Pyramid Lake, NV

[Darian]

Hey guys,..... Anyone been out to Pyramid recently A 24+lb Cutthtroat was caught/released up there Also, I've been getting some good reports.....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Darian,

I see more and more fly fishers going in the spring.

I think April/May is big there.

We always fished Nov. throught Feb?

[Darian]

Bill,..... I stopped fishing at Pyramid between Dec 1 thru Feb 28 a long time ago. Got tired of having to grow new skin after freezing it off .

Anorther reason was that I consistently caught more fish when the weather/water was warmer. Great fishing in the spring and fall .

[chemdoc]

My fishing buddy and I went up there on Thursday, my first time and his second. It was very windy, making the west shore very challenging to fish. We finally drove around the bottom of the lake through Nixon and went to the SE shore where the wind was at least at our backs.

There were several people fishing, each of whom caught a few fish. I was very fortunate to catch my first Pyramid Lake Lahontan, a whopping 27 inches and almost 8 1/2 pounds! This is by far the biggest fish I have caught since I began fly fishing a little over a year ago. I also caught a second of about 18-19 inches. We didn't have a 20 fish day as many recent reports suggest from the Reno Fly shop, but that is most likely due to our lack of experience. The guy next to us, who has fished there for 30 years, pulled out about 5 in the 20-22 inch range during the 3 hours we were there. The report from Reno suggest that the fishing will only get better during the next month.

[Darian]

Hey Chemdoc,..... You da man A large Cutt like the one you got is what it's all about up there . Lots of guys go up there like you did on their first try and get zero fish. What'd you think of your first view of the lake coming in from Saprks

Sounds like you were fishing at Dago Bay. Sandy bottom, shallow quite a ways out.... Did you fish from a ladder or wade

[chemdoc]

The beach we fished isn't named on my map, but it is right between Dago Bay and Popcorn Beach. There is a big canal of sorts with a road above it which we followed to get to the lake. The dropoff was easy to see there about a hundred feet out, so we set our ladders at the edge. That was the first time I used my 8 wt rod or a shooting head, and in the wind it was a lot of work. I talked to Andy at Kiene's about taking a lesson in casting this rig which should help me greatly. It was a very exciting day and other than the wind, a very pretty day and view as well. For what it's worth, both of my fish were taken on a white foam beetle dropper, although that may just have been a fluke. Probably just beginners luck, but I'll take it.

[Darian]

The Canal you saw was built to provide access to the lower Truckee River for natural spawning of Cutthroat and Cui Ui..... In some years that canal is dry.... Did you notice whether it had water in it this year

There are two constants up there. One is the wind; the other is cold (for about another month, anyway.....) Taking a lesson from Andy is a very good idea .

I've had a lot of very good days up there fishing a combo of the chartreuse/Black wooly bugger and a white/chartreuse beetle (floating bug) . The bug is on the dropper and gets jiggled around when you strip retrieve.....

I've heard that some fish have been caught on a chartreuse copper john below an indicator, recently. That usually happens when the water is warming..... It's kinda like bobber fishin' . Can't wait to get up there, again .

[chemdoc]

The canal was completely dry when we were there. There appears to be a road right along the bottom of it.

[Nip Hadlock]

Darian;
I'm going out there in a couple weeks for the first time.
Is it possible to fish without a step ladder?
Is there a spot or two you recommend for first timers?

[Darian]

Hi Nip,.... It's not necessary to use a step ladder up there, but, when the wind is at your back, you can lob a cast into Idaho from it.... In reality, a step ladder keeps your lower body out of the cold (40+ degrees ) water up there and allows you to fish longer. Otherwise, it's better to wade if the wind is in your face (casting is easier for me ) Be carefull when wading or placing your ladder not to get too close to a drop-off as the sand bottom can give way with negative results .

You can get info/current reports from the Reno Fly Shop or from the Paiute Police Station in Sutcliffe (also, a map and permit).

Locations for fishing vary but everyone seems to start at the "nets" in Sutcliffe. This is very crowded . So, unless you're interested in combat fishing, look for another spot. The maps you get from the Paiutes are usually annotated for off-roading trails, sites and have the regulations printed on the back .

Call Reno Fly Shop or check out their website for current info on pyramid .

Good Luck