After reading many fly fishing articles on the giant Lahontan cutthroat trout of Pyramid Lake, Nevada I knew one day I would get my chance. My wife suggested we fly to Reno for a holiday and I stated my case that we could go if I got 2 days to ply the salty waters of the high desert. I ran to the magazine archives in the basement and reread all the articles I had, tied some flies and packed my 8 weight fly rod.Reno, Nevada at first glance is a clean and wide open city with great roads. After getting a rental car I drove off into the desert in a morning snow flurry, not really knowing what to expect. I arrived at the lake and there was something mystical about this place as the sun poured on the mountains above me. The aromatic smell of the wet sage and the sound of waves crashing up on the beach were sensory over load. Coupled with my excitement to wet a line I almost fell scaling the steep bank to the water.My first couple dozen casts were met with no action and my mind started playing tricks on me “there’s no fish here”, “you are going home skunked with a sore casting arm”, “you should have went shopping at the new Orvis shop”. Then as I brought my rod tip up to cast again I saw a crimson sided slab follow my fly inches from the beach and turn away. Making sure not to make sudden movement I made a quick flip cast to the right of the fish and twitched my fly and he ate. I was into the biggest cutthroat of my life and I was giving him the business when the barbless fly flew back at me.Talking to myself aloud I said “well they’re in here!” My next several dozen casts were met with no takers. I changed my fly franticly to try to find the one that would work. I finally went back to a brown and black size 4 woolly bugger with barbell eyes.The very next cast I counted my fly down to 30 seconds as my rocket sink tip crashed for the 40 foot bottom. On the retrieve up the drop off my line tightened and I fought a nice fish for minutes until he was beached. Some spin fishermen helped me with a few pictures and he was release. The spirits of Pyramid Lake shone upon me five times during my two days fishing and I happened to out fish every spin fisherman in sight. I was fortunate to land a 7 pounder and several over 3 pounds but on my visit to the new Cabelas store my sights were set higher by the 41 pound state record replica on the wall. I hope the fish will await my return.
Big bear sweet cutty, is that the same lake where people put ladders and stand in the water so they can get a better cast? I saw something like that in a mag once. Regardless way to make it happen. 41 pounder on the wall that is huge. Maybe that’ll be tugging at the barbell woolly next time.
Hey man, good to hear from you .. i always remembered your great fishtales from back in 2005’ish … especially the tale and pic of the beautiful big bull trout that you have in your home waters of alberta canada . (fliesandfins.com/article468.html) … Since that tale, i have always been thinking “man, i would love to get up there to alberta and try my luck at those someday” … i used to travel to alberta canada for work .. i used to work with SONY jumbotron screen technologies .. so, my “office” was any event that had 60,000 or so people and then need for 26 foot by 26 foot BIG video displays .. anyway, so, every year i would go to the calgary stampede and also to lake louise and banf area for the men’s and women’s world cup skiing .. i think i did some stuff in calgary too at the winter park place where the olympics were held … anyway, i am getting way off track here talking about alberta when your fishtale was about “nevada, usa” .. but, just wanted to say that alberta, canada and that region of canada (especially lake louise area) was some of the most beatiful territory i have ever seen in the world …. and, because i would typically spend sometimes 3 or 4 weeks at a time up there in alberta .. i got to meet alot people .. and, i always found that i really enjoyed the company of the good people i would meet and hang out with in that province of canada .. some WILD nights for sure during the calgary stampede, but that’s a whole different story .. …. anyway, i would love to return someday to your neck of the woods for the sole purpose of strictly fly fishing …. rather watching and running video systems for bullriding, chuck wagon races and downhill ski races .. … ok, i am way off track now .. sorry ..
So — now to your fishtale! sweet fish! are you serious “state record 41 pounds?” that is craziness .. i like how it all came down to “sinking line and wooly bugger” .. it often does in 40 ft. of water …. and i could totally relate to when you described standing there casting in an unfamiliar fishery thinking “what am i doing here, there is nothing here?” .. and then you see a flash .. or something like that .. and you start to figure out the puzzle .. these, days that’s the most fun for me … “figuring out the puzzles of places i have never fished .. or sections of rivers or whatever that i have never fished” … nice work … maybe i’ll bump into ya on a river in alberta some day, i hope so.
Nice fish! Pyramid is a very cool place indeed, I usually head there when my legs can’t take another 10,000+ vertical foot ski day in the Sierras. Surprisingly, Nevada has some very good trout fishing. Check out the East Walker river if you ever get a chance.
Big Bear,
Great fish, fish tale and timing! I am heading to Reno next week for work. I’ll be there all week and have a bit of time to kill one day. I sent you a PM if you are interested in sharing.
Way to sniff them out!
Keith
BB, that picture is worth a 1000 words. No one around and a lake full of wild trout. can’t ask for much more.
What a beautiful trout!! Great story and thanks for sharing with us!!