Pit River/ Hat Creek/ Baum, etc

Spent the last week in Burney; here's a quick high level overview - please don't shoot the messenger; none of this should be a surprise:

- Contradicatary to reports the Pit flows are good; river color is tannish to dark green (read mildly off-color) - all my fishing was in PH #3. I fished it the mornings of June 14, 15, and 16 from rougly 6:30am to 9:30 - tons of flies lossed per session but an average of a fish an hour. Top fish was 18"+ on a stone.

- Fished Hat @ carbondale on June 15 and 16 around 4:00 for 2 hours or so each day, far from optimal; don't have alot of history to compare it too as I've only fished it 8 or so times but flows were very managelabe. A few caddis and yellow stones each day flying about. I elected to fish salmon fly dries and landed 2 fish w/ 2 missed over 4++ hours on @ McSalmon - no fish larger than 14".

-- Looked @ Baum; still a decent # of folks fishing the currents and saw a couple nice fish landed by lure folks.

-- Fished Burney Creek a few days, lots of planters to be caught. We've been there every year for the past 7+ years at around the same time and the falls have never looked nicer. Will try and attach a picture from the wife's camera later tonight.

-- Lake Britton is busting at the seams with crappie. Brought up the large fry-daddy and cooked them using the generator - can't beat it.

Jason

Thanks for the report K.

How are the Pit 3 flows looking these days? Last time I fished it was
before they raised the minimum flow...fished it around 230 cfs last
year. Is the wading about the same? As in hell. Lol.

EO

Yes, the Pit was slick as ever. I didn't have any wading device so was slipping and sliding all over the place. Everytime I get off that river I think I need to get in better shape - it really beats you up.

You've got to love a place that's almost as difficult to walk on shore, as in the water.
Lets not forget the snakes and poison oak too, for added value.
Really keeps out the riffraff. Mostly.
I do enjoy that place. Even when I hook a fish I can't follow.
May take a peek this week.
Thanks for the report Jason..

Jim

Hat Creek has been its usual self...a couple of good days then a dead day. There are always good fish to be caught by the stealthy angler. I fished it two days last week and both days saw a 18" fish to my net. One on a small sulpher paradun #16 and the other on a #10 salmon fly. Aproximately 20 fish over the two evenings for my two clients. Look for green drakes late and the usual #16 caddis. On occasion look at the water as it passes by you for little *16 rusty spinner...very subtle slurps...the big loud splashy one are on the big bugs..LOL... If you aren't having any luck try an emerger or cripple pattern and stay till the bitter end (0'dark thirty).

The Hex hatch has started on the lower Fall river and should be in full swing by the weekend of the 4th.

The flows on the Pit have been high but fishable and us old timers will need to look for new water. Pit 3 has been the best so far but as the feeder streams drop the rest of canyon will become easier to manage.

Baum Lake can be a zoo this time of year....kayakers, beginning fishermen etc.

The weather this week is calling for a cool down (maybe thundershowers) so if can get up here mid week before the BIG weekend you should do well.

Enjoy!

Curt
norcaldrifter56@yahoo.com
"I Fish, Therefore I am"