Freestone · Mixed · Northern California, US

Pit River

The BLM Pit River Recreation Area along the Pit River in Northern California, a river access site.

Wild freestone broken into PG&E powerhouse reaches, famous for big rainbows and for basalt boulders greased like they were waxed on purpose.

Tomorrow · Not the day for it
Pheasant Tail
Forecast · Tomorrow
Not the day for it
Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
45% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail
Pheasant Tail
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Live gauge
Level
Rising
1.69 m
Lifting fast
Water temp11.2°C
ClarityUnfishable
Weather13°C
WindN 10 km/h
Pressure1013 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead7.3 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Rainbow Trout
Ideal
11°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Rainbow Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
terrestrials
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) — Mahogany Dun

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 60%
Peak emergence window4 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Mahogany Dun (Mahogany Dun, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow Trout fly box
SD
Sex Dungeon
2-6 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW season; verify the regulated PG&E-reach rules.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Fall River
4.0 km
Rainbow trout
Fall River
4.0 km
Rainbow trout
Baum Lake
6.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Hat Creek
11 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Lake Britton
12 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The BLM Pit River Recreation Area along the Pit River in Northern California, a river access site.
    Pit River Recreation Area
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Wild freestone broken into PG&E powerhouse reaches, famous for big rainbows and for basalt boulders greased like they were waxed on purpose. This is one of the most physical trout rivers in the West — studded boots and a wading staff aren't optional, they're the price of admission. You fish it with heavy tight-line nymphs down in the fast pocket water, and you earn every fish. Bring more leader than you think you'll need, because the river will take some.

  • Mixed
The full read · show the working · for Rainbow Trout · confidence 90%
How the 85 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow95 × 22%20.9
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time60 × 13%7.8
Pressure75 × 7%5.3
Insect activity62 × 12%7.4
Conditions total= 85
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout Last Saturday in April → 15 November
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts