2023 Nor Cal Summer Fishing Report

Hello Fellow Anglers,

What a spring and into summer we have been having on our local and northern waters. We actually have water, a bit to much at one point, water temps have been great and the weather, wow how can you complain to actually having springtime temps. Despite the water being on the high side for most of spring, flows are slowly coming down but fishing has not slowed down one bit. With that being said, we are seeing some great fishing opportunities right now and we are even getting into multi-species on any given day. 

Brian's Yuba River Report below Daguerre
7500cfs
Clarity - 15ft clear
This is where I have been spending most of my time chasing the "poor mans tarpon" aka SHAD!!!!! We are getting into great numbers despite the water being high and on the colder side. We still havent hit peak run yet, which we should see in the next week or two and will make fishing only that much better. 6 and 7wt Spey rods have been the trick for wade fishing, fishing in the boat we have been using 7wt single handed rods. Any given day we are swinging up shad, striper, trout and even steelhead while swinging for shad, how cool is that. Currently my full day trips are fully
booked up, but I am booking a few half day evening trips here and there for those still looking to get out. If you arent able to get out with me this shad season, Im already booking dates for the 2024 season. Hwy20 down is still extremely high to successfully fish, wait for this to get under 4k before heading out.
Swinging for shad is the name of the game and striping for stripers has been producing as well.

Brian and Jon's Feather River Report:

Low Flow 2200cfs
High Flow 4000cfs
Clarity - 8-12ft steelhead green
If we arent chasing shad on the Yuba or American we are on the Feather chasing more of our anadromous friends. The Feather has finally come into shape after a long period of sub par fishing. BIG fish are throughout the system with a few fish in the mid 20s being hooked every day, but landing these fish is another story. Pound for pound they are the hottest fish in the valley putting even the most experienced anglers to the test. The feather is one of the only valley tailwaters where you can chase spring and summer steelhead with confidence from May, June and beyond and right now we are seeing both spring and summer run steelhead. With the higher flows the fish have come running back and we are picking up healthy hatchery and wild fish throughout the system. If you haven't fished the Feather in a while or want to feel the strength of some reel steel while everyone else is shad fishing then give us a ring! The Feather does not disappoint and will continue to fish great well into late summer and fall. Swinging and bobber fishing has been producing great numbers of steelhead and occasionally a few shad. There are areas to anchor up and target shad as well, including a few wading spots too. If you are lucky you could even strip clousers for striper as well. 

Jon's American River Report
8000cfs
Clarity -  8-12ft steelhead green
Flows are on the high side, but the river is finally full of big schools of shad! Find the soft water and find the fish! Swinging from the boat anchored up as well as indicator fishing are bringing good numbers of shad to the boat. There's also a good chance at some stripers during the drift if you like to strip clousers on 7/8wt rods. Shad should fish well throughout June and even into July and stripers well into Sept maybe even Oct. Not only can you get into shad and stripers, but there are some steelhead around as well. Half, full and split days available.

Jon's Putah Creek Report:

400cfs PERFECT
Clarity - 8ft steelhead green
As a guide who loves technical nymphing, I love the challenge of Putah Creek. This scenic tailwater is full of big, picky trout that love to refuse presentations that aren't just right. She's a tad overgrown right now, but with a little bushwacking you can get to some great runs and tailouts and sight fish to exceptional rainbows. This is the perfect time to explore the creek as the fish are hungry after a long winter, the weather is great, and all of the accesses are fishing well. If you're new to Putah or just want to find one of those 20+ inch bows and hone your technical nymphing skills this is the place to be. A day out with Nor Cal Fly Guides will give you the tips and tricks to build your confidence when fishing this little gem of a tailwater. Half and full days available.
Bobber fishing as well as high stick/euro nymphing is what we do on Putah Creek. 

Brian's Lower Sac Report
9000cfs on 6/6
Clarity 8-12ft steelhead green
Fishing is off the charts and thats all we have to say about that. If you are looking to do some trout fishing, this is the trout factory for you. Lots of hatches going on giving these fish a plethora of choices like pmds, beatis and caddis, oh so many caddis, of all sorts even the hydropsyche caddis.
Bobber fishing from the boat is best, if you are lucky maybe some dry fly or dry dropper fishing. Swinging has been producing some fish as well. Lots to do and lots of willing fish to eat your well presented fly. Dont forget about the upper opener on August 1st

I hope you enjoyed this short and sweet Nor Cal summer fishing report. Fishing is on fire right now and if you are looking to get out in the near future just choose your species, choose your location, or let us choose, either way we have you covered for the rest. 

If you are looking to book a trip in the fall, my dates are becoming a bit limited. However, my other guides have a bit more availability than I do. 

Here is my availability for the fall
Aug - 15 16 22 23
Sept fully booked
Oct - 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 - Yuba Feather Lower Sac American
Nov -  4 5 10 11 - Trinity Lower Sac
Nov - 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29 - Yuba Feather Lower Sac American
Dec - 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 - Trinity Lower Sac
Dec - 18 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30 - Yuba Feather Lower Sac American

Fish On!
We hope to see you on the water soon
Solid Grabs
Brian and the NCFG Crew

Spring 2023 Fishing Report

Hello Fellow Anglers

First off, I want to say thank you to all that came out and supported us at the recent sportsman’s and fly fishing shows. We greatly appreciate you stopping by and saying hi, talk a bit about fishing opportunities in Nor Cal and getting to know each other at the same time. We look forward to seeing you on the water in the near future.

A few of you have asked recently if I will be sending out my Nor Cal fishing reports again as it’s been a while since my last one. Well you have asked and you shall receive.

Despite the higher water on our NorCal rivers, we have been having some stellar days all across the North State. The steelhead fishing has been top notch and the trout fishing is on fire. With some steady weather in the forecast, now’s the time to get out before we start seeing those big snowmelt flows.

