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Pyramid Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The desert inland sea of giant cutthroat: ladders, beaches and 20-pound possibilities.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Lake level
3802.04 ft
Air / High
43 / 49 F
Wind
NNW 13 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 10336500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Pyramid Lake sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The gauge reads 3802.04 ft. Today brings cloud cover, wind NNW around 13 mph, rising pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 49. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perchFair

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 54 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from PYRAMID LAKE NR NIXON, NV.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp43 F
High / Low49 / 41 F
WindNNW 13-14 mph
Pressure1010.3 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 32%
Sunrise / Sunset06:29 / 19:25
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 49/41 F, wind 22 mph, rain 32%

Fair or better. A 22 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Pyramid Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Pyramid Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Pyramid Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

2/5 Slow. The wind owns today. 32 mph gusts make boat control the real battle. Walleye led the card at good. High of 54 F, wind to 32 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 53 F, wind to 21 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 59 F, wind to 19 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Nevada requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Tribal permit required (day/season); barbless artificials only; slot protections. Confirm with Pyramid Lake Fisheries.

Access

Shore beaches (Pelican, Windless, Blockhouse...) via tribal permits; boat launches at Pelican and Sutcliffe.

About this water

112,000 acres of terminal desert lake, Paiute Tribe land, NV: home of the rebuilt Lahontan cutthroat giants.

Fishing Pyramid Lake: the full guide

Lahontan legend

Pyramid holds the world's largest cutthroat trout: the recovered Pilot Peak Lahontan strain grows past twenty pounds on tui chub. Anglers fish ladders off the beaches October-June, stripping buggers and balancing leeches under bobbers. It is unlike anywhere else in American trout fishing: literally.

Ladder culture

Pyramid's shore game is unique: anglers cast from ladders planted on the drop-off, stripping buggers and balanced leeches through the cruising lanes. The Pilot Peak strain rebuilt the giants: 10-pounders are weekly, 20s annual. October-June season; winter is prime.

Respect and permits

The lake lies wholly on Paiute tribal land: tribal permits (not Nevada licenses) are required, and regulations protect the recovery that made the fishery famous again. Barbless singles, no bait: the rules that rebuilt a legend.

Ladder culture

Pyramid invented its own technique: anglers stand on ladders in the surf zone, casting flies over the drop-offs where Lahontan cutthroat cruise the shelf. The rebuilt Pilot Peak strain grows two feet long and better: 20-lb fish are annual now. October-June season, with winter's worst weather bringing the biggest fish shallow: a fishery of beautiful masochism unique on earth.

Common questions

Why fish from ladders?

The lake bottom drops steeply from wading depth: ladders put casters above the cruise lane where giants patrol just past the shelf. It looks absurd and works completely.

Do I need a tribal permit at Pyramid?

Yes: the lake sits on Pyramid Lake Paiute land and requires a tribal fishing permit (day or season): buy online or in Sutcliffe. Tribal rules govern everything: read them before rigging your ladder.

Is fishing good at Pyramid Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Lahontan Reservoir45 miTruckee River47 miStampede Reservoir47 miRye Patch Reservoir72 miEagle Lake77 miCarson River80 mi
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