HOME HIKING TRAVEL ABOUT

Fly Fishing

May 31, 2004


I took a guided fishing trip starting at Pitt Lake.


Fly Fishing


There is a 30-minute boat trip on Pitt Lake to reach the Upper Pitt River.


Fly Fishing


Pitt Lake has the distinction of being the largest tidal influenced lake in the world.


Fly Fishing


There is no vehicle access to Upper Pitt River. Black bears, eagles, and deer are common sights in the area.


Fly Fishing


The jet boats can navigate through water that is only 4" deep.


Fly Fishing


Close by is the small settlement of Alvin.


Fly Fishing


It has one of the oldest fish hatcheries in the province run by members of the Katzie band.


Fly Fishing


It was my first time catching a bull trout.


Fly Fishing


Bull Trout lives on clean, cold water and therefore is a prime indicator of the health of forest ecosystems and watersheds.


Fly Fishing


The Bull Trout are members of the North American salmon family, which includes salmon, trout, whitefish, char, and grayling.


Fly Fishing


They can live up to 12 years.


Fly Fishing


Unlike salmon, spawning adults survive to spawn again every two or three years.


Fly Fishing


Tue Upper Pitt River is a year-round catch-and-release zone.


Fly Fishing


The Pitt River summer runs sockeye stock is one of the largest found anywhere, with adults averaging ~3.5 kg (some individuals have been recorded over 7.0 kg).


Fly Fishing


Sockeye in this area spends an extra year feeding in the ocean and return as five or six-year-old fish rather than four as most other sockeye stocks.


Fly Fishing


The wild coho in the Upper Pitt River watershed is among the healthiest coho stocks in the province.


Fly Fishing


Here is where the legend of the Lost Mine of Pitt Lake originated. It started in 1889 when a First Nation named Slumach entered into a saloon and ordered a round of drinks for everyone present. He had a haversack packed with nuggets the size of walnuts. The police suspected that Slumach was murdering and then robbing prospectors for the gold. Other people believed he found a mine.


Fly Fishing


The Pitt River Hot Springs is the least visited Hot Springs in the Southwestern of BC. To get there, besides the 30 km up Pitt Lake, you need to add 22 km on an active logging road.


Fly Fishing


To get there, besides the 30 km up Pitt Lake, you need to add 22 km on an active logging road.


Fly Fishing


Pitt Lake has a unique race of longfin smelt and provides critical habitat for the White Sturgeon, currently listed as vulnerable on Canada's endangered species list.


Fly Fishing


The southern end of the lake is part of the Widgeon Valley Natural Wildlife Reserve, a nesting area for marsh birds.


Fly Fishing


This place has numerous wetland birds such as coots, bitterns, rails, loons, and ducks.


Fly Fishing

Great Blue Heron


There are 105 species of passerines such as woodpeckers, finches, and jays and game birds such as ringneck pheasant, bandtail pigeon, and mourning dove.


Map Location

Pitt Lake, British Columbia