Also don’t forget about the shad fishing on the Lower Lower Yuba River. With the snow and water we are seeing now and will see this season its going to be one for the records books. Big water brings big numbers and NCFG is ready to show you how cool fishing for the Poor mans tarpon on the Yuba is all about. Lets not forget about the striper fishing too. Gin clear water, spot and stalk tactics and watching these bruisers follow your fly from start to finish then eating it at the boat, now that’s what its all about. Theres no river in CA that this diverse and that has gin clear water which allows you to watch the action all day long. Come see what the Lower Lower Yuba is all about for shad and striper. More Info Below

THE FISHING REPORT

Feather River
Flows: LFC 1040cfs HFC 7000cfs (its prime time)
Clarity: 8ft with a smidgen of color, perfect
Fishing: Solidly Good to GREAT
We have been spending a bunch of time on this river recently, ever since the flows in the low flow were 4k and under. Now that its at 1k in LFC and 7K in high flow, this allows us to fish both sections efficiently. Swinging has been a tad tough with higher flows, but we have been getting fish, at 7k in the high flow that’s when it starts getting really good, 1k in the low flow, swinging is spot on. Fishing in general has been darn good, nymphing producing the majority of the fish. Fish from 18-24” has been the average, but we have landed fish up to 28” as well. Its been a mix bag of wild and hatchery fish, but the springers are in and spread all throughout the system. This is the place to be right now, and we do have availability if you are trying to stick some steelhead without having to travel way up north. With the salmon fishery closed this year, Im really looking forward to targeting the summer run steelhead this year in the summer as well as some stripers too. If you want to get out in the next 2-4 months is going to be freakin awesome. This will be your local place to be.
Flies
Nymphing: sucker spawn, caddis, cjs, redheaded stepchild, mayflies, worms, eggs, prince nymphs
Swinging: worms, sculpins, hobo speys, olive/black woolybuggers, larger birdsnest (andersons bird of prey), Euphorias, traditional spey flies

Yuba River
Flows: 4500cfs
Clarity: 4-6ft steelhead green
Fishing: Solidly GOOD
The Yuba has been a bit higher than we would like to fish it at, but its at 4500cfs now and theres plenty of places to find some willing fish. The high water this river saw, it did get a few good scourings, this isn’t always the best for the aquatic insects, but the fish are more eager to hit whatever you are throwing. We are putting a few days in here and there right now, we don’t know what mother nature will bring to this river system when snowmelt happens, so we are hitting it as much as we can right now while the fishing is good. Prime flows are 2500cfs and under, but this is a great time to teach our clients how to fish the Yuba during big flows. The usual 14-18” wild spunky Yuba bows are what we are seeing, however there are some toads in the system including some feather river steelhead strays. These guys are a treat to hook into and will give your 4/5x tippet and 5wt rod a run for your money. Can you say FREIGHTTRAIN!!!!! If you want to learn how to fish the Yuba at high flows, give us a jingle and we will show you what the Yuba can do when the river is high.
Nymphing: Stones, WORMS, eggs, caddis, pmds, march browns, did I mention worms?
Swinging: Sculpins, Euphorias, Andersons bird of prey, meat-big meat

Lower Sac

Flows: 3300cfs
Clarity: 4-5ft steelhead green (prime)
Fishing: Off the CHARTS
The Lower Sac has been clutch for us over the past few months. While most rivers were blown out or too high to guide, our good ol faithful, the Lower Sac has taken great care of us. We’ve been seeing some epic fishing over these past few weeks in between the storms, and with steady weather in the forecast over these next few weeks, you are gonna want to get out and see what the talk is all about. EPIC fishing at its finest, lots of fish, lots of big fish and they are chowing down on almost anything you send in their feeding lane. Look for the Lower Sac to be one of our main focuses over the next few months and watch the fishing only get better. Is that even possible?
Nymphing: Rubberlegs, Xmays, birdsnest, spring caddis, sucker spawn, pmds, peaches n cream, s&m, pinkies
Dries: pmds, baetis, pinkies, salmonflies,

American River
Flows: 6600cfs
Clarity: 6-8ft steelhead green
Fishing: Fair-good
This is the time of year we start saying goodbye to the winter run steelhead on the American and say hello Bluebacks, aka our spring run steelhead. Not too many anglers out fishing the river right now, but you don’t know unless you go. Hint Hint. While I will tell most folks during winter fishing Jan-March that we typically don’t fish the Ar due to the amount of pressure it receives, we will guide it if you want to learn it. We will show you the ins and outs, wheres, whats and whys so you will be more successful on your own. However, when it comes to the bluebacks, you definitely want to book a trip and hook into some of the hottest fish around. Fish up to 8lbs are not uncommon, 3-5lbs is the norm and whether you like to nymph or swing, these fish are eager to take your presentation. Currently the flows show no sign of dropping or raising, which is a great sign if you want to get out on a local watershed and try your luck at some Ar springtime chrome. Steady flows its time to goes.
Nymphing: cjs, caddis, worms, Prince nymphs, birdnests, balance leeches
Swinging: hobos, Euphorias, sculpins, white bodied streamers (fry), Andersons bird of prey) meat in olive, black, brown

There you have it folks, short, sweet and to the point. Im hoping to get back to sending out reports on a more regular bases, my plan would be every 3-4 months or when time allows. I hope you enjoy this report and it gets you in the mood to get out and get bent. Lots of fishing action happening right now and even more so in the near future.

A few additional items Id like to add about Nor Cal Fly Guides

I am proud to announce that I have hired on several guides that guide throughout Northern California. With the added help I am able to offer not only more days throughout the season but also more available waters to fish. These waters include: American, Yuba, Feather, Lower Sac, Trinity, Klamath below Iron Gate, All Inclusive on Lower Klamath and Trinity (ask for more details), Truckee, Nor Cal Lakes like Lake Oroville, Lake Almanor, Lake Shasta for your bass n fly and many other bodies of water. Some exciting news for Nor Cal Fly Guides and those looking to book trips with us.

