Burney Creek, Pit 3, Hat Creek report

[Bob Loblaw]

Took a 3 day weekend and went up north to hit 3 of my favorite places.

Friday was Burney Creek. The pool below the falls is open again after a year to rebuild the trail. Apart from some new walls, looks exactly the same. The fishing was great. Put a dozen or so fish in the net with a few about 18 inches despite being harassed by a huge otter all day. All on big stimulators, which is the funnest fishing there is. In past years the rainbow/brown ratio there was usually 50/50, this year it was 100% rainbows. Wonder if they took the browns out when they closed the access last year?

Saturday was Pit 3 and it was the usual mix of frustration, terror, and bliss. I decided to go with an indicator setup which was a mistake. Any snags, tangles, breakoffs, take forever to sort out on the Pit especially if you have to wade back to dry land. The tight lining set up is definitely the way to go because there's so much less to go wrong. The first 90 minutes were very frustrating. Couldn't buy a knock fishing the usual Pats Rubberlegs and Dark Lord setup. Went opposites with a big Walts Worm and bright green Blowtorch and it was on like Donkey Kong. I was hooking up almost ever drift and the fish were footballs and they pull like only Pit fish can. Plus they love to jump which is an added bonus. Ended up with about 8 fish.

That evening it was off to Hat Creek for the dusk hatch, which didn't happen. We fished a couple of hours and managed just a couple of small fish that too small Elk Hair Caddis patterns. Fished all the way until dark and there wasn't much bug action. So it was off to the Fall River Hotel for beers and the best Tomahawk steak money can buy!

Sunday was Baum Lake day, but we were too beat up after a long day on the Pit and when we got there the lone guy pulling his boat out told us not to bother, it was dead. Stopped by the bridge over the Rising River on the way home to drool over all the big fish in there. Someone has strung up barbed wire across the river to keep the riff raff in boats out. Like the old days on the Fall.

Great weekend. Cant wait to get back up there!

[RoosterHunter]

I've been thinking about doing a week later in the Fall. I haven't been up there in 20+ years. I use to tie for Hat Creek anglers and ???? Damn, my mind just went blank. Bob Brink was the owner of the shop. This is where I met Andy Burk and Jeff Yamagata. Jeff's dad owner A1 fish in Oakland.
Is the Green Gables still in Burney and in business. We stayed at the PG&E camp ground just above lake Britton. It was called Camp Shasta.
Ahh, my mind started working again. The shop was called Spring Creek Anglers. Getting old sucks

[BobVP]

One of my best days fishing was Burney Creek, but I have never fished the falls!

Two years later I went back and fished for hours and hooked and released dozens of small fish! Not one fish over 6 or 7 inches! Oddest thing. Great place to fish and never anyone else there.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Bob, excellent report.











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In the 1970s, Hat Creek and Fall River were both alive with wild trout, but you still had to have the skill to catch them.

Most fishermen used light fly rods with #4 and #5 line sizes, with weight-forward Cortland and Scientific Angler fly lines.

This was before graphite, as well. Scott, Winston, and Fisher were very popular fly rods for fishing on the surface, matching the hatch.

We were using round "doughnut" float tubes, Seal-/Dry waders, and swim fins in the lakes like McCumber and Manzanita.


Looking back now, the fisheries in the 1970s were very good in Northern California, so it was easier to get started in fly fishing.


Today, without indicators, there would be very few fly fishing guides and far less fly fishers.


I started fishing in the Sacramento area at 15, which was 65 years ago, when anyone could catch fish with very little skill.


Today, you need skill, a skilled friend, or a fishing guide.


Here in Florida, it is better, and we see teenage boys on bikes with backpacks and fishing poles, every day.