Pyramid Lake ?

[gene goss]

Thinking about going up to Pyramid next week, has anyone been fishing it?

[EricW]

Haven't been myself but saw this (along with a couple pics of very big fish).

http://www.kiene.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=5128&stc=1&d=1350314319

[Bull_Dog]

Gene,

So far the fly fishing reports have been as expected. After a very warm summer and early fall the water is still very warm. This usually keeps fish in a little deeper water as is the case now. The boaters are catching a bunch of fish in 20-40 feet of water trolling. As for fly fishermen, the best reports have been coming from Pontoon Boats and Float Tubes. There are schools of Tui Chubs schooled up on varoius beaches and there are some Cutty's around them. Fast sinking lines and Minnow Patterns are your best bet. There are some locals fishing the lake. We have our die hards like anywhere else. If you can find some Float Tubers with Nevada license Plates you are on the right track.

More to come on the Creel Report at a later date.

www.pyramidlakeflyfishing.com

[gene goss]

Thanks for the info.....i like to fish Pyramid in the fall from my float tube with a sinking line and a cold beer for the warm day.

[jayclarkflyfishing]

A 20# fish was caught from shore at Popcorn this week. There have been lots of fish over 10# caught so far this season.

Jay

[Morgan]

i had a rough day with only 2 rats landed....the guys tossing spoons were kickn my ass :(

[Bull_Dog]

Sometimes when I see the spoons working well and the boaters doing well trolling, I will retrieve my flies much faster. I have had days when I had to tuck the rod between my legs and strip with both hands to get fish to react.

Anyway - It is still a little tough to be stuck on shore and not be covering as much water as the spooners :D

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It's pretty cool to have fly fishing guides who live up that way giving us cutting edge info....

Thanks guys.

[Morgan]

Hows the bite now?

[Jay S.]

I just fished the North end of the lake, and briefly at Wino beach this past weekend. I brought a conventional guy with me tossing spoons and he out fished me four to one. They are still holding pretty far out, and the ones that are eating want the presentation to be very fast. I had about six followers all the way from the depths to the ladder, they all turned away from the fly at the final second while I dangled it there save for one. I would wait for a couple more cold snaps and some grey skies and wind...or even snow. Float tubers were doing "okay"...but I have seen much better out there. Trollers in boats are sitting in pretty tall cotton. Big zebra midge hatch at around nine AM, and again at five pm, and it did seem to bring a fish or two in.

[AnadromousFly]

So if one was coming for the first time is a ladder for real? You actually carry a ladder into the water? Can you fish from shore? Never been but always heard great stories

[Jay S.]

So if one was coming for the first time is a ladder for real? You actually carry a ladder into the water? Can you fish from shore? Never been but always heard great stories

For the fly angler I would say that the ladder is nearly a must unless it is April/May and you are nymphing from a southern beach with an immediate drop off.

The ladder serves a few purposes while fly fishing, when the water is incredibly cold it gets you up out of it, the ladder also gives you casting confidence and distance, and it allows you to see followers.




5765

[JD]

So if one was coming for the first time is a ladder for real? You actually carry a ladder into the water? Can you fish from shore? Never been but always heard great stories
Completely unnecessary. While some might argue otherwise, I say leave the ladder at home. The casting distance gained is only necessary because the ladder line has a tendency to move the fish further out. You are also less likely to move if you have to keep lugging a ladder back and forth. Dress warmer if you are worried about the cold. Heck, at Pyramid, the water is often warmer than the air. YMMV.

[Darian]

I'm not so sure the ladder line causes the fish to move out further. In my time up there, I've seen schools and individual fish in the shallows cruising between the ladders and shoreline. At times like that, nobody was catching anything, tho. :confused: I've fished while wading and while using a ladder and in cold/windy weather up there and caught fish most of those trips but I felt better/less tired after using the ladder.

It's true that using a ladder tends to anchor us to one spot and creates some line handling problems but the trade off is when fishing in high winds the waves don't splash up the front of your waders into your face, in addition to getting you up out of the intense cold. So, I guess it's really up to the individual whether they bring a ladder. :cool:

[loose_shoes]

Nahhhh.... Absolutely no need for a ladder at Pyramid. I've caught zillions of fish at Pyramid over the years just by walking and wading the shoreline.

