BOZEMAN, Mont., March 25th, 2021—The American Fly Fishing Trade Association is excited to announce that the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show will return to the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 20-22, 2021.
After canceling the 2020 trade show, AFFTA is excited to bring the industry back together in 2021, and to return to Utah, one of the outdoor capitals of the world, and the location of the IFTD Show for nearly a decade beginning in the mid-’90s.
It has been a year of change, for both the fly fishing industry and AFFTA. Thankfully, we can now see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel and we are ready to get back out on the water and do business together.
“I’m really excited to have this event back on my calendar,†said AFFTA Board Chair, Jim Bartschi. “IFTD Show is the flyfishing industry’s premier event for meaningful business-to-business engagement, networking, education, and community building. Connecting with old friends and making new ones at IFTD is one of the things I really look forward to each year.â€
Exhibitor registration and floor plan details will be available soon.
Attendee registration and housing blocks will open this summer. A full schedule of events, seminars, and social get-togethers will be announced over the coming months. Information will be shared at affta.org, and via newsletters and social media channels.
In this week’s episode of Video of the Week, we catch up with MeatEater’sRyan Callaghan in his new series Cal in the Field. From last week’s video on the Conservation of Grizzly Bear in the Great Yellowstone Region to this week’s focus on the conservation efforts on the South Fork of the Snake in Idaho. He Joins Idaho Fish and Game as they tag Rainbow and Cutthroat trout as an effort to give the native Yellowstone Cutthroat an advantage in the overall biomass of the Snake River.
Yellowstone and Snake River fine spotted Cutthroat are the native species in the Snake River drainage. The introduction of rainbow trout in the ’50s saw a huge decrease in the native cutthroat population. After reaching out to the public to see what fishermen would like to see in their river, Idaho fish and game determined that the public wanted native fish. So in the efforts of conservation Idaho fish and game started implementing a tagging program for rainbow and cut bow trout. So in the words of Cal, “its conservation that you can eat.”
For the second year in a row, Orvis is holding virtual Fly Fishing 101 courses. With the success of the program last year, this year’s program takes it to a new level. The courses are based on 50 years of running schools and fly-fishing education programs, our series of five virtual Fly Fishing 101 videos will provide you with the basics of fly casting, rigging, fly selection, and more. They’re perfect for beginners of all ages to get started fly fishing. To accompany the virtual classes, Orvis stores are offering 1-on-1, low contact appointments or folks can stop by during store hours for additional help and advice.
Carrie Frost is an American fly fishing icon, not just because of her fly pattern innovations, but also her impact on the early fly fishing industry around the turn of the century. Carrie was born in 1868 and developed a love of fly fishing early on in her life. As she explored her home waters in Wisconsin, she found that the imported European fly patterns weren’t doing the trick to fool the trout in front of her, so she founded a fly tackle business and commercial tying operation in Stevens Point, Wisconsin: C.J. Frost Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Company. Carrie was among the first women to begin tying flies commercially in the United States, and her story is certainly one to be elevated and explored today.
In this week’s “How to Tie†video feature, Fly Fish Food gives us a great tutorial on how to tie the Roza’s French Bomb.
Learn About This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Designed by competition angler Lubos Roza’s, the French Bomb was meant to get down in a hurry without taking up a lot of mass. You may look at this fly and think it looks awfully similar to the famous Frenchie pattern by Lance Egan. You would be correct in thinking so. The French Bomb is basically the Frenchie with a twist.
Roza’s designed this fly using the common jig style hook while adding a tungsten body as oppose to the common slotted bead. This is the money maker with this fly. The tungsten body provides more weight while maintaining the same sleek profile euro nymphs are known for. Keep in mind, tungsten bodies can be tricky to work with and so super glue will become your best friend.
This is a fantastic fly for newer fly tyers looking for a simple and effective challenge. The beauty with this fly is that there is plenty of room for originality. Be creative with this one by mixing up dubbing colors or using different materials. If it has a natural enough look, it will resemble most nymphs lurking in lower water columns. If the tungsten bodies just aren’t your cup of tea, try using lead free wire to add weight along with your slotted tungsten bead. Sometimes the most simple things can be the most fun.
Ingredients:
Hook: Umpqua XC400BL-BN – 14
Thread: UTC Ultrathread 70 Denier – Black
Bead: Fulling Mill Tungsten Jig Back – 3.5mm – Silver
When most people think of Washington, DC, they think of our Nation’s capital, politics, and, well, dysfunction. They do not think of the mighty Potomac River and fly fishing. The Potomac is one of the largest rivers on the East Coast and is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. It was once so polluted that President Lyndon B. Johnson called it a “national disgrace.” The river’s health has greatly improved and been crowned “the best urban-fishery in the Nation,” according to Trout Unlimited’s President and CEO, Chris Wood. However, sedimentation threatens to block the region’s premier access point: Fletcher’s Cove.
