The new higher water flows make the Pit river harder to fish today but........

.........it has more fish per mile than ever and more than most any other California stream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-je2ioZBvk



A gang of us fished it in the 1970s on but I quit when they raised the flows.

We mostly rough camped at Deep Creek camp ground.

Some times it was just two of us and some time it was a dozen.

The evens around the camp fire we the best of times for most of us.

Most of us went in the Fall for the Isonichia mayfly emergence.

In September we wet waded with a fly rod, reel, floating line, leader, tippet and a box of size 8 black fuzzy nymphs.

The Isonychia mayflies actually crawl out on the big rocks in the stream, like a stonefly.

Very few fished dries on the Pit river for that reason.


Veteran Nor Cal fly fishing guide Fred Gordon sample fishes it for the CDF&W with a wet suit on every year.

He says he averages 70 fish per day and feels it is better than ever, just much harder to wade, especially for older anglers.


The E C Powell rod company family fished it before most anyone started, maybe right after World War II?

There was also a group of Sacramento anglers from the Greatest Generation who fished it a lot too before we started.

We were lucky to have it for the time we did because I am not happy about the new higher flows.


I have a thousand stories about the Pit river......my lifetime favorite wild trout stream.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired

.........it has more fish per mile than ever and more than most any other California stream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-je2ioZBvk



A gang of us fished it in the 1970s on but I quit when they raised the flows.

We mostly rough camped at Deep Creek camp ground.

Some times it was just two of us and some time it was a dozen.

The evens around the camp fire we the best of times for most of us.

Most of us went in the Fall for the Isonichia mayfly emergence.

In September we wet waded with a fly rod, reel, floating line, leader, tippet and a box of size 8 black fuzzy nymphs.

The Isonychia mayflies actually crawl out on the big rocks in the stream, like a stonefly.

Very few fished dries on the Pit river for that reason.


Veteran Nor Cal fly fishing guide Fred Gordon sample fishes it for the CDF&W with a wet suit on every year.

He says he averages 70 fish per day and feels it is better than ever, just much harder to wade, especially for older anglers.


The E C Powell rod company family fished it before most anyone started, maybe right after World War II?

There was also a group of Sacramento anglers from the Greatest Generation who fished it a lot too before we started.

We were lucky to have it for the time we did because I am not happy about the new higher flows.


I have a thousand stories about the Pit river......my lifetime favorite wild trout stream.

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I used to fish the Deep Creek section in the 90s, that was great water. I think the road to the campground was blocked off and never reopened if I remember correctly.

Yes, I don't think you can get in there anymore.

I am sure that the Forrest Service likes it that way.

They have been closing access of to small lakes for decades.

If I were to drive from SoCal, which portion of the Pitt would you recommend for a newer fly fisherman?
Hopefully I'd pull my trailer and stay for 1 week

I am not up to date on the new Pit river but maybe stay up near Burney, CA and fish what I guess they might call the upper end.

Call "The Fly Shop" in Redding, California and ask for Mike Mercer......he might know.

There is a PG&E campground on the river but it does not open until mid-April. I think the Burney Falls Campground is open year-round as is the Baum Lake / Cassel campground. Burney Falls is more expensive but, is the safer one and has better amenities of the two. Never had a problem at either one but I have run into some people at the Cassel campground I was not to sure about.

Remember the Rainbows spawn in January/February and the eggs will be hatching in March/April. If you see cleared or lighter colored gravel areas please stay off so you don't kill the eggs/babies. Check the regulations before you go.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tcorfey

There is a PG&E campground on the river but it does not open until mid-April. I think the Burney Falls Campground is open year-round as is the Baum Lake / Cassel campground. Burney Falls is more expensive but, is the safer one and has better amenities of the two. Never had a problem at either one but I have run into some people at the Cassel campground I was not to sure about.

Remember the Rainbows spawn in January/February and the eggs will be hatching in March/April. If you see cleared or lighter colored gravel areas please stay off so you don't kill the eggs/babies. Check the regulations before you go.

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Excellent info tcorfey,


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I have mentioned it on the Forum before but veteran FFing guide Fred Gordon has been hired by the CDFW to do yearly "Creel

Sampling" on the Pit River. Fred guided it for many years so he know it all well. He puts on a wet suit to be able to wade anywhere he

wants and uses a fly rod to catch the fish. He told me the average day is around 70 wild Rainbow trout. He says with the higher flows

the fishery is better than ever.

there are a couple of decent Motels in Burney too.