Tailwater · Mixed · Northern California

Lower Yuba River

Reservoirs near Salamanca / lower Tormes terrain map
Terrain map

Foothill tailwater below Englebright Dam, drift-boat and walk-in water, holding hard-fighting wild rainbows.

Species

A proper day on the water

Low and clear — careful approach country. Stay small, stay accurate.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for rainbow trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for rainbow trout
  • Temperature8228% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6312% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
31°C
Wind
SW 9 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1013 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year; barbless, with low-flow / steelhead closures — check CDFW
  • Holds ESA-listed wild steelhead: handle with care.
Directions
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About this water

Foothill tailwater below Englebright Dam, drift-boat and walk-in water, holding hard-fighting wild rainbows. It also carries an ESA-listed wild steelhead run, so those fish get the gentle treatment they're owed. The signature event is the late-winter skwala stonefly — a big bug that gets the rainbows looking up when not much else is moving — and then PMD and caddis roll in as spring comes on. Flow leans on both releases and runoff, so it's worth a look before you load the boat.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 5