Each spring, a remarkable amount of life makes its way to the shores of our Nation’s Capital: millions of shad, spawning striped bass, eagles, ospreys, and so much more. For the fishermen and woman in DC and its surrounding areas, there is no better place to get outside and enjoy spring than Fletcher’s Cove. Days marked by triple digit shad are not uncommon. Also, the stripers that come up-river to spawn always keep things interesting. When it’s good, the only time you will stop fishing (and catching) is when your fly line has burned a slit into your index finger. Even then, many anglers will persevere.
Rivers have a mind of their own and constantly remind us of their power. However, we as humans tend to test rivers and interrupt their natural state. In the case of Fletcher’s Cove, an infrastructure project back in the 1960s altered the natural flow of the Potomac River. This led to  riverbed destabilization, which is now depositing heavy sediment loads in the Cove. What used to be a dependable access point for fishermen and women, paddlers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, now is being sedimented in.
Over the years, the cove has been dredged two times to restore the access. Sediment is now accumulating again and threatening access. In order to restore the Cove and maintain the Capital’s premier river access point, we need a large-scale riparian restoration project–ideally one that is a permanent solution.
Fortunately for Fletcher’s Cove, a strong coalition with partners ranging from Trout Unlimited, Fly Fishers International, to Washington, DC’s Department of Energy and Environment has formed and is lobbying multiple levels of government. Friends of Fletcher’s Cove is hoping to acquire funding for a restoration project in the near future. A project plan is in place, but now Friends of Fletcher’s Cove is working to secure more than $30 million necessary to complete the project. One avenue for securing these funds is through the maintenance backlog component of the Great American Outdoor Act (GAOA). Friends of Fletcher’s Cove hopes to see its restoration project included in an upcoming GAOA funding list.
One way local stakeholders are amassing support and awareness for Fletcher’s Cove is through The Tidal Potomac Slam, a fly and conventional fishing tournament. Anglers will compete for the top spot in divisions for both conventional and fly tackle. Categories include American Shad, Hickory Shad, Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Carp, Sunfish and a Wildcard group (Snakehead, Gar, Walleye, etc). The Tidal Potomac Slam is an entirely catch, photo, and release tournament. As you can see, this fishery affords DC area anglers with great opportunity. However, it all tied to the great public access at Fletcher’s Cove.
“The Tidal Potomac Slam launched in 2018 to raise awareness of the situation at Fletcher’s Cove and help our partners at Friends of Fletchers Cove increase their reach with the recreational fishing community in the DC area,” said the National Capital Chapter of TU’s President and Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders’ Conservation Chair, Andrew Reichardt. “It’s been incredible to see our numbers grow each year, with the industry support from folks like District Angling, Patagonia, Orvis as well as the buy-in from every single grassroots club or chapter in the region. The Slam isn’t going to #SavetheCove on its own, but we’re proud to be involved in this historic effort to once and for all rectify the problems facing the greatest urban-fishery in America.â€
If you live close to the Nation’s capital, be sure to check out and enjoy the greatest urban-fishery at Fletcher’s Cove this spring!
The travel itch is hitting everyone hard as we round into the 2nd year of the impacts of COVID-19. With vaccinations rolling out and some international borders opening up to popular destinations, we thought it worthy to build a quick list of places you can travel to from the US right now with proper health and safety practices. Currently, most countries have varying degrees of testing required, and you can find out exact details on the US State Department’s COVID-19 Traveller Information Page.
Below we’ll break down the list of popular fly fishing destination countries currently open to travel, and what you need to do to safely and healthily enter their borders and chase the fish that call their waters home!
#1 – Keep It Local: American Destinations
If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s the wealth of incredible fly fishing available inside the borders of the United States. Nearly every state has a fishery worth exploring with a guide by your side or DIY, and with less of the overall risk and cost of traveling internationally. On top of that, many American fly fishing guides took a big hit around this time last year, and they can use all the business we can give them.
Currently, the only way for US citizens to enter these Indian Ocean islands is if you have already received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and can also show a negative PCR test prior to entry.
This is not an exhaustive list, just a distillation of destinations popular with the fly fishing community.
Social media has a way of painting things through a filtered lens. A way of making the ordinary seem extraordinary and the mundane even mystical. Not just the photography itself – as beautiful and engaging as it may be, designed to catch the eye and stimulate the mind –  but the stories these images seem to convey as a whole. I’ve known people who were miserable but looked so damn happy on social media and vice-versa. A good picture is a good picture, but it rarely ever tells the whole story.
In fly fishing, there is often a disconnect between the captured moment and the entire story. I can’t blame folks for buying into this. Guides have to market their services and the industry has to sell product to keep the lights on. But I’d argue that somewhere along this path, we might have lost our way a bit. Focusing on the end result and neglecting the journey. See, our culture of drippy hero shots often suggests hero days. Hero days suggest a Jedi-Level of skill from guides. A Jedi-Level of skill suggests that guides are gods with mystical powers over feeding fish at all times….and unfortunately…we all know this isn’t true. Great guides have bad days… but when you take a step back, are there really any bad days on the water?
