As is the case on other waters, it seems that the fish at Pyramid have really begun to focus on their spawn and the bite here has also slowed significantly unless you are opting to fish around the spawning zones here at the lake such as Pelican, the north nets or around popcorn where fish will congregate this time of year based on where they were originally planted or in the case of popcorn, where they will stage before moving up the river. While these fish can’t successfully spawn in the lake due to the salinity and alkalinity of the water, they will sure give it a try and it isn’t uncommon to see paired up fish attempting to make it happen just a foot or two off the shore. Just like our local rivers, the best policy is to avoid these fish during this time and focus on targeting the fish you don’t see just beyond the drop-offs in 3-6 feet of water.

While not every fish is actively spawning here right now, most are, and the fishing will be slow because of it. We do not see fishing out here this time of year to be nearly as detrimental as fishing waters such as the Little Truckee for a few reasons, mainly because these fish cannot successfully spawn in the lake itself and only the ones that move up the river will be able to reproduce and once in the river they are protected by no fishing zones along the tribal borders. Additionally, at this time the populations of fish at this lake are primarily sustained off the stocking program done by the Piute tribe and very few of this fish found here are products of a natural spawn. This could of course change over the next few years (we hope it does) and when that happens, we will surely be singing a different tune during this time of year. Regardless, these fish deserve your respect and any fish exhibiting spawning behavior should be left alone when fishing here. If you are ever curious about what to watch for in terms of spawning behavior or why we feel certain waters are more susceptible during this time, please give us a call or stop in the shop and we are more than happy to explain, knowledge is power!

If you would like to go fishing with us please check out our website Trout Creek Outfitters.com or call (530) 563-5119.