T.F.M. Spotting - Dredging for Dinosaurs

Scott Donaghe recently sent along a stack of photos from a trip with friends to Pyramid Lake, Nevada where he was able to wear his T.F.M. t-shirt on one warm morning but the rest of the trip stay layered up due to the cold water of the lake and cool daytime temperatures.  Nonetheless this trip looked like good times.     

It was the typical conversation over a pint of beer with friends that led to the question "If you wanted a legitimate shot at a ten pound trout, where would you go?"  The answer was easy for four west coast anglers and we quickly made plans to hit Pyramid Lake to take some shots at the famous Lahontan Cutthroat that live there. With easy access from Reno, Nevada the plane ride hardly allowed us time to go over our game plan.  Within an hour of landing we were at the lake. Fishing Pyramid is all about fishing the ledges, and to access the ledges anglers typically wade out to the top of their waders and then stand on a ladder to cast to the drop off.  The ladders help to keep your line off the water for easier casting but also have the added bonus of keeping you out of the frigid water all day.  You can usually spot the line of anglers on ladders long before you leave the highway and we were more than happy to join them.

Dragging weighted lines with a variety of Wooly Worms and Beetles (a bright small fly that seems to represent nothing in nature) will get you tight to fish, as will fishing chironomids under an indicator for those with patience.  Dave or Mario at the Reno Fly Shop can hook you up with everything you will need, including rental ladders, and a recent report.  The typical fish is about twenty-one inches which is a trophy anywhere else but does not turn a head here.  Larger fish are common, but it takes a ten pounder to turn heads (just look at the wall at Crosby's Lodge) and someone usually takes a fifteen pounder on the fly rod every year. While no one in our group landed a ten pounder, we were satisfied with the daily dose of tugs from the famed dinosaurs of Pyramid.  The hunt for the elusive ten pound plus pig is still on and plans to make it an annual escape are in the works.

Scott's T.F.M. Spotting contest photo for the month of May.  

Check out Scott's excellent blog and also his San Diego guide service, Solis On The Salt.