I feel bad for folks who come into a destination trip thinking it will just be like the Gram. When I see a picture of a great fish – I think about all that went into making that moment happen…and how much fun it must have been to be a part of it. Was it a hot bite and this was the Grande OR was it a slow bite and this was your reward for grinding hard all weekend?
Either animal is a tangible mile marker in the angling journey that reaffirms all that gumption and sacrifice in the name of a funny sport. But the latter of the two will always hold a special place in my heart. Those days where a slow grind and a handful of good fish make all of the early mornings, research, tying, and spending countless hours on the water not catching anything – but observing everything – worth it.
There’s something to be said for when the angling ethos turns from “expectation†(I better catch X amount of fish or a fish X size) to “appreciation†(I like hanging with my friends, cold beer is great, and fishing is fun). As a community, I believe there is a long-overdue tip of the cap to the enlightened anglers who no longer care about hero shots or numbers and instead realize that good fishing is often the direct opposite of mindless catching.
As most folks can attest to – hero days are few and far between. Sure, when they happen, they are great…the stuff of legend…the days you’ll remember when you’re old and bedridden. But do you remember every single fish you caught on those days? Probably not. You most likely remember the chaos, fun, and bent rods. If you’re like me, you carve a little spot out for the special critters on those days and stash them away in your phone for a rainy day. I may sound jaded, but I realized a while ago – it’s just fishing. That’s more than fine enough for me now.
Prior to a destination trip, I always try to quiet the stoke a bit. I realized long ago that the fish do not care how many hours or dollars were spent to get there. They don’t care that this is your only vacation for the year. They don’t care how far you can cast or that you’re with the best guides on the water. They exist to persist and no matter how hard you flex or try to make something happen out of nothing – there is no secret fly or magic elixir to turn the odds in your favor. Fish hard and good things will often happen.
No place has cemented these beliefs in me more so than Pyramid Lake.
If you speak with anyone who has ever fished this mythical inland sea outside of Reno, there is a consistent level of stoke that is hard to describe. For example, when I posted a nice fish (not a monster) in my IG stories a few weeks back, I received no less than 30 DMs in short order from folks from the “all walks of life bucketâ€. It became an inside joke on the trip – but going to Pyramid is a very similar experience to whenever I post a picture of Traeger’d bacon on a Saturday morning. Unsurprisingly, each of those messages expresses a similar sentiment that can only be described as yelling “PYRAMIDDDDDDDD!!!!!†at the top of your lungs… in a stoner voice… and flashing a double hang loose sign to the homies.
It’s the universal vibe regarding this place. Can you blame folks? Where else do you get the opportunity to chill on a scenic beach in the middle of the desert and fish hard for the world’s largest cutthroat trout? Where else can you achieve such a high level of Lebowski-esque good vibage while standing on a ladder overlooking 188 square-miles of pristine water with NOTHING else to do but fish? Exactly.
Now, I know this lake isn’t for everyone. For every “PRYAMIDDDDD†homie – there are a dozen folks who came out, got their ass kicked for a day or weekend and went back home questioning their time and investment. I’ve had a folks reach out and ask, “Is it worth it?†which I honestly don’t even respond to. I think it might be the single dumbest question ever when considering the ultimate question, “is fishing EVER worth it?†The answer for me is always a resounding yes – especially in regard to this place. But this rings true of anywhere to be honest. When you really take a step back and consider some of the most epic fishing locations on the planet, even then – the fishing is only good at the right times.
Photo: Chandler Rodgers @ChiefChandler, Author with a thick Pilot Peak Strain Lahontan
If you want to go goat rope all day every day on your vacation, Pyramid is most likely not the place for you. You can stop reading now. There are some good private water streams in Northern Georgia or Colorado that will accommodate you. But if you want to fish hard, have as much fun as you want, and potentially stick a fish you will tell your grandkids about, a fish you most likely damn-well earned – welcome home.
Photo: Chandler Rodgers @ChiefChandler, Fishing companion @Chili_Chesapeake watches from comfort of shore while sister, Pepper, learns that ladders aren’t meant for sharing.
Set Realistic Expectations
Fishing is all about having fun, right? So why do folks get so caught up in the Me First and The Gimme Gimmes whenever they take a destination trip? Yes, there is the financial and time investment, but just because you invested those things doesn’t mean you’re entitled to a slay day. It means you’re entitled to FISH YOUR ASS OFF and HAVE FUN for the amount of time invested. There’s nothing much better than that.
While the grass is often greener on the Gram, destination fisheries are still fisheries…that have peak seasons, intermittent moods determined by barometric pressure and lunar cycles, and ever-present local weather conditions to navigate. For Pyramid, the fish seem to really turn on as the barometric pressure drops from an incoming storm. This is usually the common denominator for hero days out here.
While you can certainly hope for the best conditions possible on any given trip, trying to plan your adventure around a 10-day weather pattern can be costly if you’re flying in from out of town…and not a slam dunk for guaranteed results. Instead, plan your trip around a peak season and hope for the best. I always suggest at least 3 days of fishing when planning a trip here. More likely than not, one of those days will produce something special.  That said, my first day out on the lake was incredibly successful with the worst possible conditions (bluebird skies).
