Welcome to the opener Anglers! We hope everyone had a great summer, and that you all have an even better winter going after those massive Cutthroats! Please make sure you follow all Tribal regulations while enjoying your time on the lake. Go get that 20 pounder!
The season opener is just a few weeks away! On Oct. 1 anxious anglers can once again chase that elusive 20 pound lahontan cutthroat. Please make sure you check all Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal regulations before heading out on the water; online permits will be available after Sept. 17, 2018. We encourage visitors to please respect the land, the water, the people, fellow anglers, and the fish. Pack it in-pack it out! We will see you on the shores soon!
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO FISH PYRAMID LAKE, NV?
We get asked this question A LOT. There’s no short answer to it, and it greatly depends on who you ask. It also depends on what you are looking for– numbers? no crowds? fair weather? best chance for a 20 lb. cutthroat? shore, boat, or float tube fishing? indicator or streamer fishing? etc. It all depends on what you are after. Here’s a monthly break down of what we see season after season and our recommendations. Keep in mind that when asking this question you must consider the source; many of our guides live on the lake and fish it every day Nov-March whether for work or play.
The opener on Oct. 1 is a very popular time. The excitement is high, as anglers have waited 3+ months to have access to these massive lahontans once again. Expect it to be quite crowded on the beaches. The weather is still generally pretty mild and can be quite warm, including the water temps. Float tubers and boaters tend to do better fishing wise during October into mid-November; the big cutties prefer colder water temps before coming into shorelines. Bait balls can still be seen around this time. If you’re looking for prime shore fishing shoot for the later days of November when water temps have cooled.
December is typically great for large fish. Some of our biggest fish have come during December and at a fairly consistent rate. The lake has turned over and the water temps have dropped, making ideal conditions for the cutties to come into shore. Crowds are usually minimal. If you can sneak away around the holidays this can be one of the best months on Pyramid.
January can slow down a bit and weather can be highly unpredictable. 2018 January was exceptionally warm and calm making the fishing slowwww. 2017 January was exceptionally wet resulting in flooding and lake closure for about 6 wks. 2016 January was very cold and had slow fishing but good quality and size of fish when landed. The crowds are pretty much non-existent in January.
February is similar to December and is also one of our favorite months to fish. The water temps are ideal, the crowds are minimal, and we start to see the pre-spawn. If you can do February you’ll most likely leave the lake happy.
And that brings us to March. Many will answer this question with March, during the spawn. March does tend to have great numbers fishing wise, but along with them come the crowds. Beaches are filled with anxious anglers making getting a decent spot on the beach with your ladder quite difficult. If you want to skip the competitive crowds skip March. Also, keep in mind that numbers don’t necessarily mean BIG fish, the smaller stockers can fill up your line all day and you might not see a 10+ lb trout. And if you do consider yourself lucky!
Early April can be good, but still crowded. Many anglers are looking for warmer/calmer weather and inquire about the spring months as a result. The main problem is that water temps start to rise and these lahontans go deep, they really prefer cold windy days pushing their food up into the waves of the shoreline. If you must do April try the first half. Into late April and May you’ll see similar conditions as October-early November. Float tubers and boaters will generally have better luck. As the weather warms the fishing will die down, we don’t recommend shore fishing May-June 30 as a result. And if that’s your only time to go make the best of it!
No matter the time you go we hope you enjoy your time on Pyramid, and please remember to read all Tribal regulations ahead of time. Whether you are planning a DIY trip or looking for a guide don’t hesitate to give us a call or email with your questions!
PHONE: Julianne for bookings- 801-706-7836
EMAIL: dryflynickjuli@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @pyramidlakeguides
The spawn is in full swing, and the numbers have been sporadic, but with storms come good numbers and also nice size fish.
In early March Brian landed this 20-pounder! We’ve had great clients throughout the month, stay tuned for more pics! 
Ted from Boise landed a beauty today! 14 pounds weighed. It was cold but fishing was good! The strip bite was more productive than indicator fishing for us this cold Tuesday. More storms coming!
We are in the midst of our trip with spin fishermen Randy, Dave, and Mike. The fishing has been pretty good! Friday’s storm brought great fishing and we landed several dozen. Despite the nasty weather Saturday morning was slow, and then picked up in the afternoon with great numbers. We will see how Sunday and Monday end up! More storms in the forecast….
Dusty out from Portland landed 3 cutthroat over 10lbs today, including an 18lber, and had many more to the net!
The wind brought in some big fish to shore today! More wind in the forecast for tomorrow. Jeff landed this beast during his first trip to Pyramid Lake, NV.
This January was been unusually warm and mild for Pyramid Lake, NV. Despite the nice weather, it is quite common for the fishing to be slow this month. If you are able to withstand the long hours and get one to net there’s a good chance it will be a nice one. There are big fish being landed out there!
The forecast is calling for above freezing temps for the next 10 days, which could cause the water temps to rise, which in turn could potentially jump start an early spawn. If you are headed out to the lake for some fishing try an indicator with a variety of midge patterns.
The weather reports are calling for rain Tuesday of this week, with a larger colder storm moving in on Thursday. The forecast says to expect wind, rain, and snow, which typically means great fishing on Pyramid Lake Nevada. Let’s bundle up and get out there! 
