I have been wanting to make a Pyramid Lake thread for a while, which would've included the awesome fishing opportunities and the general high desert beauty.  I went out on October 31 with my camera and a couple fishing buddies with the hopes of catching a bunch of fish and making something cool.  Didn't happen.

http://www.foxreno.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/man-missing-after-falling-off-fishing-boat-at-pyramid-lake-8138.shtml#.VjmVNoS52fc

We started the day way north, up by Monument, but it was pretty weedy, so we headed south to Spider.  At this time of day, Spider Point proper already had more people on it than we'd like, so we took a little road that goes just south of Spider proper.  We ate some lunch, got our gear and ladders ready, and headed in the water to fish.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Fishing was slow so there was some fly changing and ladder re-positioning.  Basically, in and out of the water, back and forth to the truck, ya know, a day at Pyramid fly fishing.  The weather was surprisingly warm.  Wind was negligible, also surprising.  Hell, we were in T-shirts and waders until later in the day.  Really, this would have been a fine day at the beach.  

So, sometime about 3:30 PM, like the new says, I'm standing on my ladder, and I start hearing this caterwauling coming from out off the point.  I look out, and there's maybe four boats on my horizon, maybe three rigs on the beach, and a few people fishing off Spider Point.  I can't tell where the racket is coming from, and I don't see any disturbance, and the yelling has ceased.  One of my buddies was tromping up the beach, back from the truck, and he says, "Didya hear that?  What was that?".  I tell him, "I don't know but it sounded like someone was dying out there".  Just that quick little exchange, and nothing more is said.  Buddy goes back to his ladder, other buddy has been fishing the whole time, but I've been watching the boats, 'cause the fishing is slow.  

Watching the boats after I hear the caterwaul, I notice one boat go into reverse, stop, then reverse again.  The boat is stopped, then full speed forward left hand turn to original position.  I'm thinking something is up at this point, but what do I know, standing on a ladder on the shore?  I really haven't seen anything, just heard some muffled screams/yells, and some weird boating maneuvers.  So, make a couple more bad casts, strip to no avail, all the while watching the boat traffic.  I notice one boat heading towards the sketchy maneuver boat at a fair rate of speed.  They pull up alongside, hang for a minute, then take off.  Okay, that was odd.  Boats on Pyramid generally don't pull up along side.  Couple minutes later, another boat, aluminum with red stripes, pulls up to sketchy boat, and they hang for a few minutes.  Red stripe boat starts circling sketchy boat, not real fast but makes a couple circles.  At this point my buddies are paying attention, and we're all kinda WTF is going on out there?  So, red stripe boat starts heading for us, and we're all paying attention now.  They get within yelling distance, and they ask us if we've seen anyone in the water.  We tell tell them no, but we thought we'd heard some yelling coming off the water.  Red stripe tells us that a guy went overboard(sketchy boat) and the wife never saw him come up.  There was a collective heart sink at this moment, and I suddenly realized what I'd observed.  

Shortly thereafter, Tribal police boat showed up, followed by Washoe Co. Sheriffs helicopter and later, two boats .  All told, they had three boats, one helicopter, and I counted, three swimmers looking for this guy.  Tribal boat was out until dark.  

We kept fishing.  I took pictures of S&R.  We stayed until dark.  

We did however, have some pretty sad conversations on the beach.  What a horrible day for that poor woman.  I can't imagine how the rest of that day went for her.  I don't want to imagine.  

Sorry guys, I guess this is catharsis/confession/ I feel shitty about what I saw, and don't know what to do with it.

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Dude would prob. Be alive or at least found if he was wearing a flotation device. So theres that.

Did you catch anything?

Shame. I dont wear a vest enough when I'm out.. But you also need to consider who youre with.. If you go overboard and smack your head (happens in most of these cases) and no one you are with can swim-- wear a jacket at all times. They cant help you.
My parents bought a boat from a widow in the 90's who lost her husband the same way in Callville. He missed the step onto the boat from the dock, fell, knocked himself unconscious, and she watched in horror and he drowned because she couldnt swim.

Onto happier things, did you catch anything? And I've got a 7wt g loomis crosscurrent on the way that is intended for Pyramid this season. :)

You guys are exactly right.  Had he been wearing his flotation, his day would've been much better.

The fishing was slow that day.  One fish between the three of us.  Four pounds maybe, caught on a midge.  I fished wooly buggers and beetles and never even got a bump.  

Again, sorry for the morose post.  We're probably going out again this weekend.  Hopefully with the weather cooling off, the shore fishing will get better, and I'll be able to make a better post with some fish pictures.

He hasn't been found yet.  Local news says the search has been suspended due to weather.

Hope they find the guy.