, PMDs, midges, caddis, Skwalas, stoneflies, March Browns, drakes, hoppers, and even the occasional salmonfly. The famous Skwala stonefly hatch from January through March draws anglers from all over, and when timed right, offers exceptional dry fly fishing. Fall brings an equally legendary egg bite during the salmon spawn, when the river absolutely comes alive.
Beyond the fishing, the Lower Yuba is a scenic and wild place. Bald and golden eagles patrol the skies, otters and beavers work the banks, and it’s not uncommon to see deer, turkeys, or even black bears. Add in the unique backdrop of nearby Beale Air Force Base, where U-2s, C-130s, and other aircraft frequently fly overhead, and you have a river experience that is truly one of a kind. This river isn’t just close to home. It is home. And once you fish it, you’ll understand why the Lower Yuba leaves such an ever-lasting impression.
Daguerre Dam to the Feather River | Marysville, California
Lower “Lower” Yuba River Fly Fishing -
The Lower “Lower” Yuba River is one of the most unique and exciting fisheries we guide in Northern California. Flowing from Daguerre Dam to its confluence with the Feather River, this stretch is defined by gin-clear water, light fishing pressure, and access that is almost entirely dependent on a jet boat, making it a true hidden gem. Booking well in advance is highly recommended, especially for prime shad and striper season.
This section of the Yuba fishes differently than anywhere else in the state. At lower flows, access is limited to very few boats, which means fewer anglers and fish that are far less pressured. The water clarity is exceptional, often allowing anglers to visually spot trout, steelhead, salmon, massive schools of shad, stripers, and even sturgeon while running the river. When targeting stripers, it is not uncommon to sight-cast to individual fish, creating an experience more similar to flats fishing than traditional river fishing.
Fishing here is outstanding year-round. Wild/Native trout are present throughout this entire stretch and year round, steelhead are best from October through April, but it does get a decent summer run as well, shhhh don’t tell anyone. The summer months bring exceptional opportunities for striped bass and American shad. Much of the fishing is done on foot after accessing water by jet boat, with easy wading and ideal runs for swinging flies, stripping streamers, and fishing dry flies when conditions line up. During the fall salmon spawn, the egg bite can be incredibly productive, offering excellent nymphing opportunities as well.
The Lower “Lower” Yuba is also one of the best places to experience shad fishing on the swing. Shad arrive from May through August, often in massive numbers, providing nonstop action and making this one of the best fisheries anywhere to learn two-handed or single-handed swinging techniques. As water temperatures rise later in the season, the focus naturally shifts toward stripers, which can be targeted successfully from late spring through early fall with sinking lines and well-placed casts.
If you are looking for a fishery that combines unique access, visual fishing, multiple species, and unforgettable action, the Lower “Lower” Yuba River offers something you simply will not find anywhere else in California. From trout and steelhead to shad and stripers, this stretch delivers variety, excitement, and a true sense of discovery on every trip.
Outside of swinging for trout and steelhead, American shad have become one of the most exciting species we chase on the Lower Lower Yuba. Shad earn the nickname “Poor Man’s Tarpon” because they fight like their big saltwater cousin “the tarpon” on a smaller freshwater scale—and because they come in numbers most anglers can’t even imagine. On good days, one angler can land forty or more shad, have eighty hookups and well over a hundred and 60 grabs are not uncommon. Double hookups happen way too often as well. YES DOUBLE HOOKUPS and this is when the Arm-burn/fatigue happens. Pure chaos happens. To many Grip n Grins happen. This section of the river becomes the best spey casting classroom in Northern California, hands down. Prime shad season runs from mid-May through early July, and in cold-water years, we have fished fresh pods into early August. Because this season is short and wildly popular, booking far in advance—often close to a year—is strongly recommended.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Rugged Yuba River scenery, iconic steelhead moments
Nor Cal Fly Guides
American Shad — The “Poor Man’s Tarpon”
The other fish that has become one of our most popular species to swing to outside or steelhead on the Trinity River is the “Poor Mans Tarpon”, aka the American SHAD. They call the American Shad the “poor mans tarpon” for a few reasons:
1) it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to target them,
2) they fight just like baby tarpon but on a smaller scale
and
3) you will hook so many that you will lose count in just a few short hours of shad-tastic fun
If you have never hooked shad on the swing, do yourself a favor and book a shad trip with us asap. Shad are by far the easiest fish to hook on the swing just due to the sheer numbers in each pool we fish. Ever heard of fish in a barrel, ever heard of fish stacked like cord wood, this is just that, and once they get grabby the grabbiness never quits. This is a great time of year to learn how to Spey cast a 2 handed rod and the art of swinging a fly, which will only get you more amped for the up-and-coming fall and winter steelhead season. It is commonplace for 1 angler to land 40 shad, have 80 shad on and get 160 grabs, even landing 2 shad at a time happens more times than not. Unbelievable right? The 2 best days on the water was with one client landing 81 shad in 8hrs and 2 anglers landing 148 shad in an 8hr period. So, when is the best time to book a shad trip with Nor Cal Fly Guides? Well as soon as you can you silly goose. Shad are in the Yuba from May to August, and being such a short period of time, booking well in advance is highly recommended. At least 8 months to a year, if possible, for prime time. Now Prime Time shad dates are mid-May to early July and on great cold-water year we have been known to fish to fresh pods of shad till early August. Once the shad start balling up in what I call “shad bait balls” in the back eddies, it’s time to start targeting striper, trout or steelhead as those shad are post spawn and we don’t fish to post spawn shad, for us its unethical, time to move on.
Check Out The Shad Bite!
