What kind of river is the Lower Yuba?
The Lower Yuba River is a tailwater river. The flows are controlled by releases from Englebright Dam located about six miles upstream from the Highway 20 Bridge. Due to bottom releases, the water temperature tends to remain in the mid-forty’s to mid-fifty’s during the season. Flows can range from 800 cfs to well over 5000 cfs during the season with the peak flows normally occurring during the late winter and early spring months due to mountain snow run-off and irrigation requirements. The best fishing flows are below 3000 cfs and below 1000 cfs the river can be waded across in selected spots. At times, during the early spring, the river can be discolored by releases from Englebright. The Lower Yuba is the last remaining wild steelhead, salmon and trout river left in California’s Central Valley and as such it is an asset to be treasured by all fly-fishermen.