Id also like to add that my shad season May/June is filling up sooner each and every year. Unfortunately, this year I am 100% fully booked up for full days. But due to the popularity of the shad season on the Lower Yuba, I am opening up half day guided trips in the evening. This allows more anglers to experience the Lower Yuba, the jet boat ride and more importantly some of the best shad fishing in the state. No drift boat here, jet boat up, get out and swing from gravel bars. NCFG is currently working on getting one of our other guides into a jet boat. If this happens, those that are booked with me on those evening trips will have some available options. 1) you can stay with your trip with me in the evening, 2)opt to doing the half day with my other available guide in the morning/afternoon, 3) turn that half day into a full day with my other guide. The choice is up to you. Whats also cool is having a 2^nd guide with a jet boat so we can offer group trips for shad and it will now open up even more striper trips. Hoping to add the Mighty Delta soon.

With so many great fishing opportunities throughout Northern California right now, no matter the place no matter the day, we have you covered for your next fishy endeavor.

 

Thank you in advance for reading this fishing report.
We look forward to guiding you on a trip you will not forget.
Brian Clemens and the NCFG guiding crew


 

Late Fall Early Winter 2021 Fishing Report

Hello Fellow Anglers,

First off I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Wishing all the best to you all and your family throughout the holiday season. 

Well this report is long overdue, and I do apologize for not getting one out sooner. Between family, personal losses dear to me and other crazy business, trying to sit down and get a fishing report out just wasn't in the cards. However, I do promise to get back on the saddle after the new year and start putting fishing reports back out again.

Before we start with my fishing report, I would like to add that I recently had a publication printed in the December 2020 California Fly Fishers. Its called "Steelhead Nymphing Under an Indicator", and its focus is on winter fishing for steelhead, but can be used when fishing any river with an indicator especially in the winter. I hope you enjoy it and if you have any questions please let me know.

What a crazy fall this has been, we go from having one of the driest winter/spring/summers on record to seeing some of our reservoirs in the North State at historical lows, to one of the best runs up north we've seen in the last 5yrs, to the craziest Atmospheric River category 5 we have ever seen, leaving many of those low reservoirs muddy, leading to our rivers blown out for a good chunk of the egg bite. The AF5 did however bring some of those resevirous up 10-30ft over a short period of time. WOW!!!!!! What a fall it has been. But it doesn't stop there, the fishing has been pretty darn good throughout Northern California.

The Fishing Report

Trinity River

Flows: Lewiston-300cfs, DC-350, JC-450, Burnt Ranch-630, Hoopa-1600
Fishing: Good to Darn Good
Clarity: CLEAR
Well if you havent heard from all the social media posts by anglers, guides and outfitters, the trinity has been fishing pretty darn good. While I did post, it was much as I didnt want it to get over crowded like it did. We have seen the best numbers of fish both salmon and steelhead up to date than we have seen in the last 3yrs combined. This is mainly due to a great water season in 18/19 but also the result of the fire which didnt allow the illegal TishTang to go up. Thank god. What a relief that was. It goes to show you how well this fishery can flourish if we allow these fish to get past that lower death sentence section of the river. We have seen some of the biggest fish I have ever seen on the river, salmon pushing 20lbs, steelhead well over 10lbs and all in the early season. This is something that we rarely

see during the early season. The river fished epicly from early Sept on though till the big AF5 in late Oct and this is where I spent all my time from Labor Day to mid Oct. Unfortunately the AF5 caused the river to blow out quickly and have a coffee stain to it. Over time it cleared up and even more fish showed up. However, with the AF5, it completely blew out the Lower Sac, Feather and Yuba rivers, which then put way too many rods on the T. It made for some tougher conditions, but we were still able to find some fish despite some floats having 7-10 boats on it daily. Now that the other rivers are clearing up and starting to be fished, the trinity is starting to see less pressure and better fishing. We are hooking a handful or 2 of fish daily under the indicator and if you want to swing, we are working for a few grabs a day, but should get better as the winter fish show up. Fish have been much bigger

this year, so be ready to tangle with 6-10lb fish on the regular. This will continue on through the winter into early spring. If you are looking for a beautiful place to fish, there's no better scenery than the Trinity RIver. 
Current availability is limited, if you are looking to book your next winter/spring fishing adventure, check out my dates and contact me as soon as possible.  
Nymphs: rubberlegs, eggs, psycho princes, copper johns, worms, pts, hares ear, stoneflies
Swinging: Andersons Euphoria in Fall Classic and Black, hobo speys, single stage intruders, heisenbergs, obsidian johnson
Guide tip: dont hold on to fishing one spot for to long, fish are spread throughout the system, so fish a bucket for 30-45mins and move on. If the fish are in that bucket, you will know immediately, if not you will know as well.

Feather River
Flows: LFC-700cfs, HFC-1000
Fishing: Good
Clarity: LFC-3ft milky green, HFC-6ft steelhead green

As always we have spent a good amount of time on the Feather this year, but not as much as previous years. A good chunk of the egg bite was pretty brown and unfishable, and I spent Labor Day to Oct 15th all up north. The reason for the rare blowout during the fall season is due to that AF5 that came in and blew the reservoir completely out. The river at one point had less than 6" of visibility. However, the river has cleared up substantially and is now fishable once again. While we didn't see a huge run of salmon this year, but the steelhead have been eating eggs on a daily basis, this should continue for the next few weeks as we continue to see fresh salmon rolling though regularly. We aren't seeing the epic numbers hooked we have in years past, we are having to work a bit more for them and this is due to the Sac being blown out. This is bringing more boats down on the Feather so we are seeing much more pressure this year, which is making for a more pressured river system. On average you can hook a handful or 2 of fish, and they are full of the usual feather river steelhead spunk. As this river continues to clear, the fishing will only get better as other fisheries will also become fishable. Personally I love fishing the feather in the winter as you see less people and those winter run brutes show up, and they love big nymphs and swung flies. 

