Dec 15th at Pyramid

**Quinnphoto** · 12-16-2020, 09:05 AM

I don’t know about you guys but on Saturday mornings I listen to the Bob Simms show on KFBK. He had Doug Ouellette calling into his show Saturday morning to describe how Pyramid Lake is fishing. As a side note he refined the popcorn beetle to be the fly it is now. Pretty much standard fair on the lake. His years of guiding Pyramid makes him one of the most knowledgeable experts of our beloved lake. He has retired from guiding. Now he has a service which provides his knowledge of guides on the lake to help you choose the right guide for your skill level. Side track over.

So Doug on the show gives his report and ends by saying Saturday Sunday and Monday will be good days to get on the lake because the lake fish love bad weather, low barometric pressure and winds. So the weather reports I checked for this week had a storm for over the weekend and lingering low pressure into Monday. I wanted to go so badly Monday but I didn’t want to contend with chaining the car to get over the top. I instead thought Tuesday, yesterday would be ok and make it work. Yesterday’s forecast was for some cloudiness highs in the low forties with light North winds. All the fishing reports mentioned the afternoon bite was starting after 1. Coming from Fair Oaks and fishing for the 1-4 bite isn’t worth it. It’s all or nothing. So as usual I get up at 4am and hit the road by 4:30. To do it right I should stay in Reno the night before to hit the lake at the legal time of an hour before sunrise. It worth it to get the early morning biters well at least once.

I arrive close to 7 but my flyline is in the water a just few minutes later. I chat with my lake expert expecting to hear Monday was a good day to fish. Apparently with the inclement weather, low pressure, winds from the Northwest, chop, no other fishermen, he smiled. I told him I bet he had a good day. He said he brought 17 to hand with over a hundred pounds of fish in total. Hell yes he a great day!!!! Among the catch were two over 15 pounds. I could have kicked myself. Oh and he said today wasn’t like Monday, it was slow!!!! So my sad story is I was tangled in knots all day. I got fish right off the start then tangles every time the catching started up again. I totaled three to hand but as BS calls them, they were rats.

This lake at this time of the year fished like many mountain lakes in July. Fish very early or fish very late to have your best chance of hooking up. I wish my drive wasn’t so long to get there. Getting up at 3 isn’t an option I want to take. Maybe I need to start hoteling.

**Mr T** · 12-16-2020, 09:55 AM

Good stuff, thanks for the report- I've been dying to get a run up there, but haven't- Agreed that a hotel stay is the best option, but getting two days to go fish? hard to line that up!

**Quinnphoto** · 12-16-2020, 10:30 AM

Yes especially with the wife

BS · 12-16-2020, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Quinnphoto

I don’t know about you guys but on Saturday mornings I listen to the Bob Simms show on KFBK. He had Doug Ouellette calling into his show Saturday morning to describe how Pyramid Lake is fishing. As a side note he refined the popcorn beetle to be the fly it is now. Pretty much standard fair on the lake. His years of guiding Pyramid makes him one of the most knowledgeable experts of our beloved lake. He has retired from guiding. Now he has a service which provides his knowledge of guides on the lake to help you choose the right guide for your skill level. Side track over.

So Doug on the show gives his report and ends by saying Saturday Sunday and Monday will be good days to get on the lake because the lake fish love bad weather, low barometric pressure and winds. So the weather reports I checked for this week had a storm for over the weekend and lingering low pressure into Monday. I wanted to go so badly Monday but I didn’t want to contend with chaining the car to get over the top. I instead thought Tuesday, yesterday would be ok and make it work. Yesterday’s forecast was for some cloudiness highs in the low forties with light North winds. All the fishing reports mentioned the afternoon bite was starting after 1. Coming from Fair Oaks and fishing for the 1-4 bite isn’t worth it. It’s all or nothing. So as usual I get up at 4am and hit the road by 4:30. To do it right I should stay in Reno the night before to hit the lake at the legal time of an hour before sunrise. It worth it to get the early morning biters well at least once.

I arrive close to 7 but my flyline is in the water a just few minutes later. I chat with my lake expert expecting to hear Monday was a good day to fish. Apparently with the inclement weather, low pressure, winds from the Northwest, chop, no other fishermen, he smiled. I told him I bet he had a good day. He said he brought 17 to hand with over a hundred pounds of fish in total. Hell yes he a great day!!!! Among the catch were two over 15 pounds. I could have kicked myself. Oh and he said today wasn’t like Monday, it was slow!!!! So my sad story is I was tangled in knots all day. I got fish right off the start then tangles every time the catching started up again. I totaled three to hand but as BS calls them, they were rats.

This lake at this time of the year fished like many mountain lakes in July. Fish very early or fish very late to have your best chance of hooking up. I wish my drive wasn’t so long to get there. Getting up at 3 isn’t an option I want to take. Maybe I need to start hoteling.

Thank you for the report Bill,

Doesn't it just "get your goat" that you may have missed it by a day or two .......

Were you naked nymphing, 'catoring, or stripping ????