Nor Cal Fly Guides
The Hatches That Define the Yuba
If there is one hatch synonymous with the Lower Yuba, it is the Skwala stonefly hatch. From January through March—February being absolute prime—this river can become one of the most thrilling dry fly fisheries in California. Be early to the party, and the fishing can be epic beyond belief. Be late, and the fish become frustratingly educated, demanding perfect drifts, spot-on fly selection, and absolute precision in casting. These fish will test your patience, so being mentally strong is a must. Then comes the fall, and with it, the infamous Yuba Egg Bite. When the salmon begin to spawn from September through November, the river comes alive. When it turns on… it turns on in a way that few fisheries can match.
And during this same fall window, something truly special—and incredibly rare—unfolds on this river. A phenomenon most anglers will never witness, let alone experience. Book a trip during this time of year, and you may find yourself part of a moment so unforgettable that it becomes our little secret—a memory only the river can tell and only you will truly understand.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Wildlife, Scenery & The Only Backyard Like It
The Yuba offers far more than just fishing. Along its banks roam bald eagles, golden eagles, ospreys, big bucks, wild turkeys, beavers, otters, ducks, geese—and even black bears. Add to that the surreal experience of military aviation from nearby Beale Air Force Base, and you get something truly unique. On any given day you may see U-2 reconnaissance planes, KC-130 refuelers, T-38 jets, massive C-17 and C-5 cargo aircraft, and if you truly hit the jackpot, the RQ-4 Global Hawk or even an F-22, F-18, or F-35 on training runs.
There are not many rivers in the world where you can watch trophy trout eat dry flies while stealth bombers carve the sky above you.
This is not a normal fishing trip.
This is a full sensory experience. The Yuba offers far more than just fishing. Its banks are a living corridor of wildlife, where bald eagles wheel effortlessly on thermals and golden eagles patrol the ridgelines with quiet authority. Ospreys hover with perfect stillness, then fold their wings and crash into the water in a burst of spray. In the shadows of the willows, big blacktail bucks slip through like ghosts, their antlers catching light as they move. Wild turkeys strut nervously, beavers glide in the twilight, and playful otters erupt into the water with a joy that feels contagious. Ducks and geese lift off in massive flocks, the sound of their wings echoing down the canyon. And on those magical mornings, when the world is still soft with mist, even a black bear may wander along the gravel bars, turning over stones in search of an easy meal.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Lower “Upper” Yuba — Wild Trout, Technical Water, Year-Round Dry Flies
The Upper section of the Lower Yuba is what most people imagine when they picture this legendary river. This is the stretch that has earned its reputation as one of the most sought-after fly fishing rivers in Northern California. The water runs gin clear, the bug life is unmatched, and the fish live in an environment that demands perfection from both predator and angler. This is one of the very few rivers in California where dry fly fishing is realistically possible twelve months out of the year. That alone tells you something about the sheer volume and diversity of aquatic insect life living in this system. Midges, BWOs, PMDs, caddis, skwalas, golden stones, winter stones, March browns, drakes, wingless stones, hoppers—and even the occasional salmonfly hatch—cycle through this river and keep the fish feeding no matter the season. The stars of the show are the resident wild rainbow trout. These fish grow fat on endless groceries and live in crystal-clear water that makes them both brutally strong and painfully selective. Pound for pound, the Yuba rainbow trout may be the hardest fighting trout you will ever hook into. Sixteen-inch fish will rip line off your reel in seconds and leave you with burning fingers and shaking knees. Fish pushing past twenty inches are not rare here—and when they eat, they mean it. Steelhead and wild Chinook salmon also make seasonal appearances in this upper section. The salmon arrive in the fall, with fish pushing past thirty pounds. These giants move through the system with heavy intent, and at times, everything in the river makes way for them. Steelhead arrive in midsummer and again from October through April. While Yuba steelhead do not reach the immense size of coastal winter fish or the sheer numbers of the Feather River, they make up for it in beauty, aggression, and relentless power. These two-to-six-pound fish are among the most striking steelhead you will ever encounter—a true river unicorn.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Wildlife, Scenery & The Only Backyard Like It
The Yuba offers far more than just fishing. Along its banks roam bald eagles, golden eagles, ospreys, big bucks, wild turkeys, beavers, otters, ducks, geese—and even black bears. Add to that the surreal experience of military aviation from nearby Beale Air Force Base, and you get something truly unique. On any given day you may see U-2 reconnaissance planes, KC-130 refuelers, T-38 jets, massive C-17 and C-5 cargo aircraft, and if you truly hit the jackpot, the RQ-4 Global Hawk or even an F-22, F-18, or F-35 on training runs. There are not many rivers in the world where you can watch trophy trout eat dry flies while stealth bombers carve the sky above you.
This is not a normal fishing trip.
This is a full sensory experience.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
A River That Truly Has Everything
The Yuba offers wild trout on dry flies, steelhead on the swing, stripers you can sight-fish to, and shad that will leave your arms aching and your soul full. It is technical. It is demanding. It is incredibly rewarding.
Once you truly fish this river… it never lets go of you. Striped bass begin showing up in this section around mid to late April. Early in the season they can be picky due to colder water temperatures, but as summer pushes in and the water warms, these fish become aggressive and unforgiving. By late June through September, the fishing can be explosive. Long casts with heavy lines, precise presentations, and proper strip-sets define this game. In water this clear, stripers will expose every small mistake. But when everything comes together and a big striper eats on the fly, the result is pure violence and adrenaline.
Book Your Yuda River Fly Fishing Trip with Nor Cal Fly Guides
Whether your goal is to learn fly fishing, improve your spey casting, chase steelhead, or explore new Northern California waters, Nor Cal Fly Guides is here to help you grow as an angler while having an incredible time on the water.