Pyramid - February 7, 2015

I've been out a few times this year, but haven't had the heart to post. My first 2 trips to Pyramid before Christmas produced more frustration than fish, and forced me to break down and upgrade my rod to a more sturdy 8 weight from the 6 weight I had been fishing for years. 3 fish broke me off in one day, and I said "screw it, it's time for new gear." Lucky for me, Cabelas had some great deals after Christmas (although stock was limited), so I picked up one of their Stowaway rods in the 6 piece variety. It's a very fast action rod, and stiff due to the 6 piece construction, which is perfect for me. If you're into a rod with a bit more wiggle, I wouldn't suggest it, but having a rod like this in windy conditions is fantastic!

My buddy and I got out to the lake around 7 am and the winds were "variable" but definitely not light. I managed to wing myself a couple of times, and broke a few flies off due to the wind playing havoc with my line, but once I got the swing of things, it got better. Any time you're shooting line to the backing in windy conditions is a good day at Pyramid.

We hit Wino the whole morning, and the beach was a bit busy. A lot of fly throwers on ladders, and fish were being caught by many of them. I had a few hits before 10:30, throwing a Ghost White Loco Beetle with a Midnight Cowboy trailing. The first fish I hooked must not have set well because he fought me for a minute and spit my flies out. I didn't get a good look at him, but he put up a decent fight which surprised me with the cold water. After 10:30 the wind really picked up, which actually increased the fish activity. I had a few more hits before I finally landed a decent fish on my new rod. I made sure to set the hook really well this time around.

All in all, only one fish to hand, but still a great day on the lake. White seems to be a pretty hot color right now, and the loco beetle as your lead fly seems to be great technique. Medium to fast retrieves with a lot of jerky motion on the flies also seems to be driving the fish crazy. I had a couple of fish follow my flies up past the drop-off and take one look at me and bolt.