Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

I went to Pyramid Lake for my first time to fish for Lahanton Cutthroat Trout with a couple of friends from our kayaks. Since it was an over 4 hour driving trip, we decided to book a hotel room in Sparks/Reno, Nevada, which is about a 40 minute drive from the lake so we can fish for 2 days. One of the other guys had a blast too being his first time as well.
The rules and regulations for this Indian Reservation lake is as follows:
The total daily TROUT limit is 2 FISH:
One 17" to 20" and one 24" & longer
OR two fish 17" to 20".
Only 1 fish over 24" allowed in possession .

No trout less than 17" or between 20" and 24" are allowed in possession (in order to protect more large fish for spawning and to produce more trophy size fish!)
No bait or scents allowed. Barbless hooks only. It is treated as a trophy fish fishery :-)

The first day (Sunday) was nice and calm. I did a lot of research for our trip and I am glad I did. Some of the tips I picked up help me in catching my 2 keeper fish - 1 over 24" and 1 in the slot between 17" and 20". We all were able to catch our limits. The second day was tougher because we had to catch and keep 2 in the slot between 17" and 20". Since we already had 1 in possession over 24". Needless today we were skunked in getting our slot fish, bit all the fish we caught the 2nd day were over 20"!!!

I am definitely going back. This is the lake where you see pictures of anglers fishing from ladders and high chairs along the shoreline :-)

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Wow brother. What a wonderful trip you had. Congrats on those beautiful fish.

bknecht Loc: Northeast pa

Beautiful pictures and fish.

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

Awesome El! Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Don't see any white stuff on the ground. Is that normal for this time of year?

E.pa.al Loc: Martin's Creek

E-Dude,that's some awesome fish brother
Thanks for pics man!!
Beautiful scenery too

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Good Mornin' Edude, thank you very much for sharing. I have never heard of that kind of a trout, do they stock them in that lake, or are they natural.

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

I don't know the answer Fly but, I'm pretty sure they came from the lake!

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Thanks, Steve! It was an AWESOME TRIP!!! How is Sue doing?

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Thanks, BKnecht :-) It was fun fishing for them, that's for sure!!!

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Hey Ed. She's home and last night wasn't too bad for her. The Dr wasn't able to reattach the tendon that comes down over the top of her shoulder but did reattach the one to her bicep and repaired the rotator cuff some.
Now we just have to wait to see how much improvement she gets from this. If not enough, she has to have a shoulder replacement done.

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Oh man! I feel sorry for her :-( I had a dislocated clavicle and that was not fun at all. Hope she recovers ok and soon!. Send her prayers and positive thoughts for us. She needs it.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

Thanks brother.

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Hey NoCal, we did see snow around Donner Lake/Donner Pass and there was some on the peaks. This was my first time, so I do not know what is normal for that area. Hopefully we do get more snow though, because we need it for the lower reservoirs. :-)

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

It is a beautiful area with some interesting forklore from the Paiute Indians. Water Babies Tale is one of them. Interesting story. :-)

Elefantdude Loc: Oxnard, CA

Hi Flyguy, They are cutthroat trout, and the name is from the area Lahanton. It is a native strain to that lake and they get HUGE!!! There was a post earlier regarding fishing from ladders along the shore to help get your fly out to the deep ridges. That is a method that is very popular at that lake. Here's a really good PBS video on the method:
https://youtu.be/CbETOgBgO_4