Nymphs: EGGS, worms, eggs, caddis, eggs, prince nymphs, worms, yes I said eggs and worms multiple times
Swinging: Sculpins, eggs, egg sucking leeches, alevins, flesh flies
Guide tip: There are fish spread throughout the system, however, due to the pressure from bank anglers and boats, I dont recommend moving around to much. Once you leave you may not have a spot to fish and will be driving/walking around to find another spot to fish. Give it a few weeks and the amount of anglers will decrease substantially and will be a pleasure to fish.
Guide tip #2: Watch where you wade

Yuba River

Flows: 700cfs
Fishing: good to great
Clarity: 8ft of perfectness
The Yuba has been on fire, fishing well from sunup to sun down. However, like the Trinity and the Feather, it has seen a huge influx of pressure, but that hasn't slowed down the fishing. The other plus is the Yuba saw a much bigger salmon run than usual and I think a good chunk of them are Feather fish, but hey that's ok with me. The egg bite has been one to remember and it still has a few more weeks before it dies down. Once the egg bite comes to a halt it will be SKWALA time. Man, I can't wait. This is a year round fishery, and I think the end of the egg bite turns a new page on the Yuba trout and they get even more grabby for the bugs swimming around under and on top of the river. This is even more important for those that like swinging, some of my best days swinging are right after the egg bite and on into the new year/early spring. Im really looking forward to the 2022 season on the Yuba, it's going to be one to remember. 

Nymphs:eggs, rubberlegs, worms, mayflies, caddis, pts, copper johns
Swinging: sculpins, eggs, wooly buggers, soft hackle stones
Guide tip: move around, lots of water to fish on the Yuba, don't stick to just one spot. 
Guide tip #2: Watch where you wade

Lower Sac
I havent been on this river since the blow out, some are fishing it, while others are not. I think in about a week, it will be fishing good again. If you are looking to book, spring is just around the corner and one of the best times of the year to fish it.

American
While there are fish in the system and some nice ones at that, the flows are at 650cfs, and floating it is pretty tough. Walk and wade would be the way to go and cover some water. Fish the main runs, fish it hard and move on. Hopefully there's more water on the opener. 

PLEASE READ
For those that are fishing the rivers this time of year, PLEASE watch where you wade and drop anchor. I'm seeing bank anglers and even those in drift boats getting out and walking all over the redds where salmon just finished spawning. I'm seeing this on a daily basis and a good amount of the time it's the same people daily. For those that are in drift boats, PLEASE STOP DROPPING YOUR ANCHOR in the redds and/or dragging your anchor through the redds. Crushing redds for a few extra fish is not worth ruining our future fisheries. If you are going to wade, wade on the back side of the redds as the eggs are positioned on the upward slope of the redd, so walking on the back side where there's usually sandy deposits and bigger rocks is the best practice if you must wade through. If you are going to drop your anchor, pull over to the edge of the river, get out of the current where there are no redds and drop anchor there, a few extra strokes aren't going to kill you. Honestly, none of this is worth it, all to add a fish or two more to the net. For those wading there are many other fishable runs with fish in them where you don't have to walk across redds filled with eggs. Eggs deposited in the river are roughly 4-8" below the gravel and take between 51-65 days to hatch. These eggs are susceptible to being crushed by walking on them repeatedly, but they are at their most vulnerable state when those eggs hatch and the alevins start working their way to the surface of the redds, and can hold just an inch or 2 below, before coming out into the "river" world. Do these fish, their eggs and our future fishery a favor and PLEASE WATCH/LOOK BEFORE YOU WADE. This includes the Yuba currently and after the opener on Dec 1st, this includes the Feather river currently as well as after the opener on Jan 1st, this includes the American, Lower Sac, Trinity and even Putah Creek. Thank you in advance for reading this, its a very sensitive subject, and its up to us to educate and be stewards of our fisheries. 

Local Available Dates
Yuba Feather American Lower Sac
Dec 29
Jan 24 25 26 27 28 
Feb 1 2 21
March 2 3 4 22 23 25 26 30 31
More dates available upon request

Non Local Available Dates
Trinity Lower Sac
Jan 10 14 15 16 17
Feb 8 9 10 11 12 20
March 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
More dates available upon request

For those looking to book during the spring time as well as for Shad season, dates are already filling up. So please contact me and we can go over what dates I have available. Thanks

Well there you have it folks, your current fishing report for our Central and Northern California rivers. I hope you are able to get out before the new year and enjoy some of the good to great fishing we are seeing right now. I also hope to see you on the water in 2022.

Before this year ends I want to let everyone know that due to the cost increase of doing business over these past 2 years, there will be an increase to my rates starting Jan 1 2022. I do apologize for the inconvenience of this price increase. I wanted to let everyone know ahead of time and give you all the opportunity to book your next trip or trips before the increase on 1/1/22.
These new rates are as follows and all include shuttles
$550 Full day Local Water 
$425 Half day Local Water
$600 Full day Northern Water
$465 Half day Northern Water  


I do want to thank all of you who have booked with me over the years, especially over these past 2 crazy years. Between the "pandemic", low water, warm water, fires and sometimes poor fishing conditions, your continued support as well as our friendships that we have built over the years to me is priceless. Without you there would be no Nor Cal Fly Guides/ Brian Clemens the guide, where I have been in business, guiding full time now for 12yrs. Each and every year is only a success because of you. I look forward to many more years of guiding and guiding you all on your future fishing adventures. 

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all and your familys.
Sincerely
Brian Clemens

ND ALWAYS REMEMBER
KEEP THOSE LINES TIGHT

Brian Clemens

NOR CAL FLY GUIDES
530-354-3740
WWW.NORCALFLYGUIDES.COM
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Winter 2020 Nor Cal Fishing Report and More

Hello Everyone,

I hope you all and a great Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas with family and friends, something that was definitely needed this year. 

Where do I begin, 2020, hmmmm, can we just wipe it away from our memories. Man what a year it has been, I think we can all agree that we cant wait for 2021 to get here. Despite all that has happened in 2020, there was a bright light that conquered the darkness this year in our lives (wife and I) with the birth of our baby boy Brayden John Clemens. It's hard to believe that he is 5 months old already, is close to crawling, started eating baby food, rolling over and then back over, laughing, mimicking and just the best happiest baby any parents could ask for. It was definitely a journey with him during his first week of birth in the nicu as well as the first few months with all the doctor appointments, but he has bounced back 100%.. We even received an early Christmas present, on Dec 17th his pulmonologist said he no longer needs oxygen at night while sleeping as well as in his car seat. What a great way to end 2020 but with the best news we could ever receive. 

