BradyG
03-06-2011, 01:27 PM
Never fished the area before, but I plan to stay in either Eureka or Redding for a few days. Any advice or preferences on where I should go? I'll have the fly rod with me. Never fished the area before. Also, what tackle stores are in the area? Any little tips help. Thanks in advance.
TG
Trout-Tuna-For.Me
03-10-2011, 05:19 PM
BradyG,
Every year I've been going to lakes and rivers around the Burney area to fish Hat Creek, the Pit river, Baum Lake, and other places going towards Old Station, and the fishing is xlnt in July. I'll be there at the end of July for a week.
If you take the 44 hwy going east out of Redding and passing Mt Lassen you'll be traveling along Hat Creek where there are many spots to fish, but you want to get to where Hat Creek gets bigger down towards Burney and fish near the power plants or at Baum Lake. Another way to get closer to Baum Lake and the power plants is to take hwy 299 east which is again off the 5 hwy just a few miles north of the 44. Take the 299 through Burney and you'll come to hwy 89 where there's a stop light. Go thru the light and make a right at the first marked street which will take you to Cassel, a small town with no businesses. That road will take you to Baum Lake and Power House #1. Great fly fishing with no restrictions at either the lake or creek. Beadhead Prince Nymphs do very well in many places in that area, and any size too. If fishing Baum or the creek, use your waders if you have them. The lake shoreline is shallow with grass growing in the water. The lake is like a slow wide river because it gets fed by Hat Creek on one side and Crystal Lake on the other making a big Y to flow northwards down the lake. Many rainbows and browns are in the lake and creek, both will take the BH Prince Nymph. Around Baum there a couple dirt roads that take you other parts of Hat Creek. A hatchery is near the lake too where they've been raising that Eagle Lake strain of rainbows, xlnt fish to eat off the grill, big too.
If you go down to fish below Power Station 2 it's restricted and only artificials with single barbless hooks.
The Pit River is a great place to go for the bigger rainbows and browns but with only a few places to have good access for flyfishing. The river is off the 299 just past the County Rest Area with a dirt road on the left that will take you to the river. There are other places to access the river but you'll need a guide.
These are my fav places to fish in that area with limits easy to come by.
All that great fishing if you're staying close to the area, but a pain to drive to daily if you're staying in Redding or Eureka. Burney has a few hotels if interested.
Have a great trip and post here if you need more info about the area.
TTFM