Fished Pyramid on 11/21. There were quite a few people along the channel, but not too many on the lake. We were able to straight tie to the buoy between the island and dam and had max two boats tied up.Was a beautiful day without much wind. The striper fishing was great in terms of quantity (probably over 40), but not much quality i.e. very small,mostly one pounders with a few 2-3 pounders. Caught almost all on cut anchovies.I kept some to give to friends (cleaning them was not an easy task) and discovered these fish must be in starvation mode, because their stomachs were empty. IMO There is not enough food supply for their numbers, because they are really "thick" (plentiful)in some areas. Deputy sherriffs and DFG are also checking licenses (just got my striper stamp) and number of fish.

did you launch out of the main ramp or did they have th Delago side open? do they open that gate this time of year or only in the summer when theres more boats or ??. good to hear you hooked and thanks for the heads up on ol johnny law...... KEEP EM BENT!!!

PHISHuntR

The Vista Del Lago side is closed for the season. I was there at Vista Del Lago yesterday (11/22) and the access road had a locked gate saying that it was closed for the season. The visitor center is still open but you can't drive down to the lake. Since I was on foot that didn't deter me. I just hoofed it down to the lake and went flyfishing from shore. It was a great day with 13 fish, most in the 18" range, caught and released. The fisf were hungry enough to hit anything and everything I threw at them. This was my first experience with stripers and my first time at Pyramid Lake. I'll definately be back.

Richard

so you park in the visitor center lot? how fars the walk? worse coming back then gong to i imagine huh!? was there alot people shore fishing that side?is it probably safer to put a float tube in over there in at the main ramp?.... no strong current over there either..
how was the water clairity?? KEEP EM BENT!!!!

PHISHuntR

Sounds like alot of fun you had today. I kinda had a similar day today on the Stripers in the acueducts today. Lots but no keepers. On this side of town thay have to be 18 inches minimum to keep. What is the size/quantity limit on the Sripers at Pyramid.

To respond to some of the questions (edit: and some, seems my reply just kept growing,sorry) : We launched from the main ramp. I don't know anything about the other. I did notice there was not much of a current, because the water flow into the lake was minimal. From the visitor center it seems to me like that would be a long way to hoof it with a tube though. The limit was 10 stripers, but I don't think there is a size limit. When the deputy came by in the boat I had 9 on my stringer and made sure I had only nine as long as I wanted to keep fishing. I must say this guy was pretty cool though. He let my brother (his wife accidentally had his fishing license) slide even though he could only show the receipt for the fishing license. One of three other guys in a boat he just warned that he did not want to see him hold a fishing pole. The unlicensed boater/fisherman claimed he was not fishing! Just in the boat for a ride. I have been told by my brother and the gal at the gate that the deputies nailed two guys on Monday with 59 fish over the limit in possession. I have also been told that DFG was out in civilian clothes. All because of the quantity of fish being caught I assume.

We called DFG on monday morning.The guys I fish with and myself try to mind our own business,but sometimes you have to get involed.After I called the DFG I went over to the entrance booth. To ask the lady if there was some type of law enforcement around.She told me that the DFG were on the way.I told her what type of car they were hiding all the fish in and what they look like.We even took their picture loading the fish in the car.When we saw her the following morning,she informed us that those poachers got busted.After a couple of days of seeing people poaching,we just said "that's it".A ten fish limit is more than enough.What the hell are you going to do with 50 plus fish.I was told that those guys sell them to some markets in Glendale.
Peace,
Fishjunkyog

I also saw a yellow boat out by the dam. Three guys in it nailing the stripers and keeping every one of them. They left (...to unload?), then came back. I understand they are regulars. I usually c&r everything, but some people at church wanted some fish so we kept 15 between the two of us. I have to tell you it was the toughest cleaning job of fish I have ever done. In the beginning I was getting bloodied up from the fins and gills, untill I put some gloves on(never cleaned stripers before)! However, it seems to me that they are so thick and the competition for food so stiff, that catching and keeping limits would help the fishery in this lake.

