Species guide
Lake Tahoe & Pyramid Lake fish
What you’ll catch, how big they get and when they bite best.
Five species, two lakes
Know your fish
Lake trout (mackinaw)
- Size: Up to 20 to 30 lb
- Season: Year-round at Tahoe
The heavyweight of Lake Tahoe and the fish most trips are built around. JD targets them with light tackle, so even a 5-pounder is a real fight.
Brown trout
- Size: Up to 15 lb
- Season: Spring & fall
Tahoe’s trophy browns are smart and rare, and spring is when they feed near the surface.
Rainbow trout
- Size: Up to 12 lb
- Season: Spring & fall
Hard-fighting and acrobatic. Rainbows are a regular part of the spring mixed bag.
Lahontan cutthroat
- Size: Tahoe 3 to 4 lb · Pyramid to 30 lb
- Season: Tahoe in spring · Pyramid Oct to Mar
The native trout of the Lahontan basin. At Pyramid Lake they grow into the largest cutthroat on earth.
Kokanee salmon
- Size: Up to 2 lb
- Season: June to October
Landlocked sockeye that school up in summer. Great fun on light gear and even better on the grill.
Underwater footage
See how kokanee really bite
JD’s underwater camera work shows exactly how fish react to lures. It’s the kind of detail that makes him one of the most respected guides in the West.
Let’s go fishing.
Pick your lake and your date and book it online in a minute. JD reaches out before your trip with the plan, the meeting time and what the fish are doing.