Pit 3 Powerhouseon Pit River (Sections 3, 4, 5)
Conditions right now
No USGS gauge is linked to this water yet, so we can't chart flows.
Strong hatches of October Caddis
- 01Strong hatches of October Caddis, particularly in the afternoons, providing excellent dry fly opportunities.
- 02Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs) are actively emerging throughout the cooler parts of the morning and evening, reinforcing the river's reputation for predictable fall hatches.
- 03Focus efforts on the unique pocket water, hydro water, and edges; concentrating on the seams and current breaks of the pocket whitewater.
- 04Employ high-stick nymphing techniques without an indicator for a natural drift and to minimize visual alerts to wary trout.
- 05A sturdy wading staff is essential due to slippery rocks and challenging wading conditions.
What to tie on at Pit 3 Powerhouse
Picked from recent reports for this stretch.
Woolly Bugger (Olive)
A versatile streamer pattern imitating leeches and baitfish, effective for enticing aggressive strikes from trout, especially larger browns, during the fall.
Black Woolly Bugger
A slow-stripped or dead-drifted black streamer imitates leeches and sculpins that are active in colder water. It's a high-percentage searching pattern for larger trout in the Pit River's deeper holes and runs.
Mother's Day Caddis
The prolific Mother's Day Caddis hatch is active in May, making this dry fly a perfect imitation for adult caddis that will draw aggressive strikes.
Squirmy Wormy
Year-round, especially after rainfall or runoff events, aquatic worms are easily washed into the system, making this a highly effective pattern for opportunistic trout during spring's variable flows.
Buy at AmazonTungsten Bead Pat's Rubber Legs
Golden Stoneflies and Skwala Stoneflies are actively hatching. This weighted stonefly nymph is excellent for getting deep in variable spring flows and imitating large dislodged insects.
Buy at AmazonSparkle Dun
As Blue-Winged Olives actively emerge, this emerger/dun pattern is essential for targeting selective trout feeding in the surface film.
Pheasant Tail Nymph
This versatile nymph effectively mimics various small mayfly nymphs, including active BWOs, which are a consistent food source in the Pit River year-round.
Buy at AmazonZebra Midge (Black)
Midges are a primary and consistent active insect even in cold water, making this a staple year-round pattern for enticing finicky Rainbow and Brown Trout in the tailwater sections of the Pit River.
PMD Comparadun
Pale Morning Duns are actively emerging this month on the Pit River, making this an essential pattern for rising trout.
California season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Fly shops nearby
Local flies, current advice and guided trips.