First Trip to Pyramid Lake:
I started fishing Pyramid Lake in 2017 with my best friend and fishing adventure buddy, Brogan. Brogan is the adventurous trout angler in our dynamic and I’m typically the saltwater and weird species guy. Naturally, he saw a common denominator between us in this lake that is more reminiscent of Jurassic Park and striper fishing than it is your typical stillwater trout fishery. I came in with ZERO expectations, just stoked to be fishing somewhere new.
On that first trip, I got into town late on Friday night and had two full days to fish before heading home. We made the most of it – encountering a hot “stripping†(ie streamer) bite on the first afternoon that resulted in a couple double hook ups and even a triple hook up. At that time, the lake was just starting to turn into the BIG FISH mecca it is now with anything over 10lbs turning heads and anything over 15lbs garnering whispers at the then Crosby’s Lodge (now Pyramid Lake Lodge). On that particular day, we caught a ton of Summits (smaller, more colored up strain) and a few chunky Pilots (chromed out, murderous giants) pushing 8lbs.
Photo: Will Strickland @injun510, Photobombing is encouraged, fish holder @bwjayne17
We felt really good about ourselves and had some of the most fun I’ve ever had fishing. To put it in perspective…when you make a tequila-based drinking game around fish landed and fish missed…and the bottle is empty before sundown…you know you had a good time. That first day was magical as we were fueled on youthful enthusiasm and Espolon running up and down the beach netting fish. Somehow not just surviving- but flourishing in a foreign land despite a lack of food, sleep, and intimate knowledge of the fishery. We were flying high. However, in typical fashion, we were skunked the next day and rolled out of town in a glorious whimper. It was too late though – we were already hooked on this place for life. One good hour can do that to you.
Fast forward to now and those fish we caught are considered to the be the bottom of the Pyramid Hierarchy. Great fish anywhere else but average for this lake. The new scale is something like: 10lbs as a solid fish, 15lbs as a good fish, and 20lbs or more as a “get the whole lake buzzing†specimen. Pretty neat, huh?
Since that first trip in 2017, I’ve made annual returns to the lake multiple times each year. Typically, I’ll look to try and get in on one of the three “hot†bites. Nov-December is generally reserved for stripping and balanced leeches, Jan-Feb usually starts with leeches and then transitions to chironomids, and Mar-April represent the pre-spawn/spawn periods were the fish are shallow and eating pretty much anything they come across. While the weather is typically nicer in March and April, the early winter/winter window is my favorite time to fish this lake as the fish are generally harder to come by but are bigger, lit up and ready to brawl at the first hint of steel to the face.
Pyramid is a place where one bite can justify everything. The below story is a testament to that. You honestly never know how the bite will be on a given day on this lake. Weather makes for added confidence, but I’ve been out in pristine, awful conditions and gotten skunked before…while fishing the worst possible conditions and absolutely wrecking fish. There is some rhyme and reason to this lake but for the most part it’s simply a game of putting your time in. Keep your flies in the water and good things happen…
Due Date:
On my 6th trip to the lake in December of 2019 (a great year), we brought a group of 10 anglers to the lake. Everyone had fished the lake before and was a good stick. The conditions and season were spot on for someone to wrangle a big fish…but despite all the bugs in the water, fishing prime zones – nothing happened until the final 30 minutes of the trip.
A little back story is needed here to do the story justice.  It was supposed to be my other best friend and fishing buddy, Connor Donovan’s final fishing trip before welcoming his daughter into the world. We had strategically planned everything to be 60+ days out from the due date so he could cut loose, fish hard, and have some fun before becoming a daddy. He was supposed to fish Saturday-Tuesday, but the lord works in mysterious ways…
After arriving early Saturday morning (around 1am to be exact), Connor fished hard Saturday to no avail on a second consecutive slow day, partook in an epic impromptu karaoke party at the lodge that night, and woke up to frantic texts and phone calls on Sunday saying he was needed in the delivery room. A little over 24hrs after arriving….
After the chaos of rescheduling flights and all of the logistics that come with cross-country travel – Connor was able to fish for a bit (again to no avail) before the clock struck metaphorical midnight and he had to head to the airport.
It was a bittersweet moment. I don’t get to fish with Connor that often these days as he’s still in DC. We were supposed to have another day and a half of fishing with our other good DC friend Clarence Fullard (part of the OG FlyTimesDC crew) prior to heading home. At the same time, I was super stoked and proud of my best friend to become a father. It was an emotional send off and 100%, without a doubt the only possible call to make. As we said our farewells and wished him luck on his break-neck journey home (he made it just in time to welcome his daughter into the world – with 15 minutes to spare), it was just Clarence and myself left on the beach from the original group of 10.
