During the Pleistocene Epoch, Lake Lahontan once covered 8,500 square miles of what now is NW Nevada, NE California and SW Oregon. Pyramid Lake is part of what remains of the once vast inland sea and is still a very large body of water covering 180 square miles. The Lahontan cutthroat trout evolved as the apex predator species, uniquely adapted to survive in the alkaline water. The original strain that occupied Pyramid was thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered along the Nevada/Utah border in the 1970's. Known as the "Pilot Peak Strain", this strain is now thriving while growing to large sizes. Double digit sized LCT are not at all unusual.
Chase, my buddy Dan and I spent two days trying to tangle with these double digit monster trout. Pyramid is a world famous fishery and unique in the way anglers use ladders to access shoreline cruising LCT. Chase and I had never been there, so we relied on Dan who had fished it a handful of times. I learned that ladder fishing has its peril as welds on my fancy loaner ladder failed and we were forced to make emergency repairs (translate: I got dunked).
We did a lot of casting and stripping, ran some midges under indicators and moved around to various beaches. We found some nice fish but not the double digit monsters that we were hoping for. The trip was still a great success as I was able to spend quality time with my buddy and grandson. It just doesn't get much better than that!
By the way, the scenery was stunning!
Chase, my buddy Dan and I spent two days trying to tangle with these double digit monster trout. Pyramid is a world famous fishery and unique in the way anglers use ladders to access shoreline cruising LCT. Chase and I had never been there, so we relied on Dan who had fished it a handful of times. I learned that ladder fishing has its peril as welds on my fancy loaner ladder failed and we were forced to make emergency repairs (translate: I got dunked).
We did a lot of casting and stripping, ran some midges under indicators and moved around to various beaches. We found some nice fish but not the double digit monsters that we were hoping for. The trip was still a great success as I was able to spend quality time with my buddy and grandson. It just doesn't get much better than that!
By the way, the scenery was stunning!
