The Big Lahontans Are Finally Lurking the Pyramid Lake Shore - 18 Pound Pilot Took Me for a Ride!

Sorry for the long video...but today was fairly EPIC. Great fishing and made a couple new friends (Charlie and Casey) who are die hard fly fisherman visiting the Salty Pond from So Cal. Started the day with two bobbers pulled down...no big ones unfortunately. After the indicator bite died, the fish wanted nothing to do with any type of jig that I tried. Switched to the "ole faithful" Pyramid Lake spoon-chucking technique and OH BOY did it pay off! Was able to find two double-digit poundage fish to give me a tug...including my new personal best 18-pound 6 oz Pilot Peak Cutthroat...which initially looked like it was going to spool me and my "almost" less than adequate 8 lb. fluoro line. Luckily, I had my drag set appropriately (for once) and the big boy was not able to elude me.

[@protecttheweakdefendthestr8977]

Nice one. Great job

[@codycoffey9865]

Wild born pilots are in pyramid and would have an adipose, I'm sure of it. They have been successfully spawning in the trukee and we caught many last spring that were almost certainly cuttbows from the south end of the lake and even one full fledged rainbow. The thing jumped several times and fought like a rainbow, zero jaw slash. Also my friend caught a 12 lbs male with a full adipose but it had a huge head and darker brown colors, just as a pilot would.

[@chrislarson2498]

Lots of work for that one. Nice job. Now you got me wanting to go !

[@mclovin7753]

Get out there bud. Time on water!

[@HookupBaits]

Nice video and thanks for rockin the sweet hoodie 👍🤙

[@mclovin7753]

Thanks bud. Your tube jigs are like crack to the bigger trout at Pyramid and on the Truckee! Love the new green pumpkin, btw!

[@HookupBaits]

Yup that GP is 🔥

[@RoryLynott]

Wtg out there, rippin'!

[@mclovin7753]

Thanks!

[@pesca503usa]

Wow 🤩 that’s one of my goals to complete too fishing 🎣 for those beauty’s hey so are those trout or what kind of fish are they and pyramid lake is far from California is there any permit to fish there or is open to public!!!??

[@mclovin7753]

They are Lahontan Cutthroat trout. There's two different strains in the lake...Summit Lake and Pilot Peak. Pyramid Lake is in Northern Nevada...only about 45 min to hour drive from the CA border. You can purchase daily permits online to fish it from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

[@mainlyfishing4599]

Where’d you get you pole holders from?

[@mclovin7753]

Constructed them myself out of necessity using a three-rod holder (designed to be mounted on a boat) and attaching a couple stakes to them so they can sink down in the sand...keeps the reels out of sand pretty well!

[@michaelgardner3031]

I’m surprised you didn’t take the time to remove your glove before lifting that fish, by now I’d be surprised if you didn’t know that’s detrimental to their slime coat.

[@piscator68]

What month is this ?

[@mclovin7753]

November

[@pedrohernandez-ns1vd]

Awesome catch. 18 pounds personal best? Hes a pig. Heavy as he'll huh. Congrats.

[@mclovin7753]

Thanks big guy. Maybe I'll see you out there again one of these days!

[@jasonsmith7809]

Can you take a boat in there?

[@mclovin7753]

Yes. Lots of people fish from boats, kayaks or float tubes

[@robertsnibley9515]

Wild pilot not a summit

[@squatchy69]

This guy is not a good fisherman.. not quite ten. How about 5. Buy the time he lands these dinks. They’re half dead.

[@dwgwnr1969]

Wow