February 13, 2005 Finally Fishing Well..Kinda

All I can say is finally...finally a day away from the office and away from being couped up in the house during this long and drawn out depressing winter. We started our Sunday adventure out just like we used too in the old days..well I say old days, because it feels like it was light years away when it was really only months ago. But anyway...back to the beginning of another great day.

If your gonna take a Nevada style fishing trip you need to make sure that you've got the essentials: Beer, dougnuts, Salty Potato Chips, Sunflower Seeds or some sort of Nut, did I mention Beer and not just any beer - it's gotta be the good stuff - cheaper the better and its gotta come in can (always looking out for the environment of course). Hit the road with all of the all music essentials - Country Country Country - Waylon Jennings - Hank Williams - Johnny Cash and Donald Trump's "How to Become a Billionaire" (his selection of course).

So we're off - just an hour and half drive from Reno to Squaw Creek Reservoir (State Route 447). When we left it was clear and semi warm but when we got to Gerlach, there was snow and rain everywhere. The Black Rock Desert was pure white...it was rather serene. 15 miles north of Gerlach however, you'll find yourself driving past a small reservoir on the west side of the road.

Unless you had a small JEEP, I wouldn’t recommend driving into the reservoir but instead parking on the outside and hiking in. Snow and mud covered the access roads into the Reservoir. ¾ of the water on the south end of the reservoir had a nice firm layer of ice ontop of it – so I’d make sure to fish near the north end. (More info).

There where a few fisherman out in the elements trying their hand at catching some fish and from afar they looked as if they where doing pretty well: A man in his canoe and a father and son fishing from the shore. We spoke to the father and son team and they had mentioned that they had gotten several nibbles on the flies but no serious action.

Allthough the day seemed to be gloomy due to the wet weather, we decided to take Smoke Creek Road back to the far side of Pyramid Lake for a little late afternoon fishing.

Following Smoke Creek Road we saw anywhere from 30 to 35 Donkeys grazing along the right side of the road. We stopped and got a few photos and then let the dogs out for a quick run through the Creek. Beddie is the Pointer and Forrest is the Chocolate Lab.

2:30 PM and on too fishing the majestic Pyramid Lake. If you haven't been - you've gotta go. This lake is just gorgeous and of course the fishing's not bad either. Here's the odd thing about Nevada if you didn't know...you could be in a snow storm on one side of town and then travel a few miles anywhere else and find yourself in TSHIRT weather and that's just how this lake was. One side covered in snow and the other green and dry.

Back to fishing and wrapping this adventure up. We had some luck, granted not the best but good for where we where at. Couple 26-28 inch Cutthroats and a couple 16-20 inch Cutthroats. Nothing wrong with them odds for the last few hours of light.

What a great way to end a Sunday...Stay in touch for more bi-weekly if not weekly Nevada'n style fishing adventures.