Fishing Report For Pyramid Lake, CA

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

The use of new technology is helping anglers catch more rainbow trout. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently the best way to locate trout, especially when they school in deep water. Rainbows are caught trolling, casting or jigging, once located on these sophisticated fish finders.

A consistent, annual stocking by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is maintaining a good population of rainbow trout here, and the fishing has been good. The diet of these trout consists of insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Locals report using small lures that imitate their natural food has been successful. Small spinners are doing well. Miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are also catching rainbows, as are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and prepared baits.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

There are plenty of rocky points, ledges and chunk-rock shoreline for bass in Pyramid Lake, and the fishing has been good for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The west Piru Creek bay offers just about everything bass need, from Spring where they spawn, to Summer and Winter where they drop to deeper water. The pocket behind Vaquero Beach, and the points at the mouth of that bay also offer year-round habitat for bass. A wide variety of lures are catching nice largemouth bass here, worms, jerkbaits, drop-shot rigs, Ned rigs and Carolina rigs are all catching both species. Topwater is working well early and late in the day.

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

Striped bass run in schools, and the use of new technology is helping anglers catch more stripers. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently one of the the easiest ways to locate schools of both fish and baitfish. Once located using these advanced fish finders, striped bass are being caught by trolling, casting or jigging, depending on depth.

The colder months here drive the stripers into areas of deep water, however they generally suspend in the 25' to 50' depths over this deep water. The deepest water is around the dam. So the general area around the big island has been holding stripers. Successful locals report using fish finders to find schools of stripers, then working them with Bladebaits, swimbaits, spoons and cut bait are all effective here. In Summer, when striped bass drive schools of baitfish to the surface, fishing can be spectacular with jerkbaits and topwater lures.