Pyramid Lake, Northern Nevada
Contact - Rich Chubon - 782-9193
Fish Species - Lahontan Cutthroat trout. Trophy size fish in the 10 to 15 pound range can be taken on a
fly.
When - October through June. Prime time for big fish, late February to early March ( fishing the nets/pen
area). Best time for large numbers of fish April through May when water temperatures reach 60 degrees.
Where – Paiute Reservation, 35 miles Northeast of Reno, NV.
Gear – 6 to 9 wt. rods, floating and sinking tip lines, sinking shooting heads and 9 ft leaders tapered to 1X
or 2X.
Useful fly patterns – Copper Johns, Chironomid patterns, Wooly Buggers, Pyramid Beetles, Midnight
Cowboys,
Necessary Accessories – Waders/boots, warm clothes, polarized sunglasses, 6-8 foot ladder, net.
Fishing technique(s) – Using ladder as platform - #1 Early morning, cast intermediate sink running line
with sinking shooting head and 2 flies ( Beetle on top Bugger on bottom ) strip retrieve flies to you. Lift rod
and pause before beginning another cast. Fish follow and often take fly at your feet. #2 Mid-day or when
wind kicks up, cast floating line with indicator, fishing Chironmids and Copper Johns just off the bottom.
Fish net/pen area ( when open see regs), Pelican Point, Separator, Windless Bay, Wino ( good indicator
area ).
License – Daily and annual tribal permits available on line at https:// pipt.nagfa.net/online or at Crosby
Lodge in Sutcliffe.
Local Information – Orvis of Reno (775/850-2272), Crosby Lodge (775/4760400) http://crosbylodgepyramidlake.com/ ( they also offer lodging )
Pyramid’s Beaches
Dago Bay- Dago is a huge beach that is rarely crowded. It has a varying degree of drop-off
depending on water levels and how far down the beach you fish. It is more shallow to the East
and gets deeper going West. Water levels have a great impact on Dago Bay and whether or not
you are able to wade out to the ledge or shelf. On years when you can, it can be a sleeper. In the
fall, fish can be seen chasing bait in the shallows from time to time. In the spring, Tui Chubs and
Cui-ui spawn in this area. Tip: Don’t try to drive all the way to the waters edge – there is some
really soft sand.
Howard’s Beach – Located just to the East of where the Truckee River dumps into the lake, it
has both Standard and Deep beach characteristics depending on what part of the beach you are
on. It tends to shallow out further down the right side of the beach. Large enough for a big group
and can hold fish at any time of the year. Like Dago it can be tricky to wade out to the ledge.
Fish are often caught on this beach up on the shelf in shallow water, especially in the spring.
Although north winds are ideal at Howard’s and Dago, it can also make them unfishable if the
wind is too strong. The main spawning area for Tui Chubs and Cui ui in the spring.
Popcorn – A shallow area for sure. Not much of a drop-off no matter how far you wade out.
There can be tons of bugs hatching around this beach due to the more mud-like bottom and much
less alkaline water. This is due to the Truckee flowing into the lake just to the south of Popcorn.
There is a very small boat ramp at Popcorn. It is nice for boaters who are looking to fish the
south end of the lake. It is however, very small and can only handle boats under ~20 feet.
Cattle Guard - A small beach just to the north of Popcorn. Not too much exciting about Cattle
Guard except for it is usually empty. More of a standard type beach with a 3-6 foot drop-off.
There is a small spring or run-off area that dumps into the lake around Cattle Guard. You never
know when Big Red is going to be checking out the fresh water coming into the lake.
Block House – A very deep drop-off beach. No need to wade into the water here unless you are
fishing the northern most end. This beach is very popular with conventional anglers and those
who forgot to bring their waders with them. It is not uncommon to see large schools of Tui
Chubs roaming the deep drop-offs around Block House. especially in the fall and early winter
months. Spoons and Jigs are popular here as well as really fast sinking fly lines and weighted
flies.
Sand Hole – Similar to Block House in that you can reach 20-30 feet of water right off shore
with shooting heads or lures. Make sure to use a fast sinking line and let it sink before starting
your retrieve. Nymph fishermen often catch fish under an indicator right on the drop-off. Fish
can be seen cruising the vertical drop right off shore, especially in the spring. They will also grab
your Woolly Buggers as you drag them up the shelf right in front of you. Be careful wading out,
you can step in over your head if you are not careful. The beach is kinda soft so also be careful
driving and parking.
Wino Beach – Most anglers fish this beach because of the deep drop off it has. It is a much
larger beach than Sand Hole. There are many points and drops due to the exposure this beach
gets from winter storms. It is ever changing from week to week depending on the wind. The cool
thing is that it can feel like a new spot from one week to the next. Deep water can be accessed
from the shoreline like Sand Hole. The further north you go at Wino, the more it fishes like a
standard drop-off beach. Fish can be caught any time of year here and it is very popular with the
locals.
