Pit River

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

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

Our guide staff is among the best in the industry, and our guide and Private Waters management team will work hard to make sure that you're placed with the right guide for your specific needs. We've been putting together guided fishing trips for three decades, and have the experience to coordinate a memorable day on the water for just about any group. Over the years, we've developed a few guidelines to help ensure that your trip is as successful as possible.

We can work with you to select a guide that's matched to your skills, interests, their

Package Cost:
The cost of the full-day Pit River guided package is:
•  $400 per day (1-2 anglers per guide)
•  $450 per day (Package deal, including flies, tackle, & equipment)

Inclusions:
Included in your guided angling package on the Pit River is 8-10 hours of guided fishing with lunch provided.

Non-Inclusions:
Not included in your guided angling package on the Pit River are fishing license, waders, rods/reels, and terminal tackle (flies, tippet, etc.)

Package Deals:
If you are just getting started in the sport, or will be traveling and don't want to hassle with dragging along all of your gear, you may want to consider our guide trip "Package Deal." This

Regulations were changed a few years ago to allow year-round fishing on the Pit River. While runoff and weather conditions can impact the river's fishability at times, the Pit River can provide some great walk and wade, classic pocket water fly fishing options through much of the year.

February, March, and April:
Late winter and early Spring fishing on the Pit River, if water conditions and weather cooperate, is terrific. There are hatches of March Brown mayflies and smaller caddisflies that can begin as early as February and run throughout March and April, topped out by Pale Morning Duns that start in mid-April. And the massive stoneflies even begin to hatch as the weather warms in April.

The fishing during these early months is largely dependent upon weather conditions and runoff. Fortunately, the river's flows are almost entirely controlled by releases from its many dams and powerhouses, so even on wet years it generally remains fishable through much of the spring season and the Pit has become our favorite early season fishery. Stormy weather can bring on some memorable Baetis mayfly hatches, while the warm, sunny days that mark the start of spring in the North State are quite possibly the best conditions for the fishing that time of year. The warm weather gets the bugs moving, and the more bugs are active the more responsive the trout are likely to be. We've discovered that some of the best dry fly fishing of the entire year comes on sunny days in March and April on the Pit.

May and June:
May and June have long been considered some of the "prime time" months on the river. As the weather warms in late spring and early summer many different types of insects begin to hatch on the Pit, creating consistent opportunities throughout each day to catch fish on both nymphs and dry flies.

The most important hatches on the Pit this time of year are the stoneflies. The massive salmonflies are the first of the stoneflies to appear, hatching sporadically throughout the month of May and sometimes into early June. They are followed by numerous Golden Stoneflies and Little Yellow Stoneflies, all of which can get the Pit River's wild rainbow trout rising on the surface. And even when the fish aren't focused on the flying adult insects, the pocket-water nymphing with big stonefly nymphs can be as good as it gets.

Rentals & Private Lodging:

Hat Creek Ranch
Phone: 530-222-3555
Website: Hat Creek Ranch
•  This secluded, intimate hideaway is sure to please everyone in the family, from hard-core anglers to those just dreaming about a quiet, relaxing getaway.

Clearwater Lodge on the Pit River
24500 Pit One Powerhouse Road
Fall River Mills, CA 96028
Phone: 530-222-3555
Website: Clearwater Lodge
•  Tucked away in a hidden corner of north eastern California is Clearwater Lodge. Nestled in a canyon along the Pit River, this 1920's era classic western fly fishing lodge is in the heart of the west coast's best fly fishing.

Motels & Hotels:

Shasta Pines Motel & Suites
37386 Main St
Burney, CA 96013
Phone: 530-335-2201
Website: www.shastapinesmotel.com
•  Easy to find in downtown Burney right on Hwy 299E, a long-time favorite for Fall River and Hat Creek anglers.

Charm Motel
37363 Main St
Burney, CA 96010
Phone: 530-335-2254
Website: www.charmmotel.com
•  Easy to find in downtown Burney right on Hwy 299E.