With that being said, let's move on to the fishing in Northern California. Fishing has been a bit different this year with very little rainfall as well as a late salmon run due to above average water temps. But the salmon finally showed and the fall fishing really turned on. I say this every year, but this fall was the absolute busiest fall season I have ever had, so thank you. With the recent rains and more in the near future it will definitely help the current fishing conditions with a fresh rotation of fish. January, February and March are shaping up to have some great fishing opportunities and it will be the time to get on the water. The big winter fish are arriving daily so it's time to get bent. 

Yuba
Flow - 850cfs

Clarity - Clear
Fishing - good to great
FYI: on 12/26 the first Skwala Stonefly was seen on the banks. Its TIME!!!!!!
This year I spent more time on the Yuba than I usually do and that's due to moving to Marysville, and I'm falling in love with this fishery all over again. This fall there was a nice push of early salmon and we started seeing salmon spawning as early as Labor day, and the spawn continued well into Dec. The numbers of salmon were not great, but it was nice to see a good number of them spawning over a 3 month period. The fishing was down right stupid with the Yuba Bows keying in on Eggs of course, but also worms and caddis. The flows were higher than expected which made the

fishing much better than previous years. Dont give up on the egg bite just yet, we still have a small egg bite window in the morning, but the fish are starting to turn back onto the normal bugs. In days to come the Skwalas will start showing up and then it's time to throw dries to these bad ass bows. Nothing better
than fishing dries in Dec, Jan and Feb and getting fish to eat them throughout the day.
Dont forget about swinging alevins, the Yuba bows love alevins on the swing. Dont miss out on some of the coolest fishing of the year. Why drive hours to trout fish, when you can fish an hr from Sacramento in the Historic Yuba Gold Fields. Still have some Skwala dates remaining in January and February, dont miss out. 
Please watch where you wade as to not walk on the redds and crush eggs as well as alevins.
Nymphs: Eggs, Caddis, Stones, Mays, Worms
Dries: Stones, Mays
Swinging: Sculpzilla, Olive buggers, Alevins

Feather
Low Flow - 840cfsHigh Flow - 1700cfs

Clarity - Clear
Fishing - good to great
Of course who can forget about the Feather, this year was a bit weird, we had an early push of salmon, but then due to warm water temps there was a big lull between the early fish and the late fish. The fishing in the low flow was extremely good in Sept and early Oct, but come mid Oct I stay away from the Low flow as it gets to crowded with anglers as well as salmon, so I focus on the High Flow. Due to the later than normal push of salmon, the high flow didnt start fishing good till late Oct early Nov. We didnt see the numbers of steelhead like we usually do, but we made up for it in the sheer size of fish, fish pushing 8lbs wasn't uncommon. With the egg bite "supposedly" winding down, so is the pressure, but the fishing is actuality picking up. We are hooking good numbers of fish daily, with both quality and quantity, I love the quality of these fish lately. The average fish is huge, hooking many fish over 24" on a daily basis, but not many of them making it to the net. Average fish is 22-24", but hooking fish from 24-28" is a definite

possibility. The Feather will continue to fish well through December as well as January and February, after that it's time for the spring run steelhead. This is one of the places to be right now if you are looking to fish locally. Still a few dates remain in January, February and March if you are looking to book a trip. If you are looking to swing, the Feather will not disappoint. 
Please watch where you wade as to not walk on the redds and crush eggs as well as alevins.
Nymphs: Eggs, Caddis, CJs, Princes, Mays, Worms, Alevins
Swinging- Flesh Flies, Flesh eggs, soft hackles, alevins, Sculpins

Trinity
Lewiston - 300cfs

Douglas City - 320cfs
Junction City - 500cfs
Burnt Ranch - 750cfs
Willow Creek - 2000cfs
Flows are on the drop
Clarity - Clear up river, more color as you move down river
Fishing - fair to good
What an interesting fall season we have had on the Trinity. Things started out great late summer early fall while swinging up great numbers of fish, some pushing 6-8lbs. Once the flows dropped mid Oct, that's when the fishing began to get tough. As the season progressed the river became lower, colder and clearer than normal and over the last month we had to put in the time and work hard for just a few fish. But finally we have seen some rain, and it brought new life to the river and a fresh rotation of steelhead. My last day on the T, 12/14, I was able to get out and play and found 2 nice fish swinging mid river between 10-2pm. The river somewhat blew out in the lower river with Burnt Ranch hitting 1000cfs,

South Fork T 400cfs and Hoppa 2700cfs, it's good to say the fishing will only be getting better. Some more rain in the forecast, so don't wait to get up there and fish. I still have some availability in Jan, Feb and March if you are looking to book a trip. Dont forget about the March Brown dry fly fishing in Feb and March. Casting dries to steelhead and browns nosing the surface is a sight to see in itself, but a true treat for us diehard steelhead anglers. Flows are dropping, so time to get out. 