Tamarack – A very overlooked beach. It has more of a standard type drop-off, is rarely crowded
and has a large stand of willows right on the beach. It can be a great place to camp if you are in a
tent or pop-up. The willows can really help block the wind on a blustery night. There is some
clay and rocks in the water that can make it a little tough to navigate sometimes.
The Wash – Formed from a flash flood many years ago. It can be a little confusng to get to on
your first try. You actually spend a bit of the drive in the wash itself getting to the beach. It has a
standard drop-off and can really hold some fish from time to time.
South Beach – This beach became popular in the years that the nets beaches were closed during
the spawn. Although this is not an issue anymore, South Beach remains a popular area. Large
enough to hold 20-30 anglers and a great camping spot makes South Beach a worthy fishing
spot. It has a shallow drop-off for the most part and is a great springtime nymphing beach. North
winds can bring in large schools of fish but be careful if they get too strong. Many a fisherman
have been blown off or lost their ladder at South Beach.
South Nets – The largest beach on the lake, the most popular, the most crowded and the closest
beach to the hatchery on the south side. Be ready to fish with other anglers if you choose to fish
here. It is a very shallow drop-off beach and can hold fish any time of the year but especially in
the spring when fish are in the shallows. It is a great place to camp but don’t sleep in too late or
you will not get a spot to fish in front of your campsite. This beach is over-fished due to its
proximity to the hatchery and it’s convenient location. Anglers will spend their whole day at this
beach whether they are catching fish or not. Don’t be fooled by the crowds here, check it out and
if there are not some rods bent go somewhere else. Note: There is a boundary 1000 yards from
the hatchery. It is illegal to fish any closer to the hatchery regardless if you are on shore or in the
lake.
North Nets – The 2nd most popular and crowded beach at Pyramid Lake. It borders the hatchery
on the north side. The North Nets has a really good drop-off and can be fished any time of the
year. Like the South Nets, anglers will fish this beach all day regardless of their success. Big fish
are commonly caught here. A lot of anglers, proximity to the hatchery and the perfect drop-off
all play a part in the lure of the North Nets. This beach is considered a family beach and alcohol
is not permitted. Like the South Nets, there is a boundary 1000 yards from the hatchery which is
clearly marked.
Notes on fishing the Nets areas – the stream running out of the hatchery only flows in the spring
during the spawn. This is usually when these two beaches get really crowded. When the water is
not flowing, there are plenty of other locations to fish with less anglers. Our theory is if there are
50 anglers on a given beach and 1 big fish is caught then you have a 2% chance of it being you.
Plenty of fish are caught on no-name beaches. The really good Pyramid Lake fishermen have
many places and tactics to land these huge trout.
The Marina – This area is located just to the north of the North Nets directly in front of
Crosby’s lodge. It used to be the main boat launch area at the lake. Over the years, storms have
made it tough and expensive to keep the boat ramp open and it is not a working launch anymore.
The beach is really nice. There is a great drop-off and there are also some rocks to fish around.
There are some picnic tables to use as well. This is a family beach and no alcohol is allowed. A
great place to fish when the Nets are crowded.
Seperator – Located just to the north of Sutcliffe, Seperator is a little cove that has some wind
protection. The drop-off changes a bit from year to year and you just have to check it out from
time to time to see what is happening. It does not get fished as much as in years past. The best
part of the beach is directly to the South of the rocky point. This is another popular camping
beach.
Pelican Point – This area is really big and offers a bunch of different fishing opportunities. The
point that sticks out shelters the long beach from the north wind. Although the best fishing is
usually when the wind is coming into the beach, it can serve as a nice north wind block on days
when it is tough to find a beach to fish due to weather. It is also the main boat launch at the
lake. Pelican is a great place to camp and even the largest campers can access this beach easily.
Pelican is the 3rd most fished beach at the lake. The rocky area to the south of Pelican is a
popular float tube area. If you are fishing out of a tube or pontoon boat in this area, stay out far
enough to give the shore fisherman plenty of room. Tubers fishing this area commonly spook
fish into deeper water.
Windless Bay – This beach faces North on the north side of Pelican Point. A great wind shelter
from a south wind. It is a pretty shallow beach. Not too much of a drop-off and most of the
fishing is done in less than 7 feet of water. Windless offers another great camping option. This is
a good beach to fish in the spring when the fish are roaming the shallows. Be careful not to wade
out too far. When the fish are in they can be really close to shore.
Warrior Point – Warrior is located at the end of the paved road heading North out of Sutcliffe.
There is a really nice beach facing to the north and can be a great wind block on days when there
is a strong south wind. It is a big beach that has a a moderate drop-off that gets gets deeper as
you head out towards the point itself. This beach can be a sleeper and is worth checking out from
time to time.
Monument Rock – Monument is north of Warrior off the dirt road that continues on after the
pavement ends. To get to it, take the 2nd right after you pass the cattle ranch. Most anglers fish
to the north side of the rock that is called Monument Rock. It is a very big sandy beach that can
fish really well. It is rarely crowded and is worth trying. There is a decent drop-off and can be
fished in a variety of fashions. The beach has a few soft spots so be careful driving around
Area Map
See Below
Pyramid Lake, Nevada