PLUS, if you are on a ladder you may be lumped in as being a "ladder guy" - and that is not a good appellation as far as I'm concerned. In my experience a lot of the "ladder guys" have been a rather surly bunch. So much so that they actually had to amend the rules regarding ladders a few years ago. In the past a bunch of the ladder guys would get together and put all their ladders out and take over an entire beach but most of the time they would not even be fishing. They would hang out in their RV's or chairs on the beach and they would chase off anyone who came remotely close. The rules now state that a ladder user has to be actively using it or reasonably close by to the ladder. You cant just stake out a territory with a ladder and claim everything around it as your own if you are not actually out on it.

If you've never fished Pyramid then try to go with someone that has some experience there. It is kinda different from most any other place you may have fished. The trick is to not "over-think" it. Don't get hung up on getting all technical with fancy shooting heads and special leaders and multiple fly rigs. A standard, reasonably fast sinking line or intermediate line works just fine there. Keep the leader at about 8-10 feet and very, very stout - no lighter than 4X. 3X is even better. The fish are not leader-shy in the slightest. Don't underestimate the catching power of a simple big, black or purple wooly bugger. Be ready for the take just as you are raising your rod and getting ready to cast out again. You will get a lot of takes at a distance of 5-15 feet in front of you just as the fly rises in the water column. Pyramid is really an unusual and special place. Have fun!!

BTW, you can get your fishing permit on-line. https://plpt.nagfa.net/online/

[Scott V]

My few times there have been on a ladder and if people want to lump me in as a ladder guy I do not give a rats butt. I have seen huge cutthroats swim right next to my ladder so I do not think all of them are spooked by the ladders at all. Heck they are probably use to it. But if you want to stand waist to chest deep in the water go for it, but I will use a ladder.


loose shoes, exactly how many is a zillion any ways? :razz:

[Morgan]

Ive fished from a ladder, tube, tufa rocks and the shore. Ive had the most fun off of a ladder because it is so unique. And how cool is it when a big cuttie swims all the way up to your ladder and your standing above him....and then he eats your fly and starts peeling line?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I always hear that with nice weather, no wind, no cloud and lots of sun, it is not usually good and that when it is storming, windy and dark, it is good.

Does that sound right to some of you Pyramid lake regulars?

What about the full moon period?

.

[Darian]

Bill,.... In general, that idea (better when stormy) is probably true. Altho, if we only fish then, we tend to think that's correct.

I've caught most of my fish up there during low light periods whether stormy or not and the water temps have come down/mixed. I see a lot of fish in the shallows on sunny days but they don't always bite then. Now, having said that, I recall spending a sunny, breezy afternoon in early March up there and caught 10 fish in about one hour. Maybe the "rules" for Cutthroat change when they're getting ready to spawn.... :confused:

[gene goss]

The wave action is the key to good fishing, the wave's stir's up the bottom and the food, but if the wave's are to big the shallow water will get mudddy and the cutt's won't see your fly.
Pyramid lake has very clear water and on a full moon the cutt's will feed all night.

[Morgan]

I too have noticed that Gene.
Cause the day after a full moon the fishing is horrible.
We have learned that quite a few times.
NOw we avoid it after a full moon.
The fishing can be awesome on a cloudy day like most fisheries.
It allows the fish to feel more comfortable in the low light.
THus allowing us fisherman to sneak around them easier...enticing them to eat our fly.
In the waves it also gives your flies(when indy fishin), a more natural movement.
Therefore giving the cutties a better reason to eat your bugs.

[Jay S.]

Bill,

season after season the full moon has been horrible fishing for me....including the first two days prior and the two days following. After that it just gets better and better providing the skies are not clear and the wind calm. My most epic days there have been during periods of weather....the more severe the better. On those days I use very bright flies like the watermelon assassin that I tie. In my humble experience, the worse you can handle, the better the fishing says six years of log entries.

[EricW]

I wasn't out there, but two BIG cutts been caught on the fly over the last week. Not sure how much longer they'll be in easy range from the shore before the cold really sets in. One of these has been identified as Pilot Peak strain (article here on the Rio site (http://www.rioproducts.com/blog/an-ancient-inland-sea-by-ernie-gulley/) about a #17 caught last season).

