Crazy High Flow Below NF Trinity

The rivers are dropping but still too murky to be in optimal fishing conditions. The Trinity trip was turned into a day trip after seeing that the flows were way too high and murky to fish. It hasn’t been the greatest time for fishing rivers and streams for me.

Trinity River
My brother and I set out in the morning and got to Steel Bridge before there were any other anglers out. The water was pretty off colored. I was using my switch rod swinging some big bright winter steelhead flies that I had bought. I hooked and fought what felt like a nice fish for about two seconds and lost it. I wasn’t too happy about that.

Steel Bridge Access

We covered all the water we could but the tributaries were just blowing out like rapids. We stopped by Douglas City, Junction City, North Fork of the Trinity, and near the dam before calling it quits. I know they are there I just need it to be at the right place at the right time. The weather, time, water color, and flows have to be ideal before even considering another trip. So you’re telling me there’s a chance…

Salmander

Yuba River & Goldfield
After a not so great trip on the Trinity I had to drop my brother off back in Marysville. I fished the Yuba before heading back to Chico and it wasn’t in that great of condition either. The flows looked right but the water was still murky. There were about 5-6 cars on Parks Bar fishing above the bridge. I opted out on trying to fish with all those people so I fished below the bridge. I managed to to hook and fight a decent feeling fish but lost it. After all the bad luck, I needed to beat the skunk. I decided to try and go for some winter largemouth before I left.

Winter Bass Skunk Beater

I arrived at the pond that I wanted to fish in the goldfields after navigating through the road full of plot holes that were filled with water. A pain in the ass if you don’t have a 4×4. Once I actually got to the pond I had realized I forgotten my fly box with my streamers in the car. Screw that I’m not walking all the way back. I fished a few flies until hooking a small bass on a San Juan worm. Yes! The curse had been lifted. I continued to fish and saw a big splash across the pond. Cool, there’s a big bass rising, probably just the only one. I kept fishing the area I was at until I saw a second big splash. The sun is just under the horizon I had to fish that spot before I left. I got there as quickly as I could and saw some nice size bass hanging around a school of fish that looked like small bluegills. Cast after cast I tried to get one interested in my fly but they were saying nope I don’t really feel like it.  After about ten minutes it became too dark to fish and I left for home. Damn it. I’ll get them next time.

The rivers should clear up soon… hopefully. The Feather is still chocolate and I’m looking at the NF Feather River and Butte Creek as my next targets. If murky then I’ll be trying to get better at winter bass fishing. One of the great things about bass fishing in the winter is that no one else is out. I’ll take it.

Happy Holidays!