Up until that point, Clarence had caught a couple small cutthroat and a Tui Chub earlier that day to take the skunk off. But with only a few precious hours remaining in the trip, I still had nothing to show. Not even a bite. But something weird happened as the sun started to set over the mountains surrounding the lake. I found myself not fighting the skunk anymore. Not fishing anxiously or regretting the work put in organizing logistics, convincing folks to take vacation, making food for the group, tying flies, and making the short/long drive from SLC. I stopped trying to make something happen.
For the first time all weekend, I just found myself fishing. It felt good to cast into the fading light, knowing that I fished as hard as I could have but it just didn’t happen. I had controlled what I could control by keeping my foot pedal on the gumption and there was nothing I could do to further my case. The scene on the sand took me back to my days of fishing for schoolies in the cape as the sun sank behind the mountains pushing a violent array of blues and pinks over the horizon.
As I twitched my bugs back it sunk in that I was going to be okay with this…that I was going to take a 3-day skunk at a lake I always considered a friend. I chuckled a bit, laughing at myself for realizing how foolish I was to ever expect anything from this incredible place. But as my sink tip came through the guides, I gave the flies a pause and on the ensuing strip the line stopped. Violent headshakes ensued. After a few minutes of back and forth – Clarence had my 15lb Pilot in the net.
The following moments were a blur. I think we sprayed beers on the beach. I vaguely remember howling…and now whenever I need a pick me up, I can look back on that fish and remember to just keep casting.
One bite. Some karaoke…and a fly fisherman’s rendition of Due Date. Best trip ever.
Congrats to the Donovans and sweet baby Sallie ‘Crosby’ (not her real middle name).
Photo: Clarence Fullard @clarencefullard, Author with Due Date Pilot
Control What You Can Control
Now that we’ve set some expectations for Pyramid, I’m going to share some tips and tricks to make your trip the most enjoyable it can be. The first two are mentalities that will help any upstairs when they’re on the water.   “Control What You Can Control†and “Do Lessâ€.
While these may seem counter intuitive – one stresses initiative to control some of the elements that you know make for an awesome trip. Loaded fly boxes, good food, ample booze, and whatever outdoor toys you need to be fueled up and comfortable fishing 12 hour days in variable weather. The “Do Less†applies more to fishing here – meaning be patient, keep your bugs in the water and wait for the fish to come cruising. Swap out flies as you must – but keep them in the water as much as possible….otherwise you’re just boogie boarding.
With Reno a short 35-40 minute drive from the lake, there are a ton of options in town to hang your hat at. That said, the drive to and from the lake each day after a long hours fishing is the stuff of nightmares. For folks looking to stay on the lake – Pyramid Lake Lodge (formerly Crosby’s Lodge RIP) is the only form of formal lodging available. The lodge acts as a general store, grocery store, tackle shop, fly shop, gas station, and bar and grill (sans global pandemic). It is essentially the North Star of the lake and if you’re looking to fish as hard as possible it is THE place to stay on the lake putting you smack dab in between the Northern and Southern beaches. The only other option for lodging on the lake is via camping. If the weather is mild, I highly recommend looking into this option…but if you planned your trip right…and a storm is coming…you’ll want the warmth and comfort of a cozy room at PLL.
PLL has several rental properties ranging from mobile homes to slick RV campers, rustic cabins, and full on rental homes. The pricing is pretty spot on for folks balling on a budget and the accommodations, while simple, are exactly what you need to get you through a long weekend on the water. Running water, heat, toilet, coffee maker, comfortable beds, full fridge/freezer/microwave/stove top/oven kitchens, and DirectTV so you can watch SportsCenter on repeat for hours when you pass out at 10pm.
If you’re renting a car – make sure it is an SUV with good four-wheel drive. Otherwise you will not be able to access most of the good fishing beaches. Pickup trucks are even better as you can stash sandy waders and ladders in the bed while using the backwindow as an impromptu and secure rod holder.
Where to Fish at Pyramid Lake:
Pyramid Lake gets a reputation for being a crowded fishery. Sure, there are certain beaches and rocky points that get a lot more attention than others BUT there are literally fish all over this lake. Any drop off, point, ledge, or beach with 7-12’ of water can hold fish for one reason or another. Do not feel like you have to fish in the crowds.
If you want to fish a particular spot that gets some traffic, simply get there first. Wake up early, get to the zone, mark your spot with a ladder, rod/stripping basket, etc and go warm up in the car for a bit and enjoy a few extra ZZs or breakfast. If you find yourself in a predicament on where to fish and HAVE to fish in a crowd, most folks are good people and won’t mind. That said, ALWAYS practice good angling etiquette and ask permission before crashing someone else’s party.
Gear for Fly Fishing Pyramid Lake:Â
Fishing this lake is all about being able to keep your flies in the zone. There are two main techniques out here – stripping and bobber fishing. Both are effective year-round but definitely have their individual moments when they shine.
For bobber fishing, most folks will use a 7-9wt switch rod as a means of making long, repeatable roll casts to the drop. These rods are particularly useful when fishing from a ladder or rocky outcrops with limited back casting room. However, if you’re fishing a beach and have some room to air it out – a single hand 7-9wt fly rod with a good double taper floating line will get the job done. Standard rigs are a bobber with about 8-9’ of 2x to the bottom fly.