Nymphs: Eggs, Worms, Stones, Psycho Princes, CJs, Hares Ear

Swinging: Stones, Hobo Speys, Euphorias, Obsidian Johnsons
Dries: Stones, March Browns

Lower Sac

Flow - 3500cfsClarity - 10-12ft
Fishing - good to great
What a fall we had on the Lower Sac, once again, the salmon did show up a bit late, but once they showed the egg bite was darn good and as the day progressed they couldn't resist the caddis or stones. The egg bite is all but over and they are back to eating the usual Lower Sac bugs like rubberlegs, mays, caddis and even alevins. With the recent rains it has livened up the LS and the fishing is pretty darn good. Some big fish are still being hooked, landing may be an issue. With cloud cover in the mix daily, expect to see some hatches throughout the day. Dec Jan Feb is always a
good time on the LS due to less pressure while anglers are chasing the infamous steelhead. But some of the best fishing is to be had in the spring. Despite the fishing pressure that happens in the spring, the fish are none the wiser and we hook into a great number of fish. Book your next Lower Sac trip to experience one of the best trout fisheries on the West Coast.
Nymphs: Rubberlegs, Eggs, Caddis, Mays, Alevins, Birdsnest

Things to look out for
With the new year just around the corner, there are a few rivers to start thinking about that open up January 1st.
1) American, as most of you know has some big hot winter fish. Now I don't know what the flow will be on January 1st, but I can tell you that there will be some big steelhead swimming around in those waters. Also, with the late run of salmon on the American, there should be a good late egg bite happening as well. While I stay away from any river with an opener on the Jan 1st, not a crowd guy, but in previous years I have always been out there first light slaying the steel. If you arent to hung over, get out there mid morning, find a spot and fish away.  
Please watch where you wade as to not walk on the redds and crush eggs as well as alevins.
2) Feather, the upper stretch opens up on Jan 1st as well, and there is some good water up there, both for nymphing as well as swinging. With the late egg bite we are seeing, as well as salmon still showing up, I think there will be a week or two that eggs will be a good choice up top. After that, time to bust out the winter steelhead flies for these bruisers.
Please watch where you wade as to not walk on the redds and crush eggs as well as alevins.
Other cool items being offered
1) Also as I stated earlier in the season, I am now offering an All Inclusive Swing Only Fly Fishing Adventure on the Lower Klamath River. We are fishing 20 miles from the ocean and just upstream of Blue Creek. This is a jet boat in and out only trip. This is being offered through me and we will all be staying at Rivers West Lodge. It is a 3 night/3 day minimum excursion and a minimum of 2 anglers. Your food, lodging and guide services are covered for the 3 days at the lodge as well as your lodging/dinner the evening prior to your trip in Klamath Glenn, hosted by me. The cost is $550 per day, per angler and I can personally fish up to 3 anglers in my boat. I am currently booking trips for 2021 as early as July on through mid Oct. In 2021. We will see higher water in 2021 as the we will get the River Dance flows coming down the Trinity and the fishing will be off the hook. If interested please shoot me an email and I can give you more information.
2) If you are a shad guy or gal and want to fish for shad in 2021, book your dates asap. During the months of May and June the majority of my efforts are going to target shad on the swing on the Lower Yuba River in my jet boat. We will target them wading via the gravel bars and these fish are a great way to learn the art of swinging and spey casting 2 handed rods. My Lower Yuba Shad trips are becoming more popular each and every year, so if you are looking to book and want prime dates, please book as soon as possible. Available dates are listed below. If the shad fishing is slower than normal, I always have some rods on board to target stripers as well as a few swinging flies to target trout. This is typically done earlier in the season and later in the season, pre May 15th and post June 15th, give or take as each season is different. While between those dates are prime, I start targeting/guiding them the first full week of May. Personally I love early season shad fishing as you get very big and fresh females in the system and they will work you over on a full 6wt spey rod. Later in the season as the fish start spawning and the fishing slows down mid day, we turn our efforts towards chasing stripers and possibly trout. 

3) I am also offering a Spey Casting Clinic during shad season, May to June. This clinic will be dedicated to beginners and intermediates. In this 4hr clinic we will learn the basics of spey casting and the art of swinging, its all about fundamentals and better mechanics for those intermediate casters. It will take place on the Yuba River with my jet boat and as stated during the shad run. This will allow you to not only learn how to cast and swing, but build your confidence in getting the grab. There is a minimum 3 anglers and maximum of 4. I will offer 2 clinics per day, morning and afternoon. Price is $200 per angler for 3 anglers, $175 per angler for 4 anglers. Equipment can be provided if needed, you will need a CA fishing license.

Dates are: May 8th,19th, June 12th, 26th either morning or afternoon slots 

One More Thing To Add
In the latest issue of California Fly Fisher Magazine, Dec 2020, my Skwala stonefly nymph was featured in the Skwala Primer for 2021: Lessons Learned by Jon Baiocchi. This article is a great read for anyone wanting to learn the intricacies of the skwala hatch on the Yuba River. It is very in depth and informative on all facets of the skwala from rigging, presentation, the hatch, patterns and even tactics for pressured trout on the Yuba. Again a great read and extremely informative. After reading it myself it makes me want to get out there right now and throw some Skwalas on top just for the hell of it, hey you never know.
Also in the magazine is another great read named Central Valley Rivers" Year-Round Fishing by Chris Smith. This article talks about the year round fishing that we are blessed with in the Sac-Redding Valley and information on many of the rivers that I personally guide including the Feather, Yuba and Lower Sac. It even talks about warm water species as well. Sweet read.
Lastly, this month's article also pays tribute to a true legend, Truckee guide of 37yrs, a preserver of our fisheries and someone that was a true honor to have on my boat, to also guide on a river he has never fish and just converse with throughout the day last spring on the Lower Sac, Frank Pisciotta. Please give this article a read, it's pretty darn good. RIP Frank, you will truly be missed, but we know you are up there with some great ones jammin out and fishing with some true greats as well.
 
My Available Local Dates
January 16,17,20,22,23,24,25,28,29,31
February 2,3,12,13,14,17,18,19,20,21,22,24,26,27,28
March 1,2,3,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31
Contact me for future available dates

YUBA SHAD DATES
May 8,10,11,15,16,26
June 1,5,6,8,9,10,12-19,21-30
Book you next shad adventure ASAP

My Available Trinity/Lower Sac Dates
January 10,11
Feb 1,2,3,4,7,8
March 1,2,3,4,8,9,10,11

There you have it folks, the fishing is pretty darn good right now, and its going to stay good to great for weeks/months to come. Whether you are looking to get out by yourself, or book a trip with me in the near future, its time to get out there and get bent. 

