Tips for newbie on Pyramid

[esummers]

I've always wanted to give Pyramid a try and think I will in the next couple of weeks.

I had a couple of questions I was hoping you gentlemen could help me with:

1. The largest rod in my quiver is a 9' 7wt TFO-Bvk. Can I make this work on Pyramid? I'd rather strip buggers over indicator fishing if I could. Looks like a lot of people use longer rods for the lake fishing.

2. The only sink tip I have is a 25' 200 Grain - will this work for pulling buggers or do I need a heavier shooting head?

3. Do I need a ladder - I'd rather avoid it the first time until I can dial in the scene at Pyramid. Where would you recommend fishing for a newbie just getting his feet wet at Pyramid?

Any other advice for a newbie would be appreciated - Thanks a lot guys.

[Woodman]

I've always wanted to give Pyramid a try and think I will in the next couple of weeks.

I had a couple of questions I was hoping you gentlemen could help me with:

1. The largest rod in my quiver is a 9' 7wt TFO-Bvk. Can I make this work on Pyramid? I'd rather strip buggers over indicator fishing if I could. Looks like a lot of people use longer rods for the lake fishing.

2. The only sink tip I have is a 25' 200 Grain - will this work for pulling buggers or do I need a heavier shooting head?

3. Do I need a ladder - I'd rather avoid it the first time until I can dial in the scene at Pyramid. Where would you recommend fishing for a newbie just getting his feet wet at Pyramid?

Any other advice for a newbie would be appreciated - Thanks a lot guys.


1. It will work fine. Fish what you have.

2. It will work, but a shooting head would be better. The faster sink and longer casts with a shooting head will mean you fly s in the zone much longer over the course of a day.

3. Don't need one, but if you have it, throw it in your car. Can't hurt to be prepared.

[Darian]

Good advice from Woodman. If you've never experienced a cold weather fishery (like in NV) before, I would advise dressing in layers. No cotton underwear. It can be c-c-c-cold and snowy in the AM but warm enough in the PM to take off your jacket if the wind isn't blowing....

Good luck.... :D

[JD]

Rod and line are fine.

Leave the ladder at home.

[Fochetti]

Basically just re-iterating what has already been said.

There are plenty of places to fish without a ladder, look for places where the color change (ledge) is very close to shore. Such as sandhole, and there are plenty of places you can wade waist deep and be fine. The advantage of the ladder is two-fold. It keeps you out of water in cold conditions, and it is easier to cast if you are a couple feet higher.

As for the line, it will work fine especially if the water temps continue to rise. These fish are ambush predators and so they will strike from below.

I use a 9'6" 6 weight rod out there for my stripping rod and it works just fine. A seven weight is plenty.

I would bring another rod to indicate with, even if you don't like to fish that way. Sometimes they are on the midge bite and it can actually be very fun and more productive than stripping.

[MikeSBL]

I would bring a ladder. I do not know the whole west shore but many common places were you see people fishing the slope is such that a ladder would help you get out there better. I also really think the ability to cast is improved by being out of the water some. I would also bring a 5 weight for indicator fishing with a midge to use if the fishing is very active. In the last few years, I have done more of this. You are right about finding out more about what to do once you are there and see for yourself what it is like. I hear fishing is good, but not as many double digit fish as last year at this time. Good luck.

mike@sacramentoboatinglounge.com

[mark]

Hello,

That 7 weight TFO will be about perfect. I usually use a 7 or 8 weight, depending on wind and conditions.

As far as line, the shooting head does work a bit better as it will cast further and get you down in the zone quicker. I like a T-8 shooting head. In fact, I just got one of the new integrated t-8 lines and love it. You can custom fit it to your rod by cutting the head too, which is great. A lot of people are using this line also at Pyramid, in the 250 grain tip. http://rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=18 My buddy has it, it works great.

Basically, with the sinking lines, you want them down in the sand on the bottom, with a two fly setup. I usually use a dark wooly bugger followed by a light colored beetle or tadpole pattern. Figure out which one is getting more action and switch both flies to the same color pattern. Fish will follow it all the way to your ladder sometimes.... dont be afraid to recast to that same fish, they will usually take......

Don't be afraid to switch to a floating line setup with indicators either, in fact some days when nothing is happening with the sinking lines, I have switched and begun to catch many fish...... night and day difference sometimes, I have no clue why but it works.

Lastly, no a ladder is not mandatory but it is hugely helpful, mainly to get you out of the 40 something degree water. If you are in breathable waders, you will freeze your keester off in short order in that water, esp in March. The ladder makes your day much more comfortable, it also does help quite a bit with casting and for me I really like the visibility it offers from up there. You can see schools of fish out in the depths on sunny days sometime, which is a pretty cool sight to behold.
If you go without a ladder, I'd be willing to bet you will bring one the next time. Also, it doesn't hurt to get on the ladder at home and figure out where your leg contact points are and put foam on them, makes it even more comfortable for your legs. I can stand on my ladder for 2 hours straight easy before I need a break. If the fishing is hot, even longer.

Ok, sorry for the long-winded response. Feel free to send me a PM and I will be happy to explain more or give you a phone call.

Oh yes, a beer holder on your ladder is your friend also. For really cold days a baileys and coffee is money out there too.

[Darian]

Some additional tips on ladder usage.... placing foam on a step to give you cushioning is a great idea but make sure it isn't going to be slippery when wet.

If you take a ladder that doesn't have a wide foot or a bar of some type from one foot to the other, it'll likely sink into the sand. If it sinks unevenly, you can get dumped (unceremoniously) into the water. Also, be careful if you're close to a drop off when placing a ladder. The sand is going to be less compacted there.

If you're taking a short step ladder, make sure you take a float tied to the ladder with you. If the ladder isn't tall enough, you won't be able to locate it easily after taking a break. Duck decoys work, too.

If your ladder is a taller version, it might be a good idea to take a long handled net with you. Unless you're ready to scramble up and down, landing a fish from the top of a ladder requires some getting used to.

Finally, check out Fochetti's thread on Pyramid. The photo's show where you can fish without wading deep.... (hint) :D

[esummers]

Wow. Thanks for all the helpful advice fellas. It's much appreciated. I'll keep you posted with how I do, but I have to get over the flu first :(

Thanks again