I agree with you.Keeping a limit would only help the Stripers.It's ironic isn't.The big ones are so thin and the little ones are so fat.I think Pyramid is one of those places where the encourage you to "catch and keep".Castaic is the total opposite.If your lucky enough to catch one it's huge and you don't want to release it.Ever since the Stripers made their way into both lakes,all of the other species have sufferd.The biggest opponents to the Stripers are the Largemouth guys and the DFG(because they it all of the stocked Trout).Personally I would rather catch a big Striper.They taste good too.

A child has better spelling and grammer skills than I do.Time to go back to school and learn the basics.

Where are most of the stripers being caught at? I might go up this weekend in the boat and was wondering where all the action is.

go to Pyramid, for bigger fish go to Castaic. The Castaic Striper Derby Average weight per fish is an incredible 11.62.
Dave

Thanks guys for the info. I am mainly going to Pyramid for the numbers so the girlfriend can have some fun and not get bored.

Dave, I was up at Castaic yesterday and caught 2 nice stripers, one went 10.2 and the other 12.6. But I didn't weight them in for the derby. But overall the fishing at castaic is real slow.

Jeff,
From a boat the hands down most popular location for stripers at Pyramid is between the dam and the island. On a weekend you'll see plenty of boats all tied to each other at the buoy, so they don't drift because, it is really deep there. Just be aware that you are not supposed to tie to the buoy.

FishjunkeyOG,
That's okay as long as you keep posting reports!

The Catch and release practiced at Castaic (as many lakes) are for Largemouth. For stripers you can take home your limit (10).
Dave

How exactly do you drift anchovies,and when you drift chovies do you use the whole chovie or just a piece?

You flyline it.They use both cut and whole.

I picked this up from my brother, who learned it from a guide on the Colorado River: Cut the tail and head off the anchovy. Slice it down the middle (length wise) into two halves. Clean out the guts and bones. Voila, a filleted anchovy! Sounds like a hassle and all, but he showed it to some guys whose boat he was tied onto and they finally started catching. We fished it on 4# and 6# test line.
It is a little fishing secret, so don't tell everybody.
(Can't seem to work the smilies!)

Since you gave up how to fillet a chovie,i'll tell you the secret to the smilies.What my problem was at first anyway was that i was not leaving a space between the word and the smiley code.

Example;-)

Example ;-)

That's all the secrets i have,sorry!

Thanks :-) or :)

Where are you placing the weight? What size hook are you using? What style hook you using (EWG?)?
Dave
:-)

Dave .
When fished Pyramid I'm using size 2/0 or 3/0 Mustad hook ( not the live bait one ) . Before I used 1/0 worm hook I lost alot of them because the frozen Chovies still hard and the hook is the same size with the Chovies , when I set the hook , it pull right out of the fish . When I changed to size 2/0, I did not loose that many like before . Hope this help .
Khanh .

I use an Eagle Claw Circle hook....I think it's a circle hook...I get them at 7-11 on the way up. But the point is I don't set the hook at all. The fish hits the chovie and turns and is hooked...Usually in the corner of the mouth.

Since I release 99% of all fish caught this makes it easier. Plus with my two rod stamp I can set up a pull with beit and set up a swimbait or spoon pole


But this is just how I do it...

I used light outfits: hooks: Hayabusa #6 Octopus and Owner #4 Mosquitoes; line #4 maxima Ultra green and #6 P-Line flourocarbon (coated); setups: dropperloop (if I needed to get deep) and Carolina rig (I don't use the pinch-on splitshots on #4 test, use keepers);sinkers: the weight depends on the depth were metering fish. I had a big bait rod setup (and three other standby outfits). My wife thinks fishing is a lot of work when she sees me get ready. It is ,but it is also a lot of fun ;-) Okay guys no more secrets left!

Yippee!!! More hype to the subject.

November 25 through November 29

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES --Pyramid Lake.

OK..my two cents worth..hook: #4 J style (eagle claw razor sharp)...sinker: sliding, what ever it takes to get to the fish..I wonder if the trout truck made it to the lake due to the wind..I cancelled my trip for today..