For the strip bite, it’s again the 7-9wt single hand rod with sinking line. Think striper fishing from the beach and you’re in the right ballpark – stripping basket included. You’ll want to carry some different types of sinking lines depending on the beach you’re fishing but I personally like a 250-300 grain as the all-around line. That said, I won’t hesitate to go as heavy as 450grain on some of the deeper beaches or even an intermediate on the shallower ones.
Staying Warm.
Staying warm is essential to making the most of the winter conditions these fish love. When the weather is mild you can definitely get away with less but remember – you’ve got to be able to hang for about 12hrs a day. Good waders, base layer, socks, jackets, etc all come into the equation. While base layer, jackets, beanies, etc are universal heat retainers – there a few things I’ve picked up on over the years that make a huge difference.
Waders: If the forecast is looking cold and gnarly – do not come and fish here with leaky waders. Seriously. Even breathable, non-leaky waders with appropriate base layer do not fair all that well in the cold. Fishing from a ladder will help you stay out of the water, but neoprene waders are the name of the game here in the wintertime. On mild days the breathable waders work great but if you’re spending a lot of time in the water – the extra insulation of neoprene goes a LONG way.
Gloves: While many brands make specialized fishing gloves, I have yet to find one I actually like for winter fishing. The best combination I’ve come across is something ironically borrowed from the BBQ world – hot gloves!
A simple, two-glove system comprised of a cotton glove liner and a nitrile glove outer, this cheap, resourceful get-up keeps your hands warm and dry…while also allowing you to handle fish without removing their slime. In all – a box of 100 nitrile gloves and some disposable cotton gloves will run you about half the price of specialized fishing gloves… which won’t keep you as warm or dry but will mess up a fish.
Pro-Tip: The Biolite Firepit or similar portable fire pits are a game changer for those early mornings and periods of darkness on the beach. Being able to stand around a heat source while rigging/packing up and enjoying coffee or breakfast in the dark is a beautiful thing. You’ll also want to bring a comfortable chair like the Yeti Basecamp or something similar for when you want to take a break. This will help keep sand out of your car too.
Staying Well Fed/Comfortable:
I’m a foodie and my current occupation has made it that much worse as meals have become a BIG part of our fishing trips. While I am nostalgic for the days where I could fish all day on a bag of almonds, some jerky, and pop tarts – I’m good with the current state of affairs.
Prior to these trips, I’ll spend an afternoon cooking and prepping everything I need for the trip. Pre-making and flash freezing burritos, pickling/caramelizing onions for tacos and brats, dicing cilantro, ¾ cooking steaks (cook to 120 internal, wrap in foil and sear next day to serve), etc. It makes a huge difference in being able to focus on the fish and make the grub only when it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve learned firsthand that you don’t want to be dicing onions on the hood of your car while multiple buddies are hooked up below. Because of that, you’ll probably notice a theme here…MONSTER pre-made breakfast, quick scratch lunch, big, simple dinner. Below is what a typical menu looks like for us on these trips…
Breakfast: Frozen GRANDE breakfast burritos (thaw in microwave or in foil by fire) w/ black coffee, followed by sunrise Michelada
Each burrito contains: 13.5†Tortilla, 3 scrambled eggs, 1 hash brown patty, 3 slices of smoked bacon, 2 smoked sausage patties, two slices Velveeta cheese, and Yellowbird Habanero hot sauce.
This burrito is designed to keep you fueled from sunup to early afternoon.
Micheladas are the king of the breakfast beer cocktails. There are many ways to make them but this is by far my preferred method.
Rim a 25oz cerveza or light beer with Tajin (Habanero Tajin if you’re feeling especially picante), spritz some lime juice into the can opening, and then add your hot sauce. Tapatio is my favorite. Let the lime juice mix with the beer and get it bubbling, when you see a red-ish foam emerging from the can you’re ready to rock n roll.
Lunch: Something quick and easy. My favorites are street tacos, brats, or meat on stick. Something you can quickly assemble, demolish, and get back to business.
Steak Street Tacos: Mission Street Taco Tortillas, pre-marinated hanger or flank steak, pre-made diced cilantro/jalapeno, pickled red onion, cotijia, Sriracha Mayo, Tapatio hot sauce.
Sear steak for 3-4 minutes each side, wrap in foil to rest for 10 minutes, slice to serve.
Beer Brats: Ballpark buns, brats, caramelized onion, spicy mustard. Assembly need no explanation.
Meat On Stick: Ground meat of choice (venison or bison is my preference) OR pork belly, kabobs or sticks (from nature), dipping sauce of choice (buffalo, ranch, Sriracha mayo). Season meat and work onto the stick (use extra nitrile gloves for cooking). If it looks like a skinny turd, you’re in the right ballpark. Cook directly over an open fire or on grill grates until the meat has a nice char and a solid consistency. Dip in sauce and eat off the stick (perfect for ladders).
