Pyramid 2/12

[1flyfisher]

I was out there yesterday visiting a friend while he fished at the north nets with his wife and 3 little girls. I did not fish just hung out and enjoyed the sunshine and watched his kids fish. It was pretty dead @ the no nets. He got one fish and I saw 3 others caught all day. I drove down to wino and up to warrior in the morning. I did not see any shore fisherman catching anything but I only hung out at a spot for 15 minutes or so. I put the bino's on boats on the west shore and didn't see any hook ups. I am sure some fish were caught though but I really didn't hear any reports. There were about 100 boat trailers at pelican. Only around a dozen/15 folks were camping pelican though which was a surprise as the crosby tournament started yesterday and runs today and next weekend. I popped into the crosby and heard of a 10 pounder getting caught somewhere from shore. ANd as I was driving away I saw some guys lugging in a cooler with a fish to be weighed. Only 2 guys on ladders at pelican at 11 am. North nets was packed. Boats were trolling up and down no nets, I didn't see them catching anything. South nets was pretty busy with ladders also. Other areas were not very busy with folks fishing from shore. If you have a power boat and know where and how you can do ok, every day is different and you can hook a 10+ pounder any second of any day. But all in all the numbers are pretty slow especially from shore. I have been fishing off shore and have been doing sorta good, but no days over 20 fish for 2 anglers. If you have a pontoon or tube I would bring it and use it.

[drumznfishes]

Thanks for the update. This is the first time I've actually heard a recommendation to bring the pontoon. The weather must be nice!

[catch&release]

Please be very careful in the tube at Pyramid. Long way across and water is very cold! check the weather before you go out!

[jayclarkflyfishing]

weather is not so nice today!http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/rev/remotedata/rnosutobs.php

Jay

[bigfly]

I talked to a guy who took the "big ride" across Pyramid.
He landed on Anaho (SP?) island, after three hours (in the dark), and spent the night.
I asked him if he made a fire on that snowy evening.
He said he would have, but he peed his matches in route.
I've come very close a few times. Boldness is on this lake is contra-indicated.
On the other-hand, some of the best fishing I've experienced has been in the zone between the boats, and those guys on shore.
Go figure.

Jim

[betty]

Just a reminder that in addition to your daily fishing license fee, if you use a watercraft that has oars, you also have to pay a daily boat fee (around $10 per day). Float tubes with just fins don't count as boats.
Betty

[1flyfisher]

Pontoons(with oars) do not have to pay any boating fees.

Just a reminder that in addition to your daily fishing license fee, if you use a watercraft that has oars, you also have to pay a daily boat fee (around $10 per day). Float tubes with just fins don't count as boats.
Betty

[1flyfisher]

LOL, there ain't any zone between the guys on shore and the boats anymore! The boats last sat were coming right up to where people were casting their flies. I mean they didn't even give them 10 feet from where the bugs were landing. If you had a spinner you could have casted a spoon well over their heads past them 50+ feet. I saw a boat go right past a guy in a pontoon that was heading out, he hadn't even got out past my buddy fly casting, the boat was maybe 15 feet away at most.

On the other-hand, some of the best fishing I've experienced has been in the zone between the boats, and those guys on shore.
Go figure.

Jim

[1flyfisher]

This individual who ended up on Anaho island, How was he rescued? Your friend who went for a ride was fortunate he did not end up in the water. He surely would have died fast.

You have to have your wits about you on this lake or any big water and be ready for a survival situation especially with winter boating and icy water temperatures. That goes for any water craft no matter the size. If you don't you can die easily. I go out in a 24' North River Deep V and an 11 foot kayak. We have had to beat back from Hells Kitchen against 60+ mph SW gusts in the Big Boat. Not fun but the boat can handle everything the lake throws at it. Swells never get very big on Pyramid but the wind comes up quick and when it blows hard with the chop on an angle,,,,if you are one of the 99% of idiots out there in boats with zero boating skills or even a coast guard boating safety class under your belt you can get into trouble fast. But that is the case for most large bodies of water. On Pyramid there are 4-5 foot white caps/chop which are not easy to deal with IF you do not know how. I am always prepared to swim. On my buddies boat I bring a bag with my dive suit, hood, booties and gloves, life jacket, dry bag with survival gear. If you are out there in a boat, and capsize you are done fast if you can't extract yourself (which you won't) from the frigid water. Hypothermia will kill you fast. So you better be ready to swim in it and have the necessary wet or dry suit to stave off hypothermia.

In the kayak I wear a Stohlquist Dry Suit with plenty of extra fleece under neath, Stohlquist Life Jacket, I have a wetsuit neoprene dive hood, neoprene dive booties and neoprene dive gloves handy on the deck in easy reach, I have float bags in the front and rear of my kayak so it won't sink, a bilge pump, I have a surf board shock cord that I can quickly attach myself to my boat, a paddle leash, I carry a survival dry bag(which also adds flotation) with the necessary gear(bivy, sleeping bag, water purifier, stove, food/water, clothes etc) to keep keep me alive for days. I am prepared to swim and survive. I also recreationally swim the lake regularly throughout the winter to acclimate myself to being in the cold water so that when an emergency situation arises I am prepared to swim for hours. And to just test out my dry suit on a regular basis to make sure none of the gaskets have any leaks.

If you tube or pontoon stay close to shore, you are better off in a tube, less wind resistance. Pontoons in 20-30 mph out there.....you got problems.

I talked to a guy who took the "big ride" across Pyramid.
He landed on Anaho (SP?) island, after three hours (in the dark), and spent the night.
I asked him if he made a fire on that snowy evening.
He said he would have, but he peed his matches in route.
I've come very close a few times. Boldness is on this lake is contra-indicated.


Jim

[drumznfishes]

It would seem that with all the inherent dangers, I would want my oars. I think I might even want my trolling motor. Is that legal? I'm willing to pay whatever licensing fees for the extra leverage!