Hey boys in NorCal.

I'm heading to Dunigan (5 and the 505 intersection) on Wed of next week to set a crane. Should be done by Friday and have till Tuesday to make it back to LA area. I'll be heading home via Tahoe and 395 I imagine.

You know what is coming next ... yup. Now I wouldn't ask for a honey hole or anything like that, but, can anyone sugest a place to wet cadis in a river that is going off? Yuba,Placer,El Dorado,Sutter Counties?

Anything would be better than a guess on my part.

Thanks a bunch in advance.

Jim Lee

Jim, the Truckee is extremely low right now (Tahoe has dropped below its rim), so if you're driving through our neck 'o the woods, I'd recommend the Little Truckee btwn Stampede and Boca. But be prepared to fish tiny flies on very light tippets.

As for other waters along 395, I don't know if any are "going off" -- most, like the Truckee, are suffering from low flows at this time of year. Which means you should be plumbing the holes and searching where tribs and springs add to the flow.

October is the best time for fishing the American River right in Sacramento. If you use one of the access points like Watt Avenue or Howe Avenue or Gristmill you have a good shot at a half-pounder steelhead on your caddis, and if you size up a little there are stripers and king salmon around as well. If you can wade you can get to some seams and holes that don't get pounded by the bait winchers, and if you have a cartop pram or kayak you can have some places to yourself. Special bonus points for steelhead taking caddis dries around dusk. American Fly Fishing and Kiene's fly shops both are generous with tips about this water. They'll probably tell you this, but I'll add the warning: the water is very low, which may help with wading, but may also tempt you to overlook some hazards. The American is very dangerous with slippery spots, strong current, and lots of snags. People get killed here on a regular basis. A wading staff helps. Check the DFG regs and a city map to make sense of what's closed and what's open.

Thaks guys for the imput. This update is a bit late do to a hectic work load, but I thought you might like an update.

I ended up fishing the Yuba on one evening only. Had but 2 hours to play. Long story short, I left with a goose egg. I did see large salmon (three or four) to about 30 +-lbs? They seemed to be chasing and feeding on something. I have never fished in the presence of these monsters with a 5wt. and a 6x tippet, so, to say my blood pumped bright red when one of these cleared the water within 8 feet of my offering would be an under statement! I had know idea that they were there. My thought was "Oh My God! I have 6x on"!!! Then I prompty hung the whole mess in a bush behind me. Some things never change. I get a chuckle when people say fishing is boring.

Anyway I had a good time in your neck of the woods, thanks for the imput, and I hope to see you on the water someday

Jim Lee