It’s a fishing day

Pyramid Lake fishing conditions · Nevada

Sit it outno cutthroat trout window clears the bar in 36 hours

Cutthroat trout is the best bet here today.

Lake Wind Advisory until Monday 6 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 43 for cutthroat trout, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Cutthroat trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 43Mon
  2. 43
  3. 43
  4. 433 am
  5. 43
  6. 43
  7. 436 am
  8. 43
  9. 43
  10. 439 am
  11. 43
  12. 43
  13. 4312 pm
  14. 43
  15. 43
  16. 433 pm
  17. 43
  18. 43
  19. 436 pm
  20. 43
  21. 43
  22. 439 pm
  23. 43
  24. 43
  25. 43Tue
  26. 43
  27. 43
  28. 433 am
  29. 43
  30. 43
  31. 436 am
  32. 43
  33. 43
  34. 439 am
  35. 43
  36. 43
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Cutthroat trout range 39–62°

Wind
10 mph

From the southwest

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:20 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
55°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe regulations for these waters.

Cutthroat Trout

Cutthroat trout

Oncorhynchus clarkii

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Cutthroat trout bite in 39–62° water, best near 54°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–25 ft down.

Keep

17" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Pyramid Lake is managed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe — a tribal permit (not a Nevada license) is required, and only barbless hooks are allowed. Lahontan cutthroat trophy slot: keepers must be 17–20" or over 24"; everything under 17" and the protected 20–24" slot must be released. Daily limit 2 fish, no more than one over 24". Trout season October 1–June 30; bait is not allowed. Sacramento perch: 10 a day, all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on cutthroat trout

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.13 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:20 am
  • Sunset today6:03 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:40 pm–1:40 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Nevada Dept. of Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A 125,000-acre desert terminal lake on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation north of Reno — the premier fishery for the giant Lahontan cutthroat trout, a strain that routinely tops 10 lb and historically exceeded 40. Anglers fish from shoreline ladders and drop-offs through the cool months for trophy cutthroat and Sacramento perch.

Tribal water: a Pyramid Lake Paiute permit is required (not a Nevada license); barbless hooks only. Trophy slot — keepers 17–20" or over 24". Season Oct 1–Jun 30.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Feather River (Oroville)115 mi · CaliforniaBest now until 4 pm
68Marginal
Folsom Lake121 mi · CaliforniaBest today 3 am–3 pm
86Go
Sacramento River (Red Bluff)139 mi · CaliforniaBest tomorrow 8 am–11 am
74Worth the trip
Shasta Lake159 mi · CaliforniaBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 11 am
74Worth the trip
California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)169 mi · CaliforniaBest now until tonight 4 am
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Pyramid Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Pyramid Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Pyramid Lake?

Pyramid Lake is listed on this site for 1 commonly-targeted species: Cutthroat Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Pyramid Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Pyramid Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Pyramid Lake have?

Pyramid Lake has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Tribal water: a Pyramid Lake Paiute permit is required (not a Nevada license); barbless hooks only. Trophy slot — keepers 17–20" or over 24". Season Oct 1–Jun 30.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Pyramid Lake?

state agency regulations apply at Pyramid Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Pyramid Lake tidal water?

No. Pyramid Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.