Fishing the wilderness paradise of the upper Pitt River which is a tributary of Pitt Lake, the largest tidal lake in the world requires a 40 minute boat trip across the lake. Pitt Lake is located in the town of Pitt Meadows BC.
There is no vehicle access to this river what so ever. There is one marina located on the Pitt River, just above the Pitt River Bridge and another one at the beginning of the lake itself. These are your two best options to launch your boat. Once you get to the end of Pitt Lake, you also face the challenge of getting around the area. I know few people that have large boats, transport small dirt bikes or quads with them to make this task easier. It is also possible to "hike" the river, however, you will be able to only cover a small portion of it.
If you attempt to pursue the Upper Pitt River on your own, please take care crossing Pitt Lake. This lake has taken more lives than any other in the area, and can be quite a challenge due to both rapidly changing weather conditions and numerous dead heads beneath the surface.
Once at the Upper Pitt River, many species of fish can be found along the 40 Kilometer stretch of this catch and release only paradise. The river offers the angler both shallow, fast runs as well as many deep pools. This river fishes great on the fly as well as with spinning tackle. Fishing opportunities on the Upper Pitt include:
Steelhead- best fished in late winter and early spring. (February to April) The river has only wild fish, with 8lb. being about the average weight.
Bull Trout- this river has a healthy population of bull trout of 3-6 lb. The best fishing for this resident species is in the spring months when the salmon fry are migrating back to the ocean.
Rainbow Trout- the upper Pitt has a resident population of rainbow trout that can be targeted all year.
Cutthroat Trout- there is both resident and sea run cutthroat trout in this river. They are also best targeted from March to May, like Bull Trout, during the salmon fry migration.
Coho Salmon- There is a run of Coho Salmon that migrates to the Upper Pitt each fall. Best time to fish for these silver bullets is between September and November.
Dolly Varden- There is both a resident and sea-run population of these beautiful char present in the river. They can be caught weighing up to 12lb, with a 6lb. fish being fairly frequent. The best time to target these fish is again in the spring months during salmon fry migration, with June being the peak month.
Sockeye Salmon- The Upper Pitt offers a fishing opportunity for the largest Sockeye in British Columbia, with fish up to 15lb. Best time to target these fish is in the middle two weeks of August.
Article by: Radek Hanus of Double Header Sport Fishing
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