Pyramid Lake Report Section by Mike Anderson

Pyramid Lake may start fishing well earlier than we’re used to, and here’s why. El Niño years are typically warm and wet. On a typical season at Pyramid Lake, one of the factors that makes fishing better in the spring is the warming of the water as days get longer. With an El Niño year water temps rarely drop below 45 degrees keeping the fish “warm” and willing to bite. The trout have also adapted to start spawning based on water temperature. This means that we may see the spawn start early this year. What I’m trying to accomplish with this report is to encourage you to consider fishing sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the end of March because that’s “when you usually go.” You could be missing out on some of the best fishing the lake has to offer by doing so. 

The lake has been fishing well with a lot of quality fish! Some days are still a grind, but the size of fish more than makes up for the wait. Storms are also staking up nicely, further adding to the quality of the experience. The indicator has been the best way to fish still, though the retrieve bite has picked up some on the more stormy days. Midges and balanced leeches are split roughly 50/50 as far as efficiency is concerned. Lighter colored leeches and darker colored midges should do the trick. The fish have been anywhere from 7-12 feet deep. Try spacing your flies further apart to cover more of the vertical water column to locate the fish’s depth more quickly. For the retrieve bite I’ve been using mostly boobies and beetles. Retrieve speed has varied based on the day, but one thing that has been interesting is that a fast strip has net deterred some fish and should definitely be implemented if that is your desired technique. 

Pyramid flies and accessories we suggest: Balaned Leech, Holographic Midge, Micro Holographic Midge, Mini Jigged Leech, Jaydacator, Jaydacator Leader