#20+ on chironomid (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=442146749178510&set=a.173475539378967.44013.161889193870935&type=1&theater)
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/598347_442146749178510_324751425_n.jpg

#24+ on a bugger (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=441745622551956&set=a.173475539378967.44013.161889193870935&type=1&theater)
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/75237_441745622551956_661245235_n.jpg

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

That is unreal........thanks for this post.

What monsters........

[gene goss]

Those are very nice fish, and the date on the picture of the last one was caught a week ago. Sometimes at this time of the year, when you have a nice sunny day and a light wind, the temp. will increase 5 or 6 degrees on the shallow water flats....these big fish are spooky and if condition are right they will come up on the flats to warm there bones and look for a snack.

[Bryan Morgan]

Never been there but was wondering what weight rods to bring and is a pram out of the question because of wind and waves.

[jayclarkflyfishing]

Prams are not out of the question but you have to be very very careful. I saved a man from drowning last year who capsized in 10' of water. Make sure your floatation device is on and in good working order. As far as rod weight goes an 8# for stripping and a 6# for nymphng/midging is what most of us use out there.

Both of these big fish were caught in the past week as was another over 17#. All by fly guys from shore.

Jay

[Troutstalker55B]

Holy smokes! When the trout are that big they are not considered fish anymore but large animals. Big game hunters.......very cool.

[EricW]

I notice too that the adipose fin is clipped on those fish. Was wondering if that was part of the tagging for the pilot strain. The white tip on the lower fins isn't common but I have seen that before on bigger males.

Gene, I think that happens too even in the deep winter months. Pull up to a spot and often pick up one regular fish right off that's sort of been hanging out near the drop. Then slow but occasional big solo predator hops up on the shelf cruising for snacks.

[gene goss]

I found this web. site that talks about fishing this time of the year.....does anyone know the water temp. for pyramid lake?
http://www.pyramidlakefisheries.org/fishmap/fishtips.html

[steveg137]

I found this web. site that talks about fishing this time of the year.....does anyone know the water temp. for pyramid lake?
http://www.pyramidlakefisheries.org/fishmap/fishtips.html

Wow, trophy trout indeed. Very impressive, need to get up and put in some time up there at some point.

[Morgan]

ANyone been out since the last big rain storm?

[fishnbeatsworkin]

A friend & I fished Warriors Saturday on ladders from sunrise til dark & only landed one. My friend had a couple other hookups but overall the shore fishing was slow. There were a couple guys in kayaks who caught a few and I saw another guy on a ladder catch 1. When we stopped by Cabelas on Friday evening Bob in the fly shop said he was out earlier in the week at Warriors & the guys in pontoons/float tubes/kayaks were catching more than the guys on shore. That seemed to be what we noticed too.

We stayed at Crosby Lodge & then headed over to Lake Davis today & only caught 1 there as well. The water at Davis was a couple feet higher & muddier than last month. Not much fish action this weekend but still better than sitting at home

[Morgan]

Bump...anyone out at pyramid lately?

[bartly]

Bump...anyone out at pyramid lately?

Colder yesterday, landed only one. Today was nicer weather (still cold though) but no fish. Talked to a guy who fished the same spot earlier this morning and he was spin fishing said he caught a few casting a rapala diver, didn't help me since I was casting wooly worms and beetles.

[Morgan]

So still pretty slow w/ the occasional toad. Thanks for the reply bartly. Lets all hope for a spring chalk full of good days and big fish.

[lando]

Any reports on fishing recently? Thinking of heading up....but all of the usual sites with reports like Bulldog's are silent.

[EricW]

Two skunked last Monday from shore. Not sure what to say about it... very few folk were out so I can't even give a voyeuristic report. It feels like we're warming with a few nice days in a row, but it seems like the fish are out. Some sort of front coming in this weekend.

[Scott V]

I have been hearing some real good reports for the last couple of weeks. Not tons of fish, but big fish.

[Bull_Dog]

Just put the new report up Lando. Look under the general fly fishing section or go to pyramidlakeflyfishing.com

Thanks for keeping me honest. I am heading out to the lake again tomorrow. Too many big fish being landed to not give it a try.

[lando]

Thank you for the quick responses guys and thank you Bulldog for the website. It is a great source of information.