This has been a strange year for Pyramid Lake as a whole, with some very tough days over the last month or more. The fishery is changing, and while there’s a lot of speculation why, there is no clear answer here. Our best guess is the changeover of the seemingly wiser Pilot Peak strain of Lahonton being stocked more than the Summit strain of years past. The exponential increase in angling pressure every year, and the abundance of high-pressure systems at the lake this winter also likely have had an impact. With the endless variables in the sport of fly fishing, it should be no surprise that adaptation is required as the fisheries themselves change year to year. But in the true fashion of the angler, we are inherently optimistic, and we are sometimes optimistic to a fault. We are hopeful that this trend will shift, and we will start to see more consistent fishing starting this month. As this next storm system moves though and we approach the pre-spawn months of for these trout, we can make a good case for optimism as this is historically one of the prime months at Pyramid Lake.

The indicator bite remains the most consistent again this week, but with the foul weather in the forecast, coupled with the fish beginning to move into shallower water, it will be anyone’s guess what technique will out-fish the other during these stormy days. Having both rods rigged up and at the ready will be encouraged for mixing up your presentation and to keep you engaged during the full day grind that is fishing at Pyramid Lake. We have been downsizing our presentations under the bobber and finding greater success on midges in a size 12, and smaller profile leeches. This is typical with springtime fishing out here, as the fish begin to wise-up to different fly patterns by this time of year. With that said, we are still using heavy tippet in 1x-2x for these smaller flies as going any lighter than that can result in a big fish breaking off and that sinking feeling of the one that got away.

While the bite has been tough as a whole this winter, we are still having reliable reports of 20-30 fish days happening and even a 40 fish day by one of our own employees. So, at the end of the day it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Fishing a trusted fly pattern, and sending good vibes down the line are important factors. We believe this lake and its fish really feed off your energy, so stay positive and keep your flies in the zone. You never know what lurks beneath the waves.