Seared Rib Racks:
Dinner: You’ll be hungry and tired so making an elaborate meal from scratch probably isn’t in the cards… Picking up something from the lodge is always a good call and supports their business but you can’t go wrong with busting out any of the following:
Frozen Pizzas – work great on a portable grill or in the basic kitchens at the Lodge. Cook in 10-12 minutes. I recommend Eat Pizza brand – best-frozen pies in the game.
Steak/Wild Game Night – bring the meats and grill down. I’m a big fan of Maui Nui Venison Rib Racks (2) or a Tomahawk steak (1) in this scenario. Show stoppers and crowd-pleasers. For $30-$40, you have enough meat to feed 3-4 people.
MORE TACOS – ground meat, a skillet, fire, a couple of leftover lunch fixin’s and some tortillas are all you need to bring home the flavor and go to bed happy.Â
To Ladder or Not to Ladder:
Ladder fishing has become slightly more popular over the years as a way for anglers to access deep water without having to wade out to their chest. The ladder is an effective tool in that it allows for a high vantage point while also providing the ability to keep the angler out of the water for extended periods of time. Popularized on Pyramid and making their ways to other reservoirs and salt flats near you – ladders are a game changer for their ability to provide a stable platform and refuge from wading in cold water…plus they make a great beer perch.
Before you go checking that kitchen step ladder with your fishing gear – remember that not all ladders are created equal. The most common ladder you’ll come across is a 5-6ft Little Giant or something similar. You want a wide base to distribute weight and for additional security if/when the waves kick up. The veterans on his lake have found ways to “Pimp Their Ladder†by securing clutch add-ons like swiveling, padded seats (fancy), cupholders, net/rod holders, and even a small cooler. For most though, a small section of foam pool toy over the top section of the ladder supplies just enough leaning comfort and a buoyancy in case your ladder decides to take a tumble.
Photo: Remick Smothers, @FlyTimesDC
While ladders are my personal preference for fishing beaches with gradual drop offs, ladders ARE NOT NECESSARY for fishing this lake. Sure, the ladder allows you to access deeper water and directly fish the ledge. That’s a sweet luxury to have. But if you can cast a sinking line or indicator rig more than 40’ you’ll be in the zone more often than not. The only real disadvantage of not having a ladder is for fishing the beaches where there’s a long, gradual drop. Other than that, there are plenty of rocky points, rock formations, and beaches with deep drops on the shoreline that provide ample opportunity to tangle with fish without having to drag the ladder around.
Conclusion:
Despite its reputation for crowds and fickle fish, Pyramid is the ultimate adventure for anyone seeking a bit of escape, fellowship and revelry. Between the fish, setting, and community – there is no place quite like it. None that I have encountered yet, anyway.
Bored of your home water and resident trout? Try your hand at the biggest cutthroat trout in the world.
Saltwater guy who never wants to go on a trout trip? You can fish on a beach AND see your backing here…on a 9wt!
Want a high-desert adventure and Martian-like scenery? Walk the shores of this ancient inland sea and fish from Tufa Rock formations.
Want a trout trip that’s literally like no other on the planet and is a convenient DOMESTIC flight and 40-min drive away from Reno? Well, shucks, that sounds lovely.
Don’t be afraid of the adventure in an adventure fishing trip. Skunkings make for funny stories and they don’t last forever. It’s the entire experience and memories made that you end up taking home with you. Catching is just a small iota of what makes the whole experience worthwhile…and when you catch one of these fish, it makes the road traveled all the more worth it.
While I can’t go to Reno every weekend, I find peace in knowing that this lake is firmly part of who I am. Whenever I have trouble getting to sleep, I try to drift off to a place from my past where my mind was completely at ease. This is usually a moment in time like… stripers spraying bait at sunset in the fall or a first light bite when your coffee is still warm. A place I can firmly recreate in the mind’s eye down to the most minute of details.
More often than not, I find myself at Pyramid. Standing on the ladder with the sun well behind the mountains, the sky lit up, showing off in only the way a desert sunset can. The water, once a dynamic shade of emerald green in the overcast light, now a ripe blueish hue (ready for market) as the light gradually continues to escape the horizon. I make a cast and allow my flies to descend to the sandy bottom for a solid minute or two. I’m not really fishing so much as I am purposefully existing. Savoring the last few seconds of light and yet another exhaustingly fun weekend on the Big Pond, I begin my retrieve. I freeze-frame the image on the ladder and in a few seconds feel myself drifting away to the happy place.
The whole point of fishing is whatever you want it to be. If you want to chase trophies, hero days, and likes – go for it. If you want to crack a beer and hangout on the shoreline while watching a bobber and not looking at your phone all day – why not? That sounds rad. We’re all in this game for different reasons but when it comes down to it – there’s an underlying appreciation for the sun on our faces, a gentle breeze from a good direction, and creature that swims for a living.
I think we could all use a little more Pyramid in our lives.
Article and photos from Remick Smothers, an avid angler based in the Utah area, give him a follow at @flytimesdc.
