If you are a registered Learn to Fly Fish (LTFF) student in Level 3 or 4 of the program, join us for two days of guided fishing (Sunday, March 27, and Monday, March 28) at Pyramid Lake in Nevada as we try to catch native Lahontan cutthroat trout. This fish-out is open to only one group of 8 students this year, and we expect this fish-out to fill up quickly - so sign-up soon! Also, be sure to note the Sunday and Monday fishing days – our guide recommends this to avoid the crowds on Saturdays at the lake.
Location & Guides: Pyramid Lake is a desert lake that sits on the Paiute Tribes' Reservation, approximately 35 miles northeast of Reno, Nevada. Our lead guide will be Rob Anderson, plus two additional guides. Rob has an excellent website, as noted in more detail below. Our guides will lead a caravan to the lake on the first day as described below and meet the second day's caravan (led by the fish-out leader) at the lake. Be advised that you will be arriving at the lake when it is still dark, so you must meet up with the guide to be led to the fishing spot.
Fish-out Leader: Mike Nelson will lead this fish-out. Mike will be responsible for getting the vehicles lined up each morning to caravan behind either the guide (the first day) or Mike (the second day). He will be last in line on that first day to keep anyone from getting lost if left behind at a stoplight. We don't recommend driving 2-wheel drive vehicles since it is easy to get stuck in the soft sandy lakefront. So we recommend carpooling with those who have 4-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles.
General Info: You will primarily be fishing from special platform stepladders set up in a row out in the lake to allow you to cast out over the drop-offs and to stay as much out of the water as possible. The guides provide these ladders. This fishing is great fun since it is very social, and these fish are huge; some may go as much as 5-10 lbs or more! (The lake record is now over 22 lbs., with many over 20 lbs. being caught in recent years.)
To learn more about the lake, the current issue of California Fly Fisher (February 2022 issue) has a good article on Pyramid Lake. This is an excellent magazine in general, and the article on Pyramid is timely for this trip! Lost Coast Outfitter carries copies of this magazine if you would like to pick one up. We will also be scheduling a Zoom meeting with the fish-out leader and our guide to share more about the lake and the trip's logistics.
For the best experience, we recommend that you come prepared to BOTH indicator nymph fish and retrieve beetles and buggers since one may be more productive than the other at any particular time. However, DO NOT, NOT come because you don't have the necessary gear for one method or the other. You'll still have a great time.
Suggested gear: Bring your wading boots, chest waders, warm socks and undergarments (that lake water is cold!), fleeces, rain jacket, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, buff, and hat (bring a ski cap, in addition to a billed or brimmed hat)
For Nymphing: 6-8 wt single-handed fly rods, with floating lines. Large, buoyant indicators (such as Thing-a-ma-bobbers or the newer Air-Locks) and some heavy split shot if you are not using tungsten bead head flies.
For Retrieving Beetles and Buggers: 7-8 wt single-handed fly rods with shooting heads of a fast or extra fast sink rate (Type 6 or T-14, to sink 6-7 ips). Two-handed switch rods that can be easily overhead-casted only (no Spey casts!) will do, but are not particularly popular with our guides (there is little room between the ladder spacing for maneuvering the long rods). A stripping basket may be handy if you have an intermediate running line rather than a floating running line.
Leaders: Long 2X-3X tapered leaders for nymphing or just straight tippet in 10-15 lb. works fine too, especially for stripping/retrieving; 12 lb. fluorocarbon tippet may be best. Rob will have this tippet if you don't. (Check Rob's website for suggested Fishing/ Techniques).
Flies: Your registration fee will include a selection of flies specifically for Pyramid Lake (recommended by Rob Anderson). You can also plan to bring other to augment this selection. See Rob's website as noted below for recommended flies. Nymphing is usually done with large (up to size 12) chironomids (midge larva) in reddish patterns or with balanced leeches. Retrieved flies are special wooly bugger patterns and foam beetle patterns fished on a 2-fly rig that Rob will demonstrate. (Rob's preference is for the top fly to be on a short dropper -- not inline-- which can tied from a dropper loop in your leader or simply off a long tag end from a dbl. surgeon's knot.)
Lodging: You will need to book your hotel reservations each night for Saturday and Sunday nights. Stay at the Nugget Casino & Resort in Sparks, Nevada, as we will caravan from this hotel's valet parking area in front of the main lobby each morning. You will have a very long day of fishing on Sunday and likely a shorter day on Monday to let people get on the road home earlier if they don't choose to stay in the hotel on Monday night as well.
Each Morning: You will be carpooling and caravanning from the hotel to the lake each morning; the trip takes about 45 minutes. Pyramid is a vast lake, so you cannot drive there on your own and expect to know where to find the guide. Rob will want us on the ladders by the first hint of daylight since this is when the bite is often the best. Everyone shall be in their vehicle near the front lobby valet parking area for a headcount by 4:45 AM, so we can be ready to follow the guides at 5:00 AM. Also, please pay close attention as you make this drive out to the lake in the morning since our guide will NOT be leading us back to the hotel at the end of the day.
Meals at the lake: A light breakfast and a big lunch will be provided by Rob each day on the lake, as well as an assortment of beverages (no alcohol allowed! Tribal rules.).
Fish-out Expenses: Registration for the fish-out is $440, which covers two days of guided fishing and flies. The additional expenses that the student will need to cover for themselves include:
- Permits for two days (see link below)
- Transportation
- All dinners or other food bought at the hotel or in town
- Lodging
- Guide gratuities
Rob Anderson's website: Go to http://pyramidlakeflyfishing.com/group-and-club-outings/. Read this webpage thoroughly. There is excellent information on his site (at the top of the site under "Trip Planning – Permits" to buy and print out a tribal fishing license before leaving home. Don't forget this! (And no, a Nevada fishing license is NOT required for fishing on the Indian reservation.) We will be providing flies recommended by Rob for this trip, but we encourage you to bring other flies that you would like to try as well.
LTFF Pyramid Lake Fish-out Etiquette Rules: There will be no reserving of ladders during a meal break or any other breaks taken (DO NOT leave your rod on the ladder unattended), and nobody gets to use the same ladder for more than a half-day. The fish-out leader shall have the prerogative to rotate anglers if some ladders prove hotter than others since we want everyone in our group to catch fish.
Remember that fish must cruise in a lake looking for food. They won't necessarily be moving past each ladder within casting distance, so I want everyone to be understanding and willing to take turns fishing from different ladders. Part of your fly fishing education is learning to be generous and considerate to your fellow anglers.
After Fishing: We recommend that you rinse off your fishing gear thoroughly at the end of each day since this lake is very alkaline and not a lot different than saltwater. Rinse your waders and boots thoroughly as soon as you get home for the same reason (and the fact that you always clean and dry them well before putting them away).
Sign up for this opportunity now! EVERYONE has to try this at least once -- but beware, you might get hooked, since these might be the biggest trout you'll ever catch. Fishing Pyramid Lake is truly a unique experience, unlike anything you'll do anywhere else, and those big fish are really FUN!
Final Note from Mike the Fish-out Leader: Congrats for making it to the end of this long posting with a lot of information on a one-of-a-kind fishing destination. Special thanks to John Murphy for the original write-up above; I tweaked it a bit for this year, but much of the content is from the long-time LTFF Program Leader.
Contacts for further info:
Fish-out Leader: Mike Nelson (micnel@protonmail.com)
LTFF Program Leader: Bruce Greenwood (brucegre@pacbell.net)