Pit River

I was working on the Fall River/Big Lake the last two days moving around biological control agents on one of the invasive plants I work on. The worst thing about working on the water is seeing all these beautiful places to fish and not getting to take part, kind of like going to a strip club I was lucky enough to steel away early on Tuesday and get a few hours in on the Pit. I'd never been to the section below Lake Britton so I stopped at the first pull off close to the river. Everything people have said about wading in that river is true. What a misserable experience... I loved every minute of it!! A wading staff is an absolute must for that river. I've heard they are increasing the flows which seems will make wading impossible. At any rate it's a pocket water wonderland. I was high-sticking a size 6 Rubberleg Beadhead Stone type fly I tie with a ton of lead on the shank. The second fish is the biggest I have ever caught on a flyrod. Those fish are full of fight and beautiful. I've been tying furled leaders and I think the stretch of the leader really helped me land the second fish. He ran downstream in the current, sat on the bottom, wrapped around a rock, etc. I have a long history of breaking off larger fish when they pull those stunts.

Gorgeous wild trout






The big one (for me anyways)




Just another day at the office

[Adam Grace]

Nice big Pit rainbow and I love the picture of the fan boat (whatever you call it) with Shasta in the background, very nice. Thanks for the pictures.

Thanks Adam. The boat is called an airboat. I got some pretty crazy looks driving through Burney with it. They're fun to drive but my ears have really taken a beating. I now wear ear plugs inside my ear muffs.

I have a hard time taking pictures of fish. I read somewhere that laying a fish down on the ground to take its photo wipes off its slime coat and can easily kill the fish. I always try to make sure everything that touches the fish is wet to begin with. On the photos of the bigger fish (I couldn't believe how fat that fish was, it was like 2" thick) I tried to either have the fish in my hand and on the end of my rod or sitting inside my net on the rock. Does anyone know if there is much risk to the fish this way. I assumed the net would make a bit of a buffer and is already wet so hopefully wouldn't soak or scrape off much of the fish's coating.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks for the great photos and report.

We like to hit the Pit River around mid-September to hit the Isonychia mayfly emergence.

The adults crawl out on the rocks and then fly away so dries are not as popular.

We still use 2 shaggy weighted #8 black nymphs tied by Oregon Salmon(Geller). We fish them upstream in the heaviest pocket water, particularly where it flows into the top of the big pools.

These are swinging mayflies that are pretty big so it doesn't take a lot of skill except for the wading.

There are some really big "Steelhead" size Rainbows in there.

June is also good, normally.

[Matt Frey]

Hey Guys,
Does anyone have a picture of these Isonychia nymph patterns? I want to go back to the Pit to fish this emergence, and I want to tie some of these nymphs before I go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Tights Lines,
Matt