Being that this is my 2020 Winter fishing report, this will be the last fishing report for 2020. I wanted to thank you all for making my 2020 guiding season a huge success despite the challenges we faced this year. Thank you all for working with me during these hard and troubled times and booking your trips with me throughout the year. Without you, this year would have been a tough and bumpy road, but you all made the best of it and honestly, I feel this season was more of a success in getting to know you all on a personal level than just booking/guiding a ton of trips. It was a true blessing to guide you all this year, and have you part of my personal life/journey through it all including the blessing of our son Brayden John. So from the bottom of my family's hearts, thank you to all that have helped Nor Cal Fly Guides have another successful season. Wishing you and your family all the best during the holiday season and I look forward to seeing you on the water soon.


Tight Lines
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
The Clemens Family

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER
KEEP THOSE LINES TIGHT

Brian Clemens

NOR CAL FLY GUIDES
530-354-3740
WWW.NORCALFLYGUIDES.COM
Check us out on Facebook

Late Summer/Early Fall Fishing Report and a bit more

Hello Everyone,

Well this has come a bit later than I would have liked but then again this year has been a very strange and interesting year. I was fully booked out from March to June, but then covid came along and I didnt do one guided trip in March or April as everyone cancelled their trips, and it was very understandable. Since May things have been somewhat back to normal and I've been guiding very regularly, until 7/19/20. This is when we were blessed with our baby boy Brayden John Clemens at 8lbs 9oz and 20.5" long. It was a rollercoaster ride during his first week of life, some great highs but some really bad lows, but after all is said and done we finally got him home and how time flies as he turned 1 month old yesterday. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

Currently the fishing is going good to great throughout Northern California, whether you are looking to fish locally or fish a bit more north you can't go wrong on any of our tailwater fishery right now.

One word of advice for all anglers looking to get out and go fishing in weeks to come. If the water temps are right for swimming in then its way to warm to fish. Get yourself a thermometer and check water temps frequently. 65 deg is borderline, 68 deg is not good, and anything over 70 is deadly. I like anything lower than 60 degrees, but upper 50s and lower 60s is fishable. Please make sure to handle the fish carefully, keep them in the water in your net, no hero pics, land them and let them go.  

On to the FISHING REPORT

Yuba River

Flows

Hwy20 - 2600cfs, flows will drop 200 per day starting 8/21 to 1600 by 8/26

Below Daguerre - roughly 500cfs less than Hwy20 flows

Fishing - Good to Great

Clarity - very clear

I have been spending a ton of time on the Yuba and this river truly amazes me daily. Not only the way that it fishes and how it changes daily even hourly but its pure beauty. I love having this river in my backyard now. The fishing has been pretty darn good, we have been getting fish swinging, on hoppers and under an indicator as well. Fish have been getting a bit more selective on flies, but knowing where to fish is more important than what to fish with. Fishing locations change a great deal from morning to noon to late afternoon on into the evening. Toughest time of the day has been from 3pm to 6pm, also the hottest part of the day too. I have been getting on early and off by 3-330, but the last hour or 2 of light has been stellar for drys. Fish are healthy, and eating a plethora of bugs, mainly stones, caddis and mayflies, but also try some eggs and midges early in the day. The fishing is really good right now and will only get better as we get into fall. If you like fishing in the fall, then you know its the best time of year, and there can be some epic fishing. As always, book your fall egg bite trip on the Yuba now, dates are filling up fast.

Dries: Hoppers, Stimulators, Stones, Caddis

Swinging: sculpins, tan soft hackles, 

Nymphs: Rubberlegs, Caddis, Mays, Midges, Eggs, 

Guides tip: Fish shallow water early, shallow to mid depth mid day, riffles and deep pools midday to evening. Find these types of water and you will find more fish.

Feather River

Low Flow - 1000cfs

High Flow - 2800cfs

Fishing - Good

Clarity - Clear, 15ft

Its been well over a month, pre July 16th salmon opener since I was on the Feather last as warm water plagued the high flow, and the low flow was flowing as low as 600cfs, things were not looking good. Recently, the flows were bumped up to 1500 in the low flow which not only cooled down the high flow, but it also brought some more chrome into the river. A few trips over the last 2 weeks have yielded good numbers of steelhead, all wild fish and what I think are our spring run that decided to wait to show up, better late than never. They have been big, hot and aggressive to the point of good luck holding on, lots of fish have been broken off in these recent trips. Nymphing has been producing good numbers of these late spring run fish and swinging will give you a hand full of great gabs throughout the day. All in all, this is one sweet fishery right now and worth the trek. While the fishing is good right now, once we get full swing into fall, the fishing can only be described as EPIC. Once again if you like fishing the Feather in the fall, I highly recommend booking well in advance for Oct and Nov dates.

Swinging: Anderson Euphoria's, Anything Olive (sculpins, wooly buggers), tan and olive soft hackles

Nymphing: Princes, Caddis, Mays, Eggs

Guides tip: if fishing the high flow, fish it early before the water gets too warm, then switch over to the low flow. Swing something big and bright in the high flow in the big deep runs you never know what you might swing up, possibly a king. Best to do this at first light.

Lower Sac

Flows - 10k but dropping to 8750 by 8/24

Fishing - Good to Great

Clarity - Clear, 12-15ft

I have been spending a bit of time up north on the trout factory we call the Lower Sac and it has been fishing well. While some of the better fishing has been in the evening, most anglers pick the early on early off method of fishing to beat the heat. Some days the fishing comes easy, other days we work for them, but big fish have been on the menu throughout the day. Some fish pushing the mid 20s have been on our lines, but not many making it to the net. Nymphing has been the name of the game, there is a small egg bite early in the morning and typically from Hwy299 up. The fishing is pretty darn good right now and will only get better as the salmon push up the system and start dropping eggs. As I always say, if you are looking to book a fall trip, I recommend booking them asap as the fall season is one of the busiest times of the year.

Nymphs - Stones, Caddis, Bwos, Amber wing Princes, Birds Nests, Eggs, Pmds

Drys - Caddis, PMDs, Hoppers

Swinging - Sculpins, tan and olive soft hackles

Guide Tip -  bring your A game as these fish have been eating well and are sitting heavy. Bring a spot on hook set and be ready to chase them down. Don't hesitate to fish a hopper dropper on those shallower flats and edges of the river. You'd be surprised what's sitting in that 2-4ft of slower water.

