Fly fishing at Pyramid Lake has been hot following the string of storms that hit the region through mid January. With weather conditions shifting now towards sunny days, the effective tactics have shifted a bit. The “midge bite” is anticipated every season around this time and I can tell you it has begun! Midges can be seen hatching around the lake as temperatures increase late in the morning. With midges hatching on a consistent basis now, smaller fly patterns have become increasingly effective. Balanced Leeches are still playing a role at Pyramid Lake, but are more limited to the low light times of day. As fish begin to surface before sunrise, try fishing a balanced leech at a shallow depth of four to six feet under an indicator. This has been an effective technique in low light when fish are not too critical of fly presentation.

Wave height may dictate the size of fly when indicator fishing. When fishing on a calm and sunny day, try downsizing to a Micro Midge. The smaller profile of the Micro Midge fishes best when the fly is only moving up and down with the waves a foot or less. Cycling through different colors can help when fishing transition times from dark to light. Before the sun hits the water, midges with either black or white colors incorporated tend to fish well. As light begins to fill the morning sky, flies with more natural tones like brown or wine become more effective. This time of year can be fun to tie flies for Pyramid Lake as combinations of midge bodies, beads, and ribbings, and gills are virtually endless. Swing by the shop or call and we can help you get set up to tie flies for the spring ahead. 

Stripping flies has also been effective at Pyramid Lake on any given day. Regardless of wave height or weather condition, the sinking line presentation will put flies down on the lake bottom where Lahontan Cutthroat cruise and feed. The new color variation of the Mopcorn Beetle has found early success as the white and chartreuse color combination continues to produce. If algal growth on the bottom of the lake becomes an issue when stripping flies, try lengthening your leader slightly with a slightly longer pause between strips. Additionally try fishing two floating flies like the Booby Fly, Pyramid Lake Beetle, or Pyramid Lake Tadpole in combination. 

Flies we Suggest:  Holo Midge, Micro Midge, Mini Jig Leech, Balanced Leech, Pyramid Lake Tadpole, Pyramid Lake Beetle, Pyramid Lake Bugger, Booby Fly