Did New Chick land the 10Lber at Pyramid?????

The plan for the weekend was as follows:

4:00 am sharp – Depart for Pyramid Lake   

7:00 am sharp – Get yaks rigged and ready   

8:00am sharp – Launch   

all day long – catch massively large fish while Brian catches Mooch sized cute fish.   



Now for the report


Departure time got pushed back a little…. A little being 3.5 hours.....


......to which Brian was mumbling "that the fish don't care about me sleeping in" while gassing up (gasoline... though it's still up in the air)

...hitting up B of A.....


...putting air in his tires...


....and loading up on snacks  And apparently nothing makes better snacks than Coca Cola and Saltine Crackers (I have no idea what I was thinking).


We attempt to rely on Brian’s trusty GPS to get us to 80 – which it did… after taking every back road BUT the freeway, Brian just calls it the scenic route and that back roads really are faster.  Approximately 2 hours into the drive and approximately 100 miles still from our destination, we encounter a longgggg line of stopped cars....



...which put us at a stop right on a bridge (again, much thanks to Brian to pointing out JUST how far down the drop was by dropping pebbles into the Truckee river and yelling something about the rocks reaching terminal velocity)


Between a friendly truck driver proudly displaying a very large crack (which he reached in to his pants to stratch several times) and maybe a total of 3 teeth and the chp incident page on my phone, we figured out that there was a major accident up ahead. It was amazing how many idiot drivers were blocking ambulances. Here is the article: http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200990406020







Made it up the hill…. STARVING…


.... and see a great place in Reno to stop and refuel.  How did we know it was a great place?  Because there was a large billboard with an arrow pointing down to it that says “EAT HERE!”  Jack’s Café, more specifically....


...we scoured the menu in depth...


I ordered the crab cakes benedict...


...Brian ordered biscuits and gravy and potatoes....


....to which he left half uneaten *shakes head*


About another 40 miles down the road and we get to the infamous Pyramid Lake.


Gave me the whole “The Hills Have Eyes” vibe, rolled up to Crosby’s where we tried to get our licenses at the counter where you would pay for tackle and such, but alas, we were told that we buy them at the bar – OF COURSE! (because that's where they are always sold?!)


We pull down to a launching area and get everything ready to go… (did I say the truck driver was the one with the crack?)


and in the meantime, he kept me busy with “busy bee” type of stuff so he could sneak in a few extra fancy lures.  We launch, and the water is FREAKISHLY calm – again, “The Hills Have Eyes” vibe…  and probably within a half hour he’s waving.. smiling and I can see his pole significantly bent.  I can feel the jealously already coming on in the form of “are you f*cking kidding me”… but alas… he lost it. 15 minutes later Brian gets another fish on and to boat.


 …I snapped a pic and paddled away sadly defeated but determined to catch a bigger fish… half an hour passes– and he waves me over “TAKE A PICTURE”… and I won’t lie… I pretended not to hear and paddled away for a couple of minutes… but finally gave in and snapped a picture of the CUTE fish. 


With not even a bite, we pulled off the water around 5, and I headed straight for the beer and snacks.  And it was then when I heard the following words “You have to remember, you are fishing with one of the greatest fisherman alive.”  (This preceded the – I’ve never fished Pyramid and it’s all luck).

I went into Crosby’s and purchased a few lucky lures and flies for the next day – since his advice for me on Saturday produced SQUAT.  Sunday the wind had picked up to about 20 mph.  (which was ok because I brought about 10 coats)....


What was a nice day of fishing in t-shirts on Saturday, turned into 4 layers.  Being this is only my second time solo – I was a bit terrified...



Hearing the woman on the radio that was trying to hit on all the fisherman the day before scream for help for fear of having her boat jump the dock didn’t really ease my fears.  But alas, Brian paddled out to show that it was safe, and started doing back flips and cartwheels on the marauder.  I think he even laid down to take a nap and enjoy the gentle rocking waves that were swamping the smaller boats. He trolled without a nibble, and I drifted with nothing.


Sadly a bust for me – but he was content with his two cute fish.

To console myself, we stopped in Truckee at Casa Baeza....


...that has an upwards of 200 or so different kinds of tequila.  I gave my advice on what tequila would be good – and imagine that, my advice was right and produced some happy results...



.. unlike the advice of “Use the red headed flatfish”… I ended up with the enchilada combination plate while Brian G picked at the single enchilada…

(Sadly no tri-tip sammies)

Long story short - neither of us landed the 10lb trout we were hoping for!

Ok. A couple of things to mention.

1. There is no pouting in fishing.
2. Saltines will sustain life.
3. Margaritas will as well
4. Thank you for not wearing pink.

Sounds like a fun road trip!

Damn, those enchiladas look screamin'.

my uncle ladder fishes pyramid and it is feast or famine, looks like a good road trip though.  

Oh I see some pink!!!!! Outstanding report and way to persist!

my uncle ladder fishes pyramid and it is feast or famine, looks like a good road trip though.  

I saw the ladders.... and didn't see anyone on the ladders catching anything - the majority was the boats trolling...seemed to rake them in.

Pink doesn't count if it's fleece, right?   I was doing it for pure warmth!

Thanks for a great report and pictures...

Very entertaining report and pictures NCK. Sorry no fish for you just yet but it will
come. Looking forward to many more kayak fishing report from you.

Jedmo

my uncle ladder fishes pyramid and it is feast or famine, looks like a good road trip though.  

I saw the ladders.... and didn't see anyone on the ladders catching anything - the majority was the boats trolling...seemed to rake them in.

Pink doesn't count if it's fleece, right?   I was doing it for pure warmth!

I guess not. Mooch says his pink thong doesn't count either. Like they say in Bull Durham..."The bow goes in the front front big guy"

Very entertaining write-up, Michelle.

I guess not. Mooch says his pink thong doesn't count either. Like they say in Bull Durham..."The bow goes in the front front big guy"

 

One of the best Reports of 2009!
Thanks!

BRUTAL HONESTY:  I was like, "what a joke!", when the NewChick showed up about 6 months ago and had 32 kazillion views just for being the "NewChick"!   

It was nice when she stuck around and wasn't just a flash in the pan looking for attention.   

...then she posted this report, and now I think she's one of our very best contributors.  I can be fickle, I know.   

Excellent reporting, NewChick.  I hope that what we're seeing is that you're truly catching the Madness.   

WOW!!! That was a great report. I would like to be that thorough but, I'm always in too much of a hurry to get were the fish are. Once there, I'm too much in a hurry to catch them and get home. You 10lber will come...

Freddie

BRUTAL HONESTY:  I was like, "what a joke!", when the NewChick showed up about 6 months ago and had 32 kazillion views just for being the "NewChick"!   

It was nice when she stuck around and wasn't just a flash in the pan looking for attention.   

...then she posted this report, and now I think she's one of our very best contributors.  I can be fickle, I know.   

Excellent reporting, NewChick.  I hope that what we're seeing is that you're truly catching the Madness.   

I love brutal honesty!  I can take it!  I figured that would be the case with most people.  I figured I'd have to prove myself   

Next report - there will be fish.  Third time is a charm!