I'm almost ready to give a try..........soon..........if, for nothing else, my sanity.

It's been a "tough 3 weeks" for me.

Good report Bill and keep 'em coming.

Dang Cutthroats...................

Bob

**Katz** · 12-16-2020, 03:57 PM

Should'a been here yesterday....... Nice job recognizing which day was going to be "yesterday", though. One step closer to being there! I would have thought Sat and Sun were the really crummy days (therefore good fishing days) given the weather. Is there somewhere you watch regarding barometric pressure? Or do you just give Pyramid lake 1 more "bad" day after a storm has dumped on Donner Pass? K

**Quinnphoto** · 12-16-2020, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by BS

Thank you for the report Bill,

Doesn't it just "get your goat" that you may have missed it by a day or two .......

Were you naked nymphing, 'catoring, or stripping ????

I'm almost ready to give a try..........soon..........if, for nothing else, my sanity.

It's been a "tough 3 weeks" for me.

Good report Bill and keep 'em coming.

Dang Cutthroats...................

Bob

I was naked nymphing pretty successfully until I started getting anxious. Then all hell broke loose and knots upon knots upon knots. I tried two balanced leeches with catching success then knots galore. I did catch my last fish in an indicator. I must admit I think the beetle/black wooly combo was out fishing me today.

**Smitty Fish** · 12-16-2020, 04:27 PM

Great report Quinn! We use to rent out the trailers there at Crosby’s lodge. Get 3-4 guys to go in on one. Split the difference. Not sure what the rates are now. Did they ever open the other side of the lake?

**Quinnphoto** · 12-16-2020, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Katz

Should'a been here yesterday....... Nice job recognizing which day was going to be "yesterday", though. One step closer to being there! I would have thought Sat and Sun were the really crummy days (therefore good fishing days) given the weather. Is there somewhere you watch regarding barometric pressure? Or do you just give Pyramid lake 1 more "bad" day after a storm has dumped on Donner Pass? K

Kraig, I was mostly going by a weather app I have, but you’re right if it’s a s....y day at Pyramid weather wise it can mean an epic day of fishing. I do always check Pyramid weather and Truckee if I ever plan a day trip. I also listened to Doug on the Bob Simms show and he encouraged getting out this past weekend including Monday.

**Pvillarr** · 12-17-2020, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Quinnphoto

I don’t know about you guys but on Saturday mornings I listen to the Bob Simms show on KFBK. He had Doug Ouellette calling into his show Saturday morning to describe how Pyramid Lake is fishing. As a side note he refined the popcorn beetle to be the fly it is now. Pretty much standard fair on the lake. His years of guiding Pyramid makes him one of the most knowledgeable experts of our beloved lake. He has retired from guiding. Now he has a service which provides his knowledge of guides on the lake to help you choose the right guide for your skill level. Side track over.

So Doug on the show gives his report and ends by saying Saturday Sunday and Monday will be good days to get on the lake because the lake fish love bad weather, low barometric pressure and winds. So the weather reports I checked for this week had a storm for over the weekend and lingering low pressure into Monday. I wanted to go so badly Monday but I didn’t want to contend with chaining the car to get over the top. I instead thought Tuesday, yesterday would be ok and make it work. Yesterday’s forecast was for some cloudiness highs in the low forties with light North winds. All the fishing reports mentioned the afternoon bite was starting after 1. Coming from Fair Oaks and fishing for the 1-4 bite isn’t worth it. It’s all or nothing. So as usual I get up at 4am and hit the road by 4:30. To do it right I should stay in Reno the night before to hit the lake at the legal time of an hour before sunrise. It worth it to get the early morning biters well at least once.

I arrive close to 7 but my flyline is in the water a just few minutes later. I chat with my lake expert expecting to hear Monday was a good day to fish. Apparently with the inclement weather, low pressure, winds from the Northwest, chop, no other fishermen, he smiled. I told him I bet he had a good day. He said he brought 17 to hand with over a hundred pounds of fish in total. Hell yes he a great day!!!! Among the catch were two over 15 pounds. I could have kicked myself. Oh and he said today wasn’t like Monday, it was slow!!!! So my sad story is I was tangled in knots all day. I got fish right off the start then tangles every time the catching started up again. I totaled three to hand but as BS calls them, they were rats.

This lake at this time of the year fished like many mountain lakes in July. Fish very early or fish very late to have your best chance of hooking up. I wish my drive wasn’t so long to get there. Getting up at 3 isn’t an option I want to take. Maybe I need to start hoteling.

Thanks for the report Quinn. It seems like it was a trying day but at least you got rewarded with three "rats." I am aiming to head up there this Sunday. If I do, I will make sure to report back.

BS · 12-17-2020, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Pvillarr

Thanks for the report Quinn. It seems like it was a trying day but at least you got rewarded with three "rats." I am aiming to head up there this Sunday. If I do, I will make sure to report back.

Get 'em Peter.

Don't forget your Troll Doll.

I MAY give it a shot next week..............we'll see.

Things are looking 1000% better here.

Bob