Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout season to open on Sunday, Oct. 1

If you are a spincaster, fly fisherman, troller or jigger, and if you are interested in having a chance to catch a huge, eye-popping trout, be advised that Pyramid Lake will open for the 2006-2007 Lahontan cutthroat fishing season on Sunday, Oct. 1.

So, if you have never fished there, here is some information:

THE LAKE:

Pyramid is a giant desert lake that has the same approximate surface size as Lake Tahoe. It's true! It is roughly 20 miles long by 12 miles wide, with its deepest depth about 400 feet.

Pyramid Lake is one of two remnants (Walker Lake being the other) of a vast pre-historic lake, once known as Lake Lahontan. That lake stretched from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, all the way east to the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah.

HOW TO GET THERE:

The simplest way is to take U.S. 395 north from Carson City to the I-80 "Spaghetti Bowl" Interchange in Reno. From there, take I-80 east toward Sparks.

Get off I-80 at the Pyramid Way Exit in Sparks. Then, take a combination of Pyramid Way and the Pyramid Lake Highway north for about 30 miles to the lake.

How TO FISH:

You can fish from shore or in chest waders or from a float tube or troll or stillfish from a boat.

Where to fish:

1. From shore: At this time of the year, your best bet is to try Monument Rocks, Warrior Point, Spider Point or Pelican Point, all on the northwest side of the lake.

2. In chest waders: At any of the above locations, plus at Windless Bay or at "The Nets," which is just south of Sutcliffe.

Hint: The Nets is where you can watch or join large numbers of fly fishermen, who are casting their flies, while seated on aluminum ladders in the water. It's true!

3. From a float tube: The same locations as with chest waders.

4. From a boat: Troll the area in front or just south or just north of Pelican Point .

Special Note: If your boat is large enough, travel across the lake to the east shoreline at places such as "Hell's Kitchen," Anderson Bay, the Pyramid, Anahoe Island, etc.

However, be prepared to return to the boat launch, IMMEDIATELY, if the wind begins to blow. Pyramid Lake is extremely dangerous and life-threatening for boaters when the wind is blowing.

HOW TO FISH:

If you fly fish, use large, black or brown-colored Woolly Bugger or Woolly Worm flies.

If you spincast, use rainbow, red/white, Chartreuse/black dot or yellow/black dot-colored No. 2 TOR-P-DO lures (My favorite is the Chartreuse/black dot).

If you troll, use the same TOR-P-DO lures as above, but in size No. 3, or with large Apex, Flatfish, Kwikfish or Rapala lures.

If you jig, use large, black or purple-colored Marabou jigs.

WHAT YOU'LL CATCH:

Lahontan cutthroat trout, which can run up to more than 20 pounds (if you're super lucky)!

SPECIAL REGULATIONS:

You must fish with artificial flies or lures only. NO BAIT! NOBAIT!

There is a two-trout possession limit. Cutthroat trout that are under 16 inches in length or between 19 and 24 inches in length must be released unharmed (these are known as "Shakers").

You can keep two trout which are 16-19 inches in length or you can keep one trout 16-19 inches plus one trout over 24 inches (These are known as "Keepers").

fishing permit:

You will need to have a Pyramid Lake fishing permit. The 2006-2007 cost is $10 for a one-day permit for either fishing or boating.

It is $75 for an annual permit for either fishing or boating.

You do not need a Nevada fishing license or Trout Stamp.

FOR INFORMATION:

Call Crosby's Lodge at Sutcliffe at (775) 476-0400 or the Pyramid Lake Store on the Pyramid Lake Highway at (775) 4766-0555 or the Gilly Sporting Goods Store in Sparks at 358-6113.

Finally:

The existing world record Lahontan cutthroat trout was caught at Pyramid Lake, way back in 1925, and weighed 41 pounds!

The current state record (Since 1968, the first year of the Nevada Trophy Fish Program) cutthroat was on Feb. 27, 2005 and it weighed 24-pounds, 12-ounces (33.5 inches in length).

Why not travel to Pyramid Lake on Opening Day and see if you can break either of those two records!

-- Bet Your Favorite Pigeon

Bet your favorite pigeon he can't tell you about the largest cutthroat I've caught at Pyramid.

If he grins and says, "It was a 12-pound Cutt caught on 6-pound test line with a red/white striped, No. 2 TOR-P-DO lure, near the mouth of the Truckee River," he might have helped me land that big trout.

-- Don Quilici is the Outdoors editor for the Nevada Appeal.