Trinity River

Flows

Lewiston - 450

Douglas City - 475

Junction City - 490

Water is too warm to ethically fish below JC/North Fork Trinity 

Fishing - Fair

Clarity - Clear

Fishing was good early season, now that we are seeing the steady flows of summer, fishing has slowed a bit, but we are still seeing some nice half pounders and an occasional adult on the swing. This time of year we leave the bobbers and nymphing rods at home and only swing, either 2 handed rods or single handers. Perfect time of year to learn how to swing both 2 handed rods as well as those smaller single handed rods. Fishing on top has been productive early and late, and during the day a light sink tip with a small sparse spey fly does the trick. As the summer tails off, we are going to see cooler temps and more fish will join the current crowds. Fishing the fly only water is also a good bet as there are always some fish up there and the water is always cold. Dont forget to bring your 5/6wt dry fly rods as you can have some epic fishing in the evenings with caddis drys. As for water temps, fishing from DC up is your best bet, water temps are in the high 50s and low 60s, in JC above North fork, they are low to mid/upper 60s. If you are going to fish down in JC please do so during the first few hours of light. Please do not fish below the North Fork as the water is too warm to ethically fish.

Swinging -  Anderson Euphorias, GT40s, Heisenburg, Olive Martini, Klamath intruders, olive sculpins, Muddlers, Muddled Euphorias, Birdseye Caddis

Guides tip - when fishing on top or skating fish early and fish late, but most importantly fish the shade. 

There you have it folks, your Northern California fishing report from Nor Cal Fly Guides. I hope this report gets you excited to get out and go fishing right now, fishing is really good, despite the smoggy/smokey conditions. If you are waiting for the weather to clear up and cool down, then book that fall trip now and enjoy a trip of a lifetime on some of the best water Northern California has to offer.

A few things to mention:

1) I am now offering an All inclusive Swing Only Fly Fishing Adventure on the Lower Klamath River, within 20 miles of the ocean and just upstream of Blue Creek. This is a Jet Boat only trip, no roads in or out of the lodge. This is being offered through me and we will all be staying at Rivers West Lodge. It is a 3 day minimum excursion, minimum of 2 anglers, your food, lodging and guide is covered for the 3 days as well. The cost is $500 per day, per angler and I can personally fish up to 3 anglers in my boat. While 2020 trips are fully booked up, I am currently booking trips for 2021 as early as July on through the end of Sept. Next year is the higher water River Dance flows and the fishing will be off the hook. If interested please shoot me an email and I can give you more information.

2) I currently have cancellations for a few dates in Sept and Oct. They are all located on the Trinity River. You can either book them all for yourself, or you can split them with the other angler. If you split them with the other angler, they are all swing trips, if you book them on your own, you can swing or nymph.

These dates are

Sept 14,15,16

Oct 12,13

3) My18x54 Super Drifters Power Drifter is available for purchase. That's right, I am selling my 2018

Power Drifter with a 90/60 Etec outboard tiller jet. Here is some info on it. 2018 18x54 PD, 2018 90/60 Evinrude Etec tiller jet a tad over 300hrs, recent 300hr service, new water pump and a few other small items and a full clean bill of health, haul has lifting strakes and a tunnel haul which makes it the shallowest running jet boat you will ever ride in. Comes with uhmw bottom, 2 6gal gas tanks, 55lb anchor, anchor rope and full pulley anchor system 3 to 1 ratio, custom trolling motor puck bracket, boat cover and bra both that can be traveled with, brand new trailer tires, 1 new axle bearing and other bearing repacked, 60/40 seat boxes with seats on adjustable frame rail, 1 folding Tempress seat the other is a rower style high back, lean bars front and back, small lightweight cracking motor battery. It will also come with stock 3 blade stainless steel impeller and for the right price a brand new 4 blade ss impeller as well as a new lower intake and intake fins (which will come off my new motor), doesn't come with oars, blades, or oar locks, but can recommend the best rowing system on the market. I am probably forgetting a few things but thats the majority of it. I am asking 26k firm with all stated above, willing to drop to 25k firm if I keep the 4 blade ss impeller and new intake and fins. So the motor would only come with current 3 blade ss impeller and its current intake and fins.

My Available Local Dates: Yuba, Feather, American, Putah, Truckee

Sept 23

Oct 1,2,3,18,19,23,25,26,27,28,29,30

Nov 15,18,21,22,23,25,27,28,29,30

For additional dates please feel free to ask

My Available Trinity Lower Sac Dates:

Oct 6,7,8,9,14,18 (12,13 cancellation dates)

Nov 2,5,8,9,10,11,12,30

Dec 1,5,6,7,10

For additional dates please feel free to ask

FYI, I am already booking for SHAD 2021, if you are all about the shad and want to fish the Lower Yuba with me, book those dates now. 

Also as a reminder, as each year passes, my available dates during peak season become less available and harder to book due to the high demand of my service. As much as I would love to guide each and every one of you, I just don't have enough days to go around. Those that enjoy fishing with me during Spring, Shad season and Fall, booking 6 months to a year in advance is highly recommended in order to get those specific dates you want.

If you have any questions regarding fishing, fishing products, booking future trips or anything related to fishing please feel free to contact me any time. 

 

I look forward to seeing you on the water soon.

Solid Grabs

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER
KEEP THOSE LINES TIGHT

Brian Clemens

NOR CAL FLY GUIDES
530-354-3740
WWW.NORCALFLYGUIDES.COM
Check us out on Facebook

*Due to the high volume of bookings, NCFG is unable to hold a date/s for more than 24hrs unless a specific agreement is made. All bookings are done on a first come first serve basis. Once a date is mutually agreed upon, and the trip is booked via phone call, text, email or private messenger, it is implied that the client agrees to NCFG's payment and cancellation policy.*