In this review, we’ll be going over Duck Camp’s Head Guide Fleece Hoodie, now available in new colors such as Lagoon and Spartina. We had the chance to get ahold of some of these hoodies and bring them with us on the water for a couple of days of fishing, hiking, and… snowshoeing? (more to come on that). Here, we put these hoodies to the test to determine how well they could handle a frigid few days on the water, and as you’ll come to see; we were not disappointed.
Upon Opening:Â
We’ve had the pleasure of working alongside the team at Duck Camp Co. for a few years now, so needless to say, we always get pretty excited to try out new gear whenever a new seasonal line comes along. However, in the spirit of fairness of critique, we approached this review with a non-biased perspective. This being said, immediately upon opening up the packaging for the new guide fleece, we were instantly reminded as to why we had become such big fans of the clothing brand.
The outer layer of the fleece was composed of a Nylon Cordura blend face Fabric, which in Layman’s terms, means it felt really smooth, yet very durable. On the inside of the hoodie was a fleece material, which was, on a softness scale, about the texture what one would imagine resting on a cloud would feel like (no exaggeration, this thing is soft).
besides the materials, the first thing that really caught my eye was the kangaroo pouch located above the hip pockets. I can recount on the many times where I have been on the water wearing a sweatshirt and leaned over, only to have whatever was in my hip pocket slide right out and into the river. Not only does the placement of this new kangaroo pouch (as I’ll be calling it) avoid this, but it zips tight to keep whatever you’re transporting safe and secure.
Field Testing:
As we gathered our hardy crew together and set forth towards the river, we could see that while the sun was out, it didn’t look as if the temperature was going to cooperate. With fresh snowfall surrounding us, we figured this would probably be the best way to gauge whether or not these fleece’s performed as advertised.
It wasn’t long before we were wadered up and rigging tiny little midges onto 6x tippet in hopes of encountering at least one trout. While standing stationary by the tailgate, with a biting breeze blowing down through the canyon, staying warm wasn’t an issue. Now, it was time to sacrifice the luxury of the direct sunlight and head to the shade of our first fishing hole.
The fishing turned on pretty quickly, and because we were all sitting comfortably by the water, we could focus on the mission at hand. The stretchy fabric of the hoodie made moving up and downstream, and from spot to spot extremely easy. By never having to sacrifice the ease of movement, we were traveling to different holes unincumbered and excited to explore what the river had to offer.
As we made our way up the river, the sun finally decided to come out. While acting as a perfect outer layer and keeping us protected from the cold wind, the breathability of the hoodie also allowed us to stay dry from any perspiration brought on by the rising temps of the day. Another notable feature of the hoodie was the raised wader pockets.
raised pockets to keep hands warm on and off the water.
Considering the importance of keeping your hands wet when handling fish, chilly fingers are often the nail in the coffin for many anglers. Luckily, with pockets that were designed to be easily accessible even when wearing waders, our hands stayed warm and functional.
After our excursion on our first river, we headed back to the cars to explore a new stretch which, while skinny, we knew was remote enough to hold some impressive fish. However, with a 2.5 foot tall snowpack surrounding the river, getting to the water was going to take some assistance.
Just because you’re wearing snowshoes doesn’t mean you can’t fall…
It may seem silly to some to put snowshoes on over wading boots. But to those who would mock the effort, you clearly haven’t tried hiking in waders and 2 and a half feet of snow. So, we strapped on our shoes and made our way to the river to explore. While the fishing wasn’t as successful as we may have hoped for, we at least got to push the Fleece hoodies further, and test out their water resistance. While we definitely wouldn’t recommend taking them out in a rainstorm, they kept the snow off of us pretty damn well.
Final Review:Â
Durability:Â
Weight:Â
Softness:Â
Storage:Â
Adjustability:Â
Flexibility:
Conclusion:Â
As the day concluded, and the sun began to set, we headed up a long winding mountain road to finally reach our friends at Diamond J Ranch for some drinks by the fire. There, we shed our waders and traded in our rods for rum as we enjoyed the last of a day well spent on the river. The folks at Duck Camp never cease to impress us with their focus on design, and attention to detail, and we are proud to be able to rock some of their gear. To any angler, hunter, or even outdoor enthusiast, we greatly recommend the Head Guide Fleece Hoodie as an essential piece of gear for almost any adventure.
The Width of the US is 2,680 miles, the length of the Paraná River is 3030 miles. Home to over 350 species of fish, the watershed is one of the most diverse fisheries in all of South America. Anglers from around the world travel to its banks in search of trophy Golden Dorado who will destroy monster streamers, and topwater flies.
Although they are not held in as high regard, the Wolffish also calls the river home. They are scary-looking creatures that sit in shallow warm water, waiting for the next mouse to scurry across the surface or frog to leap into their direction.
Navigating this fishery properly is not an easy task, that’s where Golden Dorado River Cruiser comes in… A group of passionate anglers, guides, and crew make up this floating mothership. When the river gets high, the anchors are pulled and the boat moves in search of productive sections of river. Constantly moving, we dubbed this crew the Gypsies of the Paraná.
