The Pit River

The Pit River consists of a series of dams and reservoirs that stretch for some 30 miles from Lake Britton to Shasta Lake. If there's one river around here that intimidates people, it's the Pit. One reason for this could be the common descriptions of the river: "The Pit River is a nasty, gnarly thing... like walking on greased bowling balls all day," or "It's not a question of when you fall in on the Pit, it's how many times!" There is some truth to these statements. The Pit tumbles down a steep, rugged canyon marked by a seemingly endless array of slick boulders. The hiking can be arduous, and the wading can be tricky.

For those adventurous anglers willing to work a little, the rewards of fishing the Pit River are well worth it. The tough reputation of the river keeps many anglers away, making the Pit a great place to get away from it all. Each and every pocket of water on the river holds fish, and amazingly large fish at that. These wild, football-shaped Rainbows are the definition of strong-willed and hard-fighting. Many anglers, after finally summoning up the courage to test the Pit's tumultuous waters, have remarked that it is arguably "the finest wild trout river in California." Indeed, the strength and power of these scrappy rainbows will astonish any angler who challenge and conquer the Pit River.

Seasons

Regulations were changed a few years ago to allow year-round fishing on the Pit River.

Click here for more detailed information on the seasons to fish the Pit River

Fly Fishing on the Pit

The Pit River is a pocket-water fisherman's dream-stream, flowing through a scenic canyon that is littered with boulders of all shape and size. These boulders, and the oxygen-rich waters flowing around them, provide the perfect sanctuary for dozens of species of aquatic insects. This massive food source enables the Pit’s foot-ball shaped wild rainbows to grow big, fast, and powerful.

Our guide staff primarily nymph fishes this stream, although there are occasional hatches of stoneflies, caddis, and mayflies that will bring some fish to the surface, searching for an easy meal. Our guides have put in a lot of time exploring the many rugged miles of the Pit River, and know some fantastic places to wet a line (and tie into leaping rainbows cast after cast).

Most of the access points on the Pit are about an hour’s drive from our front door. When our guide staff isn't working hard on the Lower Sacramento River, this is where they spend their fishing time, and some of our guides specialize in fishing this wonderful river. They know the river well, and have figured out the secrets to success for all the different seasons. Despite the miles of accessible water on the Pit, utilizing one of our river guides can dramatically increase the learning curve, saving hours of guesswork and frustrating lost time. Our guides are all excellent instructors, so your day on the river will be a great learning experience, not only about the river itself, but also the various techniques that can be successful there.

To make a reservation, please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours any day of the week. We can give you the answers you need or the detailed explanations to questions you might have, or check on guide availability and confirm your guide reservation in minutes.

If you prefer to correspond on-line simply e-mail us at info@adventuresinflyfishing.com and we will respond promptly.