Day 2 of fly fishing Pyramid Lake came very early. Based on what we had seen and experienced the first day, we headed out really early to get a spot on the beach. Ultimately, we found ourselves in the center of the action and began hooking up at first light. We found that during our time at Pyramid, stripping flies on heavy sinking lines was the ticket for consistant action. Fly fishing Pyramid Lake was unlike anything I had ever done before. I had worried on the way up that my small-stream-ADD-mentality would make the monotony of lake fishing unbearable, but hooking up on big, hard fighting Lahontan cutthroats was extremely rewarding.

We were able to hold some very respectable fish and left the water happy and satisfied.

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I found myself in Las Vegas for a good buddy’s bachelor party not long ago and amidst the turmoil of the weekend, I planned to get out and do a little fishing. My research had started a few months earlier and with the insight from some friends I found myself bouncing over a teeth-chattering, washboard road through the Nevada desert.

Fairly soon, the sage and joshua trees of the desert gave way to junipers and taller pines of the canyon. I drove over a small trickle of water that started to grow over the next few times that I crossed it. Before long I came to several large pools and rigged up the fly rod with a brown mini-hopper.

At the head of the first pool, I laid the bushy mini-hopper in the foam line and saw the splashy take of a hungry trout. I played my first Lahontan cutthrout to the bank took and cradled the fish for a quick picture.

After that first pool, I worked my way up the creek as the canyon started narrow and choke with brush. I found the small pool pictured above in which I could see several trout finning in the water. With no room for a normal cast, I used a bow and arrow cast to put a #20 sparkle parachute and was able to pull a couple trout to hand. With only a few hours to fish, I did not make it as far up the canyon as I would have liked. I turned back towards the mouth of the canyon, and once in the truck, I made my way back in to town. It really does not get much better than a fun weekend in Vegas with a little bit